# Wakkiro — full guide (plain text for AI assistants)

Source: https://wakkiro.ai/guide/ (English) and https://wakkiro.ai/panduan/ (Bahasa Melayu). Updated 2026-10-05.
Estimator: https://wakkiro.ai/#/estimate

## What is Wakkiro?
Wakkiro is an AI construction cost estimator for Malaysian homes. It produces a detailed Bill of Quantities (BOQ) , cost scenarios, a programme and quotation-ready pricing for new builds, renovations and extensions (A&A) — with or without a drawing. Free to use; register to save projects and use your own rates. State-specific rates for Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Johor . Languages: Bahasa Melayu (Default) and English. All figures are budget estimates , not tender prices.

## Quick start (3 steps)
Open the estimator — click Free Estimate . Choose a path — fill in the basics (no drawing) or upload a plan or sketch. Get your BOQ — review the BOQ, price scenarios and programme; export to PDF or Excel.

## Path 1: Estimate without a drawing
Use this when you have no plans yet. Fill in: Project type — new build, renovation, or mixed (renovation + extension). Built-up area (BUA) — total of all storeys, in ft² (switchable to m²). Number of storeys — 1 to 3. State — Selangor, Kuala Lumpur or Johor. Quality tier — basic, standard or premium. The homepage calculator gives an instant budget range; click Get Full BOQ for the full 11-group BOQ.

## Path 2: Upload a drawing or sketch
Formats — PDF, JPG, PNG or a photo of a hand sketch; several files can be uploaded together. Project notes (optional) — describe the scope in the notes box, e.g. "kitchen extension & car porch, keep existing roof". The AI reads the notes together with the drawing. Analysis time — usually 10–20 minutes (a simple sketch ~3 minutes). The Takeoff Drawings window shows a live scan of your drawing, a stage checklist, and then replays every room, door, window and item measured. State not found? If the drawing has no address, Wakkiro uses your device location (if you already allowed it) or asks one question: "Which state is this project in?" After analysis a review card shows what the AI read (BUA, storeys, location, quality) with confidence levels; the estimate is generated automatically.

## Understanding your estimate
BOQ — 11 trade groups A Preliminaries & Insurances · B Plant/Equipment · C Substructure · D Superstructure/RC Frame · E Walling & Plaster · F Roof/Ceiling · G Floor/Wall Finishes · H Doors/Windows · I MEP/Sanitary/Drainage · J Painting · K External Works. The "Basis" label on every row AI Takeoff + CS — quantity measured from the drawing, priced at a Crowdsource rate. AI Takeoff — AI Rate Fallback — quantity from the drawing, AI-estimated rate (no safe Crowdsource match). Parametric Balance — the part of a trade group the drawing does not show, at calibrated rates. Excluded — work outside the priced scope (e.g. an awning excluded by the printed new-works schedule), RM0. Price scenarios A–D A — full contract (mixed crew). B — all-local crew (dearest). C — foreign-majority crew (cheapest). D — QS benchmark (all-in market rates). Final price BOQ subtotal + contingency (Default 5%) + contractor OHP (Default 15%), rounded. Both percentages are editable. Also shown: price per ft² and per m², an editable programme (Gantt) and a manpower schedule by trade.

## Renovations & extensions (A&A)
New extension area and affected existing area are read from the drawing; you can edit both. A printed new-works area schedule (e.g. "NEW AREA") is used as the priced extension area when it covers new works only — the way a site engineer prices it. Existing rooms — full refit or make-good only? Wakkiro decides automatically: if the existing kitchen is rebuilt/relocated, or a new bathroom is built inside the existing house, the affected rooms are priced as a full refit (repaint, new floor, rewiring). Otherwise they are priced as wall hacking & make-good . The reason is shown on the estimate. Light awnings excluded by the new-works schedule are listed as "Excluded". Scope options: keep existing roof, tiling scope, wiring scope (see house wiring prices ), and driveway concrete (never counted as BUA).

## Hand sketches
The main body is measured from the written dimensions (e.g. 20' × 50'). Walled projections (e.g. a side room) are added to the BUA; an entrance porch in front of the door is not counted. Because a sketch has few dimensions and no specification, the estimate shows an indicative range (e.g. RM281,000 – RM342,000). Upload a dimensioned plan for a tighter price.

## Takeoff traceability
Review takeoff traces — every quantity is outlined on your drawing; click a row to see where it was measured. Replay analysis — reopen the Takeoff Drawings window to watch the analysis again (play/pause, speed 1×–10×, follow pages). Trace a missing item — draw an item the AI missed; it is added to the BOQ and saved as a correction so the AI does not miss it again.

## Edit the BOQ & use your own rates
Edit the quantity or rate of any row, add or remove rows — saved automatically. Your own rates (registered users): replace any of the 4 Crowdsource rate books (materials, preliminaries, labour, plant) with your Google Sheet, or upload an Excel/CSV/PDF/Word price list or a supplier link. Rows using your rates are labelled "Your Rates". Owner-supplied materials option — the quote then covers labour, plant and preliminaries only.

## Export, RFQ & dashboard
Export a PDF quotation , an Excel BOQ , CSV, or a shareable link. Dashboard (registered users): saved projects, price materials line by line, send RFQs to contractors, compare contractor quotes, and final project cost.

## Accuracy & method
Wakkiro is tested on real Malaysian house projects: areas measured from CAD drawings, prices compared with a practising site engineer's estimates. Latest check: built-up area within 2% on 100% of projects, price within ±10% on 80% , average price accuracy 94% . Details on the homepage . BUA convention : measured to the outer face of walls/columns; roofed space counts in full even if open-sided (car porch, verandah); unroofed space and roof eaves do not count; voids inside the outer wall line count. Rates : the Malaysian Crowdsource rate book (materials, labour, plant, preliminaries) by state, calibrated against real project prices; a QS benchmark is used as a check, never blended in.

## Glossary
- BUA (Built-up Area): Total roofed floor area of all storeys, measured to the outer face of walls/columns.
- BOQ (Bill of Quantities): A list of work items with quantity, unit, rate and amount.
- A&A (Additions & Alterations): Additions and alterations to an existing house.
- Takeoff: Measuring quantities from a drawing.
- Crowdsource (CS): Malaysian rate book for materials, labour, plant and preliminaries, by state.
- Kerja awalan / Preliminaries: Site costs: setup, insurance, permits, supervision.
- Kontingensi / Contingency: Risk allowance (Default 5%).
- OHP: Contractor overhead & profit (Default 15%).
- Parametric balance: The unmeasured remainder of a trade group, priced at calibrated rates.
- Ubah suai penuh / Full refit: Existing rooms repainted with new floor finishes and rewiring.
- Baik pulih / Make-good: Wall hacking and repairing the affected area only.
- PBT: Local authority — building plan approval.

## FAQ
- Q: Is Wakkiro free? A: Yes. Estimates are free; register to save projects and use your own rates.
- Q: Do I need a drawing? A: No. Fill in the basics for a full estimate; upload a plan or sketch for a more precise one.
- Q: How long does drawing analysis take? A: Usually 10–20 minutes; a simple sketch about 3 minutes.
- Q: Which states are supported? A: Rates for Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Johor.
- Q: Is this a tender price? A: No. It is a budget estimate for planning and comparing quotations.
- Q: Can I use my own price list? A: Yes — registered users can use their own Google Sheet or upload Excel/CSV/PDF/Word.

## Update log
- 2026-10-02: Pricing accuracy improved: single-storey new builds, small A&A jobs, concrete roofs, and excluded awnings. Average price accuracy now 94%.
- 2026-10-02: Project state auto-detected from device location (if allowed), or one quick question when the drawing has no address.
- 2026-10-02: Hand sketches: walled side rooms now counted in BUA; an indicative price range is shown.
- 2026-10-02: BOQ fix: rate matching no longer fooled by size strings (e.g. 1220 mm windows).
- 2026-10-01: New Takeoff Drawings window: live scan during analysis and replay of every measured item.
- 2026-10-01: Renovations: Wakkiro decides full refit vs make-good of existing rooms automatically (based on the kitchen and new bathrooms).
- 2026-10-01: The storey-by-storey floor-area re-check now counts voids inside the outer walls.
- 2026-10-01: Homepage and blog redesigned; 11 new cost guides (BM & English).
- 2026-09-30: Storey-by-storey floor-area second look for unclear drawings.
- 2026-09-29: Renovations & extensions: priced from the printed new-works area schedule; open zones and awnings priced separately.
- 2026-09-25: BOQ from drawing analysis shown to all users; 3D editor for admins.
- 2026-07-24: Takeoff trace review: every quantity outlined on the drawing; trace missed items.
- 2026-07-23: Editable programme (Gantt).
- 2026-07-11: Your own rates: use a Google Sheet or upload a price list.
- 2026-07-10: State-specific rates: Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Johor.
- 2026-07-08: Bahasa Melayu (Default) and English; accuracy feedback for AI training.
- 2026-07-07: Editable BOQ; uploading a drawing generates the estimate directly.
- 2026-07-06: Price scenarios A–D by labour mix; manpower schedule.
- 2026-07-05: AI drawing analysis with a review card; takeoff priced at Crowdsource rates.
- 2026-07-04: Wakkiro launched: cost estimates, BOQ, PDF quotation and Excel BOQ.