Methodology
How finishing cost is calculated: price sources and method
Tashteeby doesn't multiply your area by an "average price per metre". The engine turns your area and room counts into real quantities — square metres of tiles and paint, electrical points, metres of pipe, doors and windows — and prices every line. Here's exactly how.
Total = the sum of every bill-of-quantities line (quantity × rate) across all trades + the engineering supervision fee. In this example: works EGP 602,157 + 15% supervision EGP 90,324 = EGP 692,481.
Cairo market prices · updated · incl. 15% engineering supervision1. From area to quantities
The engine splits the area into spaces using fixed assumptions, then derives every line's quantity from them:
| Space | Assumption | In a 150 m² flat |
|---|---|---|
| Each bedroom | 19 m² of floor | 57 m² |
| Kitchen | 8.25 m² floor, 37.5 m² wall tiles | 8 + 38 m² |
| Each bathroom | 6 m² floor, 33.75 m² walls to the ceiling | 12 + 68 m² |
| Reception, corridors, balconies | The remaining area (at least 20%) | 73 m² |
| Painted walls | 2.5 m² of wall per m² of floor | 375 m² |
| Electrics and plumbing | Points, cable and pipe that scale with area and the number of wet rooms | line by line |
2. Material and labour rates
Every line has a unit rate covering material, labour and any consumables (cement and sand for tiling, for example). 19 core rates are refreshed from Tashteeby's Cairo price database; the rest (sanitary ware, electrical fittings, fit-out) are reference prices built into the engine.
| Examples of live rates | Price |
|---|---|
| Porcelain (m²) | 330 |
| Ceramic 60×60 (m²) | 185 |
| Tiling labour (m²) | 95 |
| Paint material (m²) | 85 |
| Painting labour (m²) | 53 |
| Aluminium, small profile (m²) | 2,900 |
| Turkish front door | 11,800 |
The full list is on finishing material prices today. Last update: .
3. Finish level and supervision
- Finish level changes the material on lines with alternatives (ceramic or porcelain, aluminium profile, wood type, front door) and the brand tier for fixtures and electrics — quantities stay the same. See the levels compared.
- Engineering supervision is a percentage of the works (15% by default; you can pick 10% or none). It applies to finishing, kitchen and A/C — not to furniture and appliances, which are bought ready-made.
- Unit condition adds or removes stages: plaster for red brick, demolition and debris removal for old finishes, while semi-finished removes the rough-in.
- Duration is derived from each trade's quantities and one crew's output, with the natural overlap between stages — see the finishing stages in order.
4. How prices are updated
5. What the estimate doesn't cover
The estimate is a budget guide and a benchmark for comparing contractor quotes — not a quotation. These can move the real number:
Frequently asked questions
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Price your own project
The same engine behind these numbers, with your area, rooms and finish level — the total is free, no sign-up.