Calculator Inputs
Example Data Table
| Scenario | Duration | Photos/day | Videos/week | Scans/week | BIM models | Retention | Est. end storage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Example | 12 mo | 180 (4.5 MB) | 6 (2.0 GB) | 2 (8.0 GB) | 4 (12 GB) | 6 mo | Varies with multipliers and growth. |
| High capture | 18 mo | 450 (6.0 MB) | 10 (3.0 GB) | 4 (12 GB) | 8 (18 GB) | 12 mo | Expect multi‑TB plans. |
| Light capture | 6 mo | 60 (3.0 MB) | 2 (1.0 GB) | 0 (0 GB) | 2 (6 GB) | 3 mo | Often under 500 GB. |
Formula Used
Cost_m = Stored_m × StorageRate + Egress × EgressRate + Requests × RequestRate
How to Use This Calculator
- Enter your build duration and retention period for compliance.
- Estimate daily photos and documents from all site teams.
- Add weekly videos and scans if you use walkthroughs or LiDAR.
- Define BIM model size and monthly update rate for design changes.
- Set versions/redundancy for approvals, backups, and snapshots.
- Apply compression and metadata overhead based on your platform.
- Use growth to reflect ramp‑up as activities intensify.
- Review the tier recommendation and adjust capture policies.
- Download CSV or PDF to share with stakeholders.
Professional Guidance
Capture Profiles Drive Storage Demand
Construction teams generate different data streams: progress photos, inspection reports, drone videos, reality scans, and BIM updates. The calculator converts each stream into monthly gigabytes, then aligns it with your work calendar. Higher photo counts and larger video bitrates usually dominate totals, especially on multi‑trade sites with parallel crews.
Retention Windows Change Long‑Term Footprint
Retention extends the billing timeline even after work stops. A 12‑month build with 6 months retention creates an 18‑month storage horizon. If your contracts require archive access for claims, closeout, or compliance, increase retention first, then recheck the tier recommendation.
Versions, Overhead, and Buffers Reflect Reality
Real projects store more than “raw files.” Versioning for approvals, shared links, and backups multiplies capacity. Indexing, previews, thumbnails, and audit logs add overhead. A practical buffer protects you from schedule acceleration, rework, and unexpected documentation spikes.
Growth Trend Models Ramp‑Up
Early months often have lighter capture. As structural work, MEP rough‑in, and finishing overlap, daily uploads increase. The growth input applies a month‑to‑month uplift, producing a more realistic curve than a flat average. Use historical site reports to set the trend.
Cost Planning Includes Storage and Access
Monthly cost is estimated from stored gigabytes plus access components like egress and requests. Egress matters when teams download large videos, distribute scan sets, or sync many devices. Example data: 12 months duration, 6 months retention, 180 photos/day at 4.5 MB, 6 videos/week at 2.0 GB, 2 scans/week at 8 GB, and 4 BIM models at 12 GB with 6% monthly updates. With versions 1.35×, 10% compression, 3% overhead, 20% buffer, and 2% growth, the result typically lands in a multi‑hundreds‑GB to low‑TB tier depending on access rates.
FAQs
1) What should I use for the versions multiplier?
Start with 1.2 to 1.5 for normal review cycles. Use 1.6 to 2.5 when you keep multiple approved copies, daily snapshots, and separate client handover folders.
2) Does compression reduce my original file quality?
Not always. Deduplication and ZIP-style packaging can reduce size without quality loss. Video “re-encoding” can reduce size but may affect quality; confirm with your workflow.
3) How do I estimate egress?
Review how often teams download videos, scans, or large models. Multiply average file size by expected downloads and syncing devices. If unsure, begin with a conservative monthly allowance and adjust.
4) Why include metadata overhead?
Many platforms generate thumbnails, previews, indexes, and audit logs. This overhead is small per file, but large projects with many photos and PDFs can accumulate noticeable additional storage.
5) Should BIM initial upload be counted separately?
Yes. Initial model libraries are often uploaded early and remain throughout the project. The calculator adds an initial BIM amount in month one, then adds monthly BIM updates based on your rate.
6) What retention is common for construction projects?
Many teams keep active access through closeout, then retain archives for 6 to 24 months or longer based on contract, warranty, and claims risk. Align the value with your documentation policy.
7) How can I reduce storage without losing traceability?
Standardize photo resolution, compress duplicate video exports, archive older scan sets, and keep a single approved “record” folder. Use tagging and indexing so teams find files without duplicating them.