tommyl18, Hi.
For my sins I work in the Insurance sector, I have worked for and still work for "various" insurers, or Loss Adjusters.
All insurers have a "preferred" cost build up Software package, some good some less so, some have been compiled by the insurer some are so called "Off the Shelf"
There is a trend towards a package called Xactimate, it is I think an American pack BUT it is totally converted to British costs that are updated on a frequent basis, even reflecting local variations, such as South of England. London. Wales. Scotland.
This package appears to be gaining a lot of users within the very "Cut Throat" market that is insurance and the builders that are working for insurers have to use this package.
I have no idea as to what it costs to buy into and then keep it upgraded to reflect current costs, sorry about that I am only an end user, whoever I am working for pays the Licence fee.
this package allows a room by room cost build up for all trades. there is also a Drawing function that allows you to [with deadly accuracy] draw a plan and individual wall elevations of the room that combine to give a complete visual image of a house both internally and out.
I have seen on various [insurance] web sites training in the use of this package to attain accreditation in its use
There is a possibility that the package could be "tailored" to provide the "bits" of the package you need, namely the costing section only.
I suppose if you Google building coGoogleld up software there will be a lot of Information.
Bottom line is that there appears to be a lot if use of Xactimate? if several "hard nosed" insurers and Loss Adjusters are using it can not be that bad, but may be expensive?
ken