Materials
Materials
Section titled “Materials”Materials represent the physical components used in construction — concrete, steel, drywall, insulation, finishes, and hundreds of other building elements.
In Darwin, materials are foundational building blocks that feed into modules and ultimately form part of your estimation’s cost structure.
This page explains how materials work, how to create them, and how they integrate into the broader estimating workflow.
1. What Materials Represent
Section titled “1. What Materials Represent”Each material in the Catalog contains:
- Name
- Unit of measurement (m³, m², kg, units, etc.)
- Base price (from the price list)
- Optional supplier information
- Optional classification (UniFormat, MasterFormat, internal category tree)
Materials do not store quantities or prices for specific projects.
They are reusable definitions used by modules.
2. Why Materials Matter
Section titled “2. Why Materials Matter”Materials provide:
Consistency
Section titled “Consistency”Using predefined materials ensures that similar assemblies always reference the same definitions.
Traceability
Section titled “Traceability”You can see exactly which materials were used in each module and estimation.
Transparency
Section titled “Transparency”Material quantities flow from modules into the estimation breakdown automatically.
Flexibility
Section titled “Flexibility”If a material’s price changes, updating the price list recalculates all projects instantly.
3. How Materials Are Used in Modules
Section titled “3. How Materials Are Used in Modules”Modules use materials to define construction logic.
For example, a Concrete Slab 15cm module might include:
- 0.15 m³ of concrete per m²
- 12 kg of rebar per m²
- 0.01 m³ of formwork material
- 1 sheet of vapor barrier per 10 m²
When this module is added to an estimation:
- the IFC or manual quantity multiplies the material quantities
- the price list applies the cost
- the summary shows the material breakdown
This creates a transparent and audit-ready cost structure.
4. Creating a Material
Section titled “4. Creating a Material”To create a new material:
- Go to Catalog → Materials
- Click New Material
- Enter:
- name
- unit
- category (optional)
- Save the record
- Update its price in the Price List
Screenshot placeholder:
Add here: Material creation form
Materials are reusable and can be updated at any time.
5. Editing Materials
Section titled “5. Editing Materials”You can modify a material’s:
- name
- unit
- category
- documentation
These changes affect all future uses of the material.
Price changes, however, should always be handled through Price Lists, not through material records.
6. Material Categories
Section titled “6. Material Categories”Darwin supports a hierarchical category structure that helps organize large catalogs.
For example:
- Concrete
- Structural Concrete
- Lightweight Concrete
- Masonry
- Blocks
- Bricks
- Finishes
- Paint
- Plaster
Categories improve searching and filtering, especially for large module libraries.
7. Best Practices
Section titled “7. Best Practices”Use clear and specific names
Section titled “Use clear and specific names”Avoid generic labels like “Block.” Prefer “Concrete Block 20cm.”
Keep units consistent
Section titled “Keep units consistent”If a material is usually sold in m², don’t switch to units arbitrarily.
Document assumptions
Section titled “Document assumptions”If a material has variants (e.g., fire-rated drywall), note it clearly.
Avoid storing prices directly
Section titled “Avoid storing prices directly”Let the price list define all cost values.
Reuse materials across modules
Section titled “Reuse materials across modules”This improves consistency and simplifies updates.
8. Next Steps
Section titled “8. Next Steps”Continue exploring the Catalog:
- ➡️ Labor
- ➡️ Categories
- ➡️ Modules