Building materials estimation

Abstract

Using remote image acquisition, image processing, and computational systems and methods, it has become possible to obtain actual building dimensions that can be used to generate construction estimates for repairing or maintaining buildings. For example, actual roof dimensions can be used to provide a computer-based estimate of materials and/or materials overage needed. Instead of simply applying a generic overage percentage based on roof shape, a computer-based approach can take into account cut lines as a percentage of total roof area. The resulting computer-generated estimate is shown to be more accurate, less expensive, and faster than using a human on-site estimator.

1 . A computer system, comprising:
 one or more computer processors; and   a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing software that when executed by the one or more computer processors causes the one or more computer processors to:
 determine an order amount of construction materials needed for construction or repair of a structural element of a building, the order amount including an overage amount of the construction materials that accounts for construction material waste, by:
 receiving image data associated with aerial photographs acquired by one or more remote sensors without relying on a human estimator to be present at the building; 
 generating from the image data, a three-dimensional model of the structural element of the building by matching point patterns of an oblique view of the building with point patterns of an orthogonal view of the building; and 
 generating from the three-dimensional model, the overage amount of the construction materials, the overage amount not based on a fixed overall overage percentage, and the overage amount at least partly based on:
 deriving building dimensions of the structural element and numbers and dimensions of architectural types of features of the structural element; 
 cumulating lengths for each of the architectural types of features of the structural element; 
 multiplying each of the cumulated lengths by a loss factor specific to a corresponding one of the architectural types of features of the structural element; 
 summing the multiplied cumulated lengths to generate a total length; and 
 multiplying the total length by a square footage conversion factor, the square footage conversion factor based on exposed surface area of the construction material, to produce the overage amount. 
 
 
   
     
     
         2 . The computer system of  claim 1 , wherein the order amount is further determined by:
 receiving a selected construction material product unit size;   adjusting the overage amount based on product unit size compared to one or more surface areas of the structural element; and   providing the adjusted overage amount.   
     
     
         3 . (canceled) 
     
     
         4 . The computer system of  claim 1 , wherein the structural element is a roof. 
     
     
         5 . The computer system of  claim 1 , wherein the construction materials include one or more of a shingle, shake, tile, metal sheet, slate, stone, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The computer system of  claim 1 , wherein the structural element is a wall. 
     
     
         7 . The computer system of  claim 1 , wherein the aerial photographs are acquired by one or more of an airborne system, an orbital system, a sub-orbital system, or a vehicular system. 
     
     
         8 . A computer system, comprising:
 one or more computer processors; and   a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing software that when executed by the one or more computer processors causes the one or more computer processors to:
 determine an order amount of construction materials needed for construction or repair of a roof of a building, the order amount including an overage amount of the construction materials that accounts for material waste, by:
 receiving a data set that includes image files of two different views of the roof acquired by one or more remote sensors, without relying on a human estimator to be present at the building; 
 generating from the image files, a three-dimensional rendering of the roof by matching point patterns of a first, oblique view of the roof with point patterns of a second, orthogonal view of the roof; and 
 determining from the three-dimensional rendering, the order amount of construction materials needed to construct at least a portion of the roof, the overage amount not based on a fixed overall overage percentage, by:
 deriving, from the three-dimensional rendering, roof dimensions and types and numbers of features of the roof; 
 cumulating lengths of each of the features; 
 multiplying each of the cumulated lengths by a loss factor specific to a corresponding one of the features; 
 summing the multiplied cumulated lengths to generate a total length; and 
 multiplying the total length by a square footage conversion factor, the square footage conversion factor based on exposed surface area of the construction materials. 
 
 
   
     
     
         9 . The computer system of  claim 8 , wherein the order amount is further determined by:
 adjusting the overage amount based on a construction material product unit size compared to one or more surface areas of the roof; and   providing the adjusted overage amount.   
     
     
         10 . A computer system, comprising:
 one or more computer processors; and   a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing software that when executed by the one or more computer processors causes the one or more computer processors to:
 determine an order amount of construction materials needed for construction of a structural element of a building, the order amount including an overage amount of the construction materials that accounts for material waste, by:
 generating a three-dimensional rendering of a structure by matching point patterns of an oblique view of the building with point patterns of an orthogonal view of the building the three-dimensional rendering derived from images acquired by one or more remote sensors without relying on a human estimator; 
 extracting from the three-dimensional rendering, type, number, and linear dimensions of each of a plurality of feature types of geometric features; and 
 determining the order amount of construction materials, in which the overage amount is not based on a fixed overall overage percentage and is based at least partly on:
 cumulating the linear dimensions for each of the feature types of the structural element; 
 multiplying each of the cumulated linear dimensions by a loss factor specific to a corresponding one of the feature types; 
 summing the multiplied cumulated linear dimensions to generate a total linear dimension; and 
 multiplying the total linear dimension by a square footage conversion factor, the square footage conversion factor based on exposed surface area of the construction material. 
 
 
   
     
     
         11 . The computer system of  claim 10 , wherein the structural element is a roof of the building. 
     
     
         12 . The computer system of  claim 10 , wherein the building is an element of a transportation infrastructure. 
     
     
         13 . The computer system of  claim 11 , wherein the images of the building are acquired by one or more of an airborne system, an orbital system, a sub-orbital system, a handheld system, a vehicular system, or a ground based system. 
     
     
         14 . The computer system of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 receiving a selected product unit size;   adjusting the overage amount based on the selected product unit size; and   providing the adjusted overage amount.   
     
     
         15 . A computer system, comprising:
 one or more computer processors; and   a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing software that when executed by the one or more computer processors causes the one or more computer processors to:
 determine an order amount of roofing materials needed for a roof of a building, including an overage amount of the roofing materials, by:
 receiving image data associated with at least one oblique aerial photograph of the roof and at least one orthogonal aerial photograph of the roof; 
 generating a three-dimensional model of the roof from the image data, at least in part by using point pattern matching to estimate which individual points on the at least one oblique aerial photograph of the roof match corresponding points on the at least one orthogonal aerial photograph; 
 extracting type, number, and linear dimensions of features of the roof from the three-dimensional model of the roof; 
 determining a base amount of the roofing materials by calculating areas of planes of the roof from the linear dimensions; 
 determining the overage amount of the roofing materials, the overage amount accounting for materials that will be cut and that will create discard materials, by:
 multiplying each of the linear dimensions of the features of the roof by a weighting factor indicative of real-world waste practices for the type of feature, wherein the weighting factor is based on two or more of shape of the roof, size of the roof, size of materials to be used relative to lengths of the roof, and type of materials to be used; 
 summing the multiplied linear dimensions to generate a total linear dimension; and 
 multiplying the total linear dimension by a square footage conversion factor, the square footage conversion factor based on exposed surface area of the roofing materials; and 
 
 adding the base amount with the overage amount to produce the order amount of roofing materials. 
 
   
     
     
         16 . The computer system of  claim 1 , wherein generating the overage amount further comprises:
 determining an overage amount percentage relative to a total surface area of the structural element.   
     
     
         17 . The computer system of  claim 8 , wherein determining the order amount further comprises:
 determining an overage amount percentage relative to a total surface area of the roof.   
     
     
         18 . The computer system of  claim 10 , wherein determining the order amount further comprises:
 determining an overage amount percentage relative to a total surface area of the structural element.   
     
     
         19 . The computer system of  claim 4 , wherein the architectural types of features comprise one or more of: an eave, a rake, a ridge, a hip, a valley, and a wall transition. 
     
     
         20 . The computer system of  claim 8 , wherein the features of the roof comprise one or more of: an eave, a rake, a ridge, a hip, a valley, and a wall transition. 
     
     
         21 . The computer system of  claim 11 , wherein the feature types comprise one or more of: an eave, a rake, a ridge, a hip, a valley, and a wall transition.