Wat is een open source alternatief voor Bouwprijs of IBIS-Trad?

Open Calc Studio van de OpenAEC Foundation is een open source bouwkostencalculator voor de Nederlandse markt. Het ondersteunt STABU en RAW, biedt hierarchische calculaties en hoeveelheidstaten, en heeft een ingebouwde MCP-server voor AI-assisted estimating.

Wat is een MCP-server in bouwkostencalculatie?

MCP (Model Context Protocol) is een open standaard waarmee AI-assistenten zoals Claude direct kunnen samenwerken met software. Open Calc Studio is een MCP-server: een AI-assistent kan zelfstandig calculaties opbouwen, hoeveelheden invoeren, regels controleren of analyses uitvoeren in Open Calc Studio.

Ondersteunt Open Calc Studio STABU en RAW?

Ja, Open Calc Studio ondersteunt zowel de STABU-bestekssystematiek (B&U) als de RAW-bestekssystematiek (GWW).

OpenAEC Open Calc Studio vs Bouwprijs / IBIS-Trad — open source construction cost estimating

Name: Open Calc Studio
Brand: OpenAEC Foundation
Availability: InStock

Bouwprijs (Sdu/Bouwformatie) and IBIS-Trad have been established names in Dutch construction cost estimation for decades. They offer extensive reference prices, STABU specification linking, RAW specification systematics, and historical project data. Prices vary significantly by edition and organization size, but for a single workstation they typically range from a few hundred to a few thousand euros per year (including a data subscription).

Open Calc Studio (v0.10.0) from the OpenAEC Foundation is an open source construction cost calculator built for the Dutch market. It supports STABU and RAW, offers hierarchical calculations, bills of quantities, and cost estimates, and is unique in its category: a built-in MCP server (Model Context Protocol) lets you drive the calculation directly from AI assistants such as Claude.

Unique: AI integration

Open Calc Studio as MCP server

Open Calc Studio is one of the first Dutch construction cost tools to support the Model Context Protocol (MCP). This lets an AI assistant (Claude, ChatGPT with MCP, etc.) build up calculations, enter quantities, validate rules, or run analyses on its own — without you having to type everything by hand. A fundamental shift in how construction cost estimation works: from manual entry to AI-assisted estimating, auditable and open.

Feature comparison

Feature	Open Calc StudioOpenAEC Foundation, v0.10.0	Bouwprijs / IBIS-TradSdu / Brink / KPD
Price	Free	Commercial, annual subscription
License	LGPL-3.0 (open source)	Commercial, proprietary
License cost per user	€0	Hundreds to thousands of euros/year
STABU specification system	Yes	Yes
RAW specification system	Yes	Yes
Hierarchical calculations	Yes	Yes
Bills of quantities	Yes	Yes
Reference prices (Dutch market)	Limited, community-driven	Extensive, decades of data
Historical project data	Still to be developed	Extensive
MCP server (AI integration)	Native	Not available
AI-assisted estimating	Via Claude / MCP clients	Not available
Platforms	Windows, macOS, Linux	Windows (primary)
Self-hosted / local	Fully	Local, with an online data connection
Source code	GitHub, public	Closed
Telemetry	None	Variable
Maturity	v0.10.0, active development	Decades in the market
Support	Community + GitHub	Commercial, helpdesk

When should you choose which?

Choose Open Calc Studio when...

You want to experiment with AI-assisted estimating via MCP — a unique combination of calculation and AI.
You don't want to take out an annual subscription or data agreement.
You work cross-platform (macOS and Linux are supported).
As a freelancer, cost estimator, or small firm, you want to produce STABU or RAW calculations.
You want to add your own reference prices or rules and manage them yourself.
You're willing to work with a tool in active development (v0.10.0) and want to contribute yourself.
You want to support open source and open standards in the Dutch construction sector.

Choose Bouwprijs / IBIS-Trad when...

You rely daily on extensive, validated reference prices for the Dutch market.
You need access to historical project data spanning decades of calculations.
You work in an organization where Bouwprijs or IBIS-Trad is the standard and your team is already trained on it.
You need commercial support and data maintenance with an SLA.
You use specific STABU and RAW integrations that are deeply embedded in your tendering workflow.
Stability and feature completeness matter more to you than open source and AI innovation.

Try Open Calc Studio

Dutch construction cost estimation with STABU, RAW, and an MCP server. Open source, free, and uniquely suited for AI-assisted estimating. For cost estimators who want to look ahead.

Open Calc Studio View source on GitHub