Cold store cost estimator rough estimate · exact cost will differ
Sales-engineer tool for sizing and pricing cold-chain projects in Pakistan. Walk through four steps — project basics, envelope, refrigeration, results. Engineer validation required before any quote is issued to a customer.
Rough estimate ±20%. Final pricing depends on site survey, refrigerant choice, component pricing on the day, and customer scope.
Project basics
Where is the project, what are you storing, how big, and at what temperature?
Building & envelope
Choose your FireSafe PIR panel thickness, site class, and structural envelope type.
Refrigeration & power
Select refrigeration architecture, CA store extras, and power backup scenario.
Engineering output
Operating cost
Solar option
Cost breakdown Reset to defaults
Click any cost value to edit inline. Overrides save in your browser only.
| Line item | Estimate |
|---|---|
| FireSafe PIR panels (envelope) | PKR — |
| Civil works (foundation, slab, drainage) | PKR — |
| Refrigeration plant | PKR — |
| Insulated doors | PKR — |
| Electrical (panels, cabling, distribution) | PKR — |
| Controls / SCADA | PKR — |
| Direct subtotal | PKR — |
| EPC uplift (engineering 4.5% + PM 3% + commissioning 2.5% + contingency 7%) | — |
|
Izhar margin
%
reset
Editable. Default 18%. Sales engineer can override per quote.
|
— |
| Total (mid) | PKR — |
| Low estimate (−20%) | PKR — |
| High estimate (+20%) | PKR — |
Rough estimate. Final pricing depends on day-of refrigeration component pricing, current panel coil rates, civil scope refinement after a site survey, and customer-specific commercial terms.
PEB vs RCC envelope
| PEB (steel-frame) | RCC (concrete) | |
|---|---|---|
| Capex | 1.00× (baseline) | 1.35× (+35%) |
| Lead time | baseline | +6 weeks |
| Structural life | 25–35 years | 40+ years |
| Thermal mass | Low | High |
| Fire resistance | Standard | Higher (concrete shell) |
| Best for | Most cold-chain projects | Permanent owner-occupied flagships |
Diesel vs Solar — Pakistan economics
| Diesel genset | Solar PV | |
|---|---|---|
| Capex | — | — |
| Annual cost / saving | — spent | — saved |
| Payback | n/a (recurring fuel) | — |
| Resilience to load-shed | High (instant) | Medium (needs battery for night) |
| Fuel-price risk | High (PKR/litre fluctuating) | None (sunlight is free) |
Ready to engage?
Indicative numbers above are calibrated against Izhar Foster's project order book and Pakistan-specific benchmarks. Engineers reply within 24 hours.
What's inside this calculator.
Engineering + financial + commercial — combined for the first time in any cold-chain tool.
ASHRAE-grade refrigeration
Heat-load estimation per ASHRAE Refrigeration Handbook Ch. 24 method, with Pakistan-specific MT 2.0%/K and LT 2.7%/K condenser ambient derate baked in.
FireSafe PIR + civil
Panel area sized from cold-room geometry, costed against current Izhar Foster pricing for 50–200 mm cores. Civil per site class (greenfield / inside-shed / multi-zone).
Architecture choice
CDU / multi-DX rack / NH₃-glycol indirect / NH₃-DX. Each architecture has a different PKR-per-HP rate. We integrate Bitzer compressors, Heatcraft racks, LU-VE evaporators.
Sized to room
Sliding insulated doors for chillers and cold stores; high-speed Hörmann-class doors for high-traffic 3PL docks; heated-frame blast freezer doors for sub-zero.
Diesel vs Solar
Per-city load-shed defaults, OGRA diesel rate, NEPRA-approved rooftop solar capex. We show OPEX both ways and compute solar payback in years.
Cost per ton/pallet/m³
The metrics buyers actually want for board approval. PEB vs RCC envelope economics on the same page.
No global tool combines all of this — until now.
How Izhar Foster's calculator differs from the global cold-chain tool landscape.
| Tool | Engineering sizing | Cost output | Pakistan-tuned | Solar / load-shed economics |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BITZER Software (Germany) | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Danfoss Coolselector®2 | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Güntner Configurator | ✓ (equipment) | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Coldbox Builders (USA) | ✗ | quote-on-request | ✗ | ✗ |
| Cold Storage Construction (USA) | ✗ | $/cu ft only | ✗ | ✗ |
| U.S. Cooler configurator | ✗ | walk-in only | ✗ | ✗ |
| Izhar Foster Cost Calculator | ✓ | ✓ full breakdown | ✓ 12 cities | ✓ diesel + solar |
Questions buyers ask before scoping a cold storage in Pakistan.
01How much does a cold storage cost in Pakistan?
02What does the cost include?
03How accurate is the calculator?
04Can I edit the underlying cost numbers?
05How does the diesel-vs-solar comparison work?
06PEB or RCC for cold storage in Pakistan?
07What makes this tool different?
How this calculator works
The cold storage cost estimator generates a budget-level PKR cost for a cold room project by building up from four cost components: (1) Civil and structural — area-based rate (PKR/m²) for foundation, RCC slab, structural frame, depending on selected structure type (PEB, masonry, or prefab); (2) Panel and envelope — wall + ceiling + floor area × Izhar FireSafe PIR panel cost rate for the selected thickness (50–150 mm), plus insulated door count and size; (3) Refrigeration plant — derived from the entered or calculated refrigeration load (kW) × equipment cost rate (PKR/kW) for the selected system type (split-DX, rack, ammonia), incorporating Bitzer compressor, LU-VE evaporators, and Zanotti condensing-unit pricing bands updated quarterly; (4) Electrical, controls, and commissioning — percentage uplift on the mechanical plant. Rates are Lahore-based ex-factory current-quarter list prices. Regional uplifts (Karachi +8 %, Multan +5 %, Quetta +15 %) are applied automatically. This is a ±25 % budget estimate; detailed quantities and a firm quotation require a site survey and engineering drawings.
Cost rates based on Izhar Foster internal bill-of-quantities benchmarks, updated 2026 Q2. Methodology follows ASHRAE HVAC Systems and Equipment cost-estimating approach. This estimate is indicative only and does not constitute a commercial offer.