Very little is published in either healthcare management journals or healthcare design journals on estimating the probable cost of a healthcare inpatient project. Pena and Parshall’s Problem Seeking3 provides more information about the space programming process leading to the cost estimate anal- ysis process and was used as a foundation for this article. In addition, personal conversations with Architects K. Hamilton (per- sonal communication, October 8, 2007) and R. Stichler (personal communication, October 8, 2007) provided further insight into the project budgeting process. With nurse executives taking more responsibility in leading design efforts of building projects and in articulating the vision, need, and cost to decision makers, it is critical to advance their knowl- edge and competence in construc- tion budgeting terms and methods of calculating the probable costs of projects.