Switching between metres and feet mid-project — without losing accuracy
Convert a whole project between metric and imperial at any time: dimensions, item units, manual rates, analyses and bar lengths follow with exact factors.
Prime Base Engineering · 21 October 2026 · 2 min read
Many Bangladeshi drawings are dimensioned in feet and inches while the PWD Schedule of Rates is published in metric units. EstiMatrix lets you change the project's unit system at any point.
How to switch
Use Format → Measurement units, or the ⇆ m → ft button in the toolbar. A dialog explains what will happen and shows the current budget.
What converts
| Element | Conversion |
|---|---|
| Lengths, breadths, heights, bar lengths | × 3.28084 or × 0.3048 (1 ft = 0.3048 m exactly) |
| Area units | sqm ↔ sft (× 10.7639) |
| Volume units | cum ↔ cft (× 35.3147) |
| Manual rates | divided by the same factor, so the cost per item is unchanged |
| Direct quantities | multiplied by the factor |
| Rate analyses | re-based per new unit; lines are scaled so the rate per unit is exact |
| PWD SoR rates | re-expressed from the published rate |
Kilogram and metric-ton items are unchanged.
What stays the same
Quantities in physical terms, item costs and the project budget. The only differences come from rounding the displayed rate to the paisa — usually a few taka on a project of crores.
Formulas typed in length cells are dropped during the switch (they were written in the old unit); the converted values remain.
Undo
A restore point is saved before the switch. Undo global change (also in the Edit menu) returns the project exactly as it was.
Typing the other system
You do not need to switch units to enter a single foreign dimension: length cells accept 12'-6", 6", 3.81m or 150mm and convert on the spot.
#units#metric#imperial
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