Why $/sqft averages fail and how ML models produce better predictions.
Regional averages miss site conditions, seismic categories, labor markets, lot geometry, and regulatory burden.
Gradient-boosted ensembles learn non-linear relationships from thousands of actual construction projects.
P10/P50/P90 bounds quantify cost uncertainty for better feasibility decisions.
Distribution-free method with 92-96% empirical coverage on holdout validation.