Top tips for costing a project

start early - putting together a project budget can take longer than you think, particularly for larger projects. Remember you need to allow time for Research Grants Operations to approve the final budget before you can submit your application.
be as detailed and specific as you can - for many applications, it’s not enough to request £1000 for “Travel” – you need to provide the details behind this figure. Who is travelling, where and for how long, is this for air fare or train fare, does it include accommodation?
only ask for what you genuinely need to complete the project successfully. Make sure you can justify everything you’ve asked for; if you can’t think of a good reason to include an item, you should probably cut it.
if there is a way the work can be done for less, take advantage of this - funders appreciate value for money.
however, value for money is not the same as cheap - don't cut costs just because you think this will give you a better chance of being funded. While it’s true that funders have a limited number of resources at their command, almost all prioritize research excellence as the first and main criteria. And regardless of the funders’ main priorities, they all want to be sure that the money they provide is going to deliver results. If they think you can’t complete the project with the amount of resources you’ve requested, they’re more likely to reject the proposal.
talk to a Research Coordinator - they can advise you on funder regulations and can help you put together a budget. They ill also enter the costs onto Worktribe for you and submit them for internal approval.