Feasibility / Conceptual
Early budgets and square-foot models that help owners and lenders decide whether to move forward.
Typical accuracy±20–30%
Preconstruction services
Construction Estimating & Preconstruction Services
Estimates, takeoffs, drafting and detailing for general contractors, subcontractors and developers in all 50 states, from early budgets to bid-day numbers.
- 24–72 hr typical turnaround
- Organized by CSI MasterFormat
- Pricing for your ZIP code
Our Core Estimating Services
Trade-specific quantities and budgets, built to be checked and built to win bids.
Construction Cost Estimating
Line-item material, labor and equipment pricing organized by CSI division and adjusted to your project's location.
- Itemized by CSI division
- Labor and material priced for your ZIP code
- Overhead, profit and contingency shown
Quantity Takeoff Services
Counts, lengths, areas and volumes measured from your drawings, with color-coded markups and an editable Excel workbook.
- Color-coded plan markups
- Order-ready material lists
- Waste factors you can edit
Design-Build Estimating
Early budgets and value-engineering input while the design is still moving, so the project lands inside its target cost.
- Concept and schematic budgets
- Priced value-engineering options
- GMP estimate support
Drafting Services
AutoCAD, Revit and BIM drafting, as-built drawings, redline updates and permit sets prepared to your office standards.
- AutoCAD, Revit and BIM modeling
- PDF and scan to CAD conversion
- As-built, redline and permit sets
Structural Detailing & Shop Drawings
Rebar and steel shop drawings, connection details and fabrication-ready schedules your shop can build from.
- Rebar placing drawings & bar schedules
- Steel shop & erection drawings
- Connection details for review
Project lifecycle
Estimating for Every Stage of the Construction Lifecycle
From early feasibility budgets through addenda and change orders.
Stage 01 Stage 02 Design Development
Reviews of 50–70% drawings with value-engineering options and trade package scope checks.
Typical accuracy±10–15%Stage 03 · Most requested Bid / Tender
Hard-dollar pricing from complete documents, with line items that make sub bid leveling straightforward.
Typical accuracy±5%Stage 04 Change Orders & Revisions
Addenda updates, change order pricing and schedule-of-values checks during construction.
Typical turnaround24–48 hrs
Who we serve
Tailored to Your Role in the Build
We set up quantities and sheet layouts to match how each type of contractor prices and builds.
Role 01
General Contractors
Commercial, multi-family and public projects
Get an independent baseline to check sub bids against, confirm nothing fell between trades, and walk into bid day with numbers you trust.
What you get
- Conceptual and schematic budgets
- Full CSI MasterFormat estimates
- Sub bid leveling sheets
- Change order reviews
Most requested
Subcontractors
Trade takeoffs with material and labor
Bid more jobs without adding headcount. Quantities come back organized the way your crews install, so pricing them is fast.
Role 03
Material Suppliers
Bills of materials and product takeoffs
Turn drawings and specs into product counts your sales team can quote from, so you respond to contractors before your competitors do.
Typical outputs
- Lumber and framing counts
- Rebar and steel lists
- Pipe and conduit runs
- Fixture and equipment schedules
In-House Estimating vs. Bidnora Engineering
How outsourcing compares with adding another full-time estimator to your payroll.
| Feature | In-house estimator | Bidnora EngineeringRecommended |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | A full-time salary, benefits and training, whether you're bidding or not. | Pay per project, with a fixed quote before any work starts. |
| Turnaround | Depends on everything else already on their desk. | 24–72 hours for most projects, with rush delivery available. |
| Software & cost data | Annual licenses for takeoff software and cost databases. | Included. There's nothing extra for you to buy. |
| Local pricing | Strongest in the markets your company already knows. | Pricing adjusted for project locations in all 50 states. |
| Capacity | Limited by headcount, so busy weeks mean passing on bids. | Scales with your bid volume, including several bids at once. |
| Revisions | Addenda pull your estimator off other active bids. | The same estimator updates the file, with changes highlighted. |
Cost
- In-house estimator
- A full-time salary, benefits and training, whether you're bidding or not.
- Bidnora Engineering
- Pay per project, with a fixed quote before any work starts.
Turnaround
- In-house estimator
- Depends on everything else already on their desk.
- Bidnora Engineering
- 24–72 hours for most projects, with rush delivery available.
Software & cost data
- In-house estimator
- Annual licenses for takeoff software and cost databases.
- Bidnora Engineering
- Included. There's nothing extra for you to buy.
Local pricing
- In-house estimator
- Strongest in the markets your company already knows.
- Bidnora Engineering
- Pricing adjusted for project locations in all 50 states.
Capacity
- In-house estimator
- Limited by headcount, so busy weeks mean passing on bids.
- Bidnora Engineering
- Scales with your bid volume, including several bids at once.
Revisions
- In-house estimator
- Addenda pull your estimator off other active bids.
- Bidnora Engineering
- The same estimator updates the file, with changes highlighted.
Audit-Ready Deliverables with Every Project
Here's what arrives in your project package.
Project_7421_Takeoff_Div03-09.xlsxFORMULAS ON
| CSI | DESCRIPTION | QTY | UNIT | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 03 30 00 | Slab on grade, 4,000 PSI, 4" | 1,240 | CY | $198,400 |
| 03 20 00 | #4 Grade 60 rebar | 18.6 | TON | $42,780 |
| 09 22 00 | 3-5/8" 20 GA metal studs | 8,450 | LF | $59,150 |
| 09 29 00 | 5/8" Type X gypsum board | 34,800 | SF | $73,080 |
Marked-up plan (vector PDF)Sheet 3 of 48 · Level 1
1. Unlocked Excel workbook (.xlsx)
Organized by CSI division, with live formulas and editable labor, material and equipment rates.
2. Marked-up PDF drawings
Color-coded by trade and division, with areas and lengths called out on every sheet.
3. Material takeoff & bill of materials
Order quantities with waste factors applied, in the units your suppliers sell.
4. Bid summary
A clean summary of totals, inclusions and exclusions you can drop into your proposal.
5. Sub bid comparison sheet
A standard layout for leveling subcontractor bids and spotting scope gaps or overlaps.
File formats you receive
- .PDF (vector)
- .XLSX (unlocked)
- .DWG / .DXF
- PlanSwift
- Bluebeam markups
- Projects estimated
- 120+
- Contractors served
- 45+
- Estimators & detailers
- 12
- Years combined experience
- 60+
Common questions
Frequently Asked Questions About Our Services
A quantity takeoff gives you measured quantities (square feet, linear feet, counts, cubic yards) in Excel with marked-up drawings. A full cost estimate adds local labor rates, material and equipment pricing, overhead, profit and contingency to give you a complete bid price. If you already have your own pricing, a takeoff is usually enough.
Talk to an estimator
Not Sure Which Service You Need?
Send us your drawings or call an estimator. We'll review your scope and recommend the right service, with a fixed quote.
- 100% confidential
- NDA on request
- Fixed price before we start