Feasibility / ROM
Concept & site studies
Order-of-magnitude budgets from sketches, site plans or square-footage targets to test whether a project pencils out.
Typical accuracy±20–30%
CSI division pricing
Construction Cost Estimating Services
Bid-ready cost estimates built line by line from your drawings, with material, labor and equipment priced for the project's ZIP code, so your number holds up on bid day.
- 24–72 hrTypical turnaround
- Local pricingAdjusted to your ZIP code
- Addenda includedUpdates until bid day
Service overview
Detailed Cost Estimates You Can Bid With
A construction cost estimate is only useful if you can trust every line. Our estimators build each estimate from a full quantity takeoff of your drawings and specifications, then price materials, labor, equipment and subcontracted work using current costs for your project's location.
Estimates are organized by CSI MasterFormat division, so they drop straight into your bid forms, budgets or schedule of values. Every assumption, allowance and exclusion is written down, so your team knows exactly what is and isn't included before bid day.
What you receive
- Itemized estimate in unlocked Excel
- Marked-up takeoff PDFs
- Material, labor and equipment breakdown
- Assumptions, allowances and exclusions
- Bid summary by CSI division
Who it's for
- General contractors
- Subcontractors
- Developers & owners
- Architects & engineers
Software we use
- Bluebeam Revu
- PlanSwift
- On-Screen Takeoff
- RSMeans data
- Microsoft Excel
What's included
What's Included in Every Cost Estimate
Every estimate is itemized, so your team, the owner or a lender can follow how each number was built.
Quantity takeoff
Counts, lengths, areas and volumes measured from every sheet, with waste factors and net-to-gross conversions shown.
Bluebeam & PlanSwiftDivisions 01–49Labor costing
Crew rates for union, open-shop or prevailing-wage work, including burden, taxes and productivity for each task.
Local wage dataBy ZIP codeEquipment & general conditions
Lifts, cranes, scaffolding, dumpsters, temporary facilities and supervision, sized to the project schedule.
Division 01Schedule-basedContingency allowance
Design, escalation and site-condition allowances listed separately so you can defend them or adjust them.
Risk registerEscalation-readyPhase-by-phase budget
Costs split by phase or building area to support cash-flow planning, lender draws and the schedule of values.
Cash-flow viewSOV-readyValue engineering
Alternate materials and methods priced side by side, with the savings each option would bring.
Alternates listPriced options
Estimate types
Estimate Types for Every Project Milestone
Choose the level of detail that matches where your design and procurement stand.
Stage 01 Stage 02 Schematic & DD
30–70% drawings
Trade-by-trade budgets as the design develops, flagging scope growth early and comparing system options.
Typical accuracy±10–15%Stage 03 · Most requested Bid & Tender
Construction documents
Hard-dollar pricing from complete drawings and specs, organized to compare against sub bids line by line.
Typical accuracy±5%Stage 04 Construction Control
After award
Change order pricing, addenda updates and schedule-of-values checks while the job is underway.
Typical turnaround24–48 hrs
How we work
Our 5-Step Estimating Process
A repeatable workflow that takes your plans from upload to a checked, editable estimate.
- 1
Share plans & specs
Upload drawings, specifications and addenda, or send a plan-room link. Tell us your bid date and any scope to exclude.
- 2
Scope review & questions
An estimator reviews every sheet, flags missing details or conflicts and sends questions you can turn into RFIs.
- 3
Quantity takeoff
Each item is measured and color-coded by CSI division, so any quantity can be traced back to the sheet it came from.
- 4
Local labor & material pricing
Quantities are priced with labor and material rates for the project's location, then checked against current supplier pricing.
- 5
Peer review & delivery
A second estimator checks the file before you receive the unlocked Excel workbook and marked-up PDFs.
Zone A: Slab on grade
2,140 SF · 26.4 CY
Zone B: 1-hr rated walls
480 LF · 4,320 SF
Zone C: MEP rough-in
Div 22 / 23 / 26 runs
Layered vector PDFLinked Excel quantities
Sample deliverable
Audit-Ready MasterFormat Estimate Sheet
The same format you'll receive: grouped by division, with material, labor and equipment broken out on every line.
Live formulas, unlocked cellsLabor burden included · Unit rates set for current market
| CSI code | Description | Qty | Unit | Material | Labor | Equip. | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division 03 — Concrete | |||||||
| 03 30 00 | 4,000 PSI slab on grade, 6" with vapor barrier | 48,500 | SF | $4.85 | $3.10 | $0.65 | $417,100.00 |
| 03 21 00 | #4 Grade 60 rebar, 16" O.C. each way | 54.2 | TON | $1,620.00 | $980.00 | $140.00 | $148,508.00 |
| 03 11 00 | Slab edge formwork | 1,240 | LF | $5.20 | $11.40 | $1.10 | $21,948.00 |
| Division 05 — Metals | |||||||
| 05 12 00 | Structural steel framing, W-shapes & HSS | 186.4 | TON | $2,450.00 | $1,280.00 | $420.00 | $773,560.00 |
| 05 31 00 | 1.5" 20 GA galvanized roof deck | 52,000 | SF | $2.65 | $1.15 | $0.25 | $210,600.00 |
| Division 09 — Finishes | |||||||
| 09 22 16 | 3-5/8" 20 GA metal studs, 16" O.C. | 18,200 | SF | $1.45 | $2.20 | $0.10 | $68,250.00 |
| 09 29 00 | 5/8" Type X gypsum board, Level 4 finish | 36,400 | SF | $0.85 | $1.40 | $0.05 | $83,720.00 |
| Direct cost subtotal | $1,723,686.00 | ||||||
| General conditions, overhead & profit (12%) | $206,842.32 | ||||||
| Design & escalation contingency (3%) | $51,710.58 | ||||||
Estimated bid value$1,982,238.90
- Marked-up PDF drawings included
- Unlocked Excel (.xlsx)
- Rush turnaround available
Project types
Project Sectors We Estimate
Experience across commercial, residential, institutional and public work in all 50 states.
Residential
Custom homes, additions, remodels and production housing, from single plans to whole subdivisions.
Custom to production
Commercial Office
Core-and-shell buildings, tenant fit-outs, renovations and corporate interiors.
Shell & interiors
Retail & Hospitality
Restaurants, retail centers, hotels and multi-site rollouts that need consistent pricing.
Single site or rollout
Multi-Family
Garden-style, podium and mid-rise apartments, senior living and student housing.
Wood, podium & mid-rise
Industrial & Warehouse
Distribution centers, manufacturing plants, cold storage and flex buildings.
Tilt-up & pre-engineered
Healthcare
Medical offices, clinics, surgical centers and hospital renovations with specialty systems.
Specialty MEP
Education
K-12 schools, university buildings, labs and athletic facilities, including phased work.
Prevailing wage ready
Public Works & Civil
Municipal buildings, fire and police stations, parks and site infrastructure.
Public bid formats
Why Bidnora
Engineered for Bid Accuracy & Win Rates
Losing a bid by a small margin hurts; winning one you underpriced hurts more. Our estimates are built to be competitive and defensible.
On-time delivery: You get a committed delivery date before work starts, set ahead of your bid deadline.
Unlocked, native files: Adjust margins, labor multipliers or tax rates yourself in the Excel workbook.
One estimator per project: A named estimator is available by phone and email for pre-bid questions.
Addenda updates: When an addendum lands before bid day, we update the takeoff and pricing to match.
“We use Bidnora for overflow when we're bidding several jobs at once. Their numbers line up with the sub bids we get back, which is exactly what we need.”
Trade takeoffs
Explore Specialized Trade Estimating
Need single-scope detail? We prepare trade takeoffs organized the way specialty subcontractors price their work.
Common questions
Cost Estimating FAQs
Accuracy depends on how complete the drawings are. Estimates from full construction documents typically land within a few percent of awarded subcontractor pricing, while conceptual budgets carry wider ranges. Every estimate lists its assumptions and exclusions so you know exactly what's included.
Ready for bid day
Get Your Construction Cost Estimate Started Today
Send us your drawings and get a fixed quote and delivery date. Win more bids with numbers you can stand behind.
- 100% confidential
- NDA on request
- Fixed price before we start