Concept
Program & massing
Budget ranges from the program, site and building type to confirm the project is feasible.
Typical accuracy±20–30%
Preconstruction budgeting
Design-Build Estimating Services
Budgets that keep pace with the design. We price concepts, compare system options and track cost as drawings develop, so your team hits its target without last-minute redesign.
- Target-value designCost checks at each milestone
- Priced optionsSystems compared before you choose
- GMP supportBudgets that roll into your GMP
Service overview
Cost Guidance From Concept to GMP
In design-build, the budget has to move with the design. We estimate at every milestone (concept, schematic design, design development and construction documents) so owners and project teams can make decisions while changes are still inexpensive.
We price system and material options side by side, track cost against the target budget, and reconcile each estimate with the last one so everyone can see what changed and why. The final estimate supports your guaranteed maximum price (GMP) proposal.
What you receive
- Milestone estimates from concept to CDs
- Target-value budget tracking
- Priced alternates and value engineering options
- Estimate-to-estimate reconciliation
- GMP support documents
Who it's for
- Design-build contractors
- Developers & owners
- Architects
- Construction managers
Software we use
- Microsoft Excel
- Bluebeam Revu
- Autodesk Revit (model quantities)
- RSMeans data
What's included
What's Included in Design-Build Estimating
Cost information your designers and owner can act on while choices are still open.
Conceptual budgets
Square-foot and assembly-based budgets from early sketches, programs or comparable projects.
Program-basedEarly stageSystems comparisons
Structure, envelope and MEP options priced side by side, with notes on first cost and long-term cost.
Option matrixPriced alternatesTarget-value tracking
A running budget compared against the owner's target at every design milestone.
Milestone reportsVariance shownValue engineering
Practical cost-saving ideas, each priced with its effect on schedule and design intent.
VE logSavings itemizedRisk & contingency planning
Design, escalation and market contingencies sized to how complete the drawings are.
Risk registerStage-basedGMP estimate
A detailed estimate at the GMP stage, with clarifications and allowances clearly listed.
GMP-readyClarifications list
Design milestones
Cost Checks at Every Design Milestone
We re-price the project as it moves from concept to construction documents.
Milestone 01 Milestone 02 Schematic Design
System choices
Assembly-level pricing to compare structural, envelope and MEP options before they're locked in.
Typical accuracy±15%Milestone 03 · Key checkpoint Design Development
Coordinated drawings
Detailed quantities for major systems, with value-engineering options before documents are finalized.
Typical accuracy±10%Milestone 04 GMP / Final Documents
Final pricing
A full estimate to support the guaranteed maximum price and subcontractor buyout.
Typical accuracy±5%
How we work
Our 5-Step Design-Build Process
We join your team early and stay with the budget as the design develops.
- 1
Kickoff & target budget
We review the program, site and owner budget, then agree on milestones for cost checks.
- 2
Concept estimate
An early budget sets the baseline and shows where the money goes, system by system.
- 3
Option pricing
Competing systems and materials are priced side by side, so decisions are made with real numbers.
- 4
Milestone updates
At each design milestone we re-price the drawings and report the variance against the target.
- 5
GMP estimate
A detailed final estimate with allowances and clarifications supports your GMP and buyout.
Option A: Steel frame
$38.40 / SF structure
Option B: Wood podium
$29.10 / SF structure
Site & utilities
Allowance $412k
Layered vector PDFLinked Excel quantities
Sample deliverable
Budget Reports Your Whole Team Can Read
Organized by building system, with cost per square foot and share of total, so design choices are easy to compare.
Live formulas, unlocked cellsUniformat II system breakdown
| Code | System | Budget | $ / SF | % of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shell | ||||
| A10 | Foundations | $1,054,000 | $17.00 | 8.9% |
| B10 | Superstructure | $2,604,000 | $42.00 | 22.1% |
| B20 | Exterior enclosure | $2,170,000 | $35.00 | 18.4% |
| B30 | Roofing | $372,000 | $6.00 | 3.2% |
| Interiors & services | ||||
| C10 | Interior construction | $1,736,000 | $28.00 | 14.7% |
| D20 | Plumbing | $930,000 | $15.00 | 7.9% |
| D30 | HVAC | $1,550,000 | $25.00 | 13.2% |
| D50 | Electrical | $1,364,000 | $22.00 | 11.6% |
| Building subtotal ($190.00 / SF) | $11,780,000 | |||
| Design contingency (7%) | $824,600 | |||
| Escalation to construction midpoint (4%) | $471,200 | |||
Target budget$13,075,800
- 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
Budgets That Keep the Design on Track
The cheapest time to fix a cost problem is before it's drawn. Regular cost checks keep everyone aligned with the owner's budget.
Early warnings: Overruns are flagged at each milestone, while they're still cheap to fix.
Decisions with numbers: Owners and designers see priced options instead of opinions.
Smooth hand-off to buyout: The GMP estimate is organized to compare directly against subcontractor bids.
Independent pricing: We aren't tied to any supplier or subcontractor, so the numbers stay objective.
“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
Design-Build FAQs
As early as possible, ideally at concept or programming. The biggest cost decisions are made early, and pricing them then avoids redesign later.
Ready for bid day
Keep Your Design-Build Project on Budget
Share your program or early drawings and we'll propose a milestone budget plan with fixed pricing.
- 100% confidential
- NDA on request
- Fixed price before we start