Sitework and shoring
Grading, excavation, shoring, caissons and haul-off for hillside and infill sites across Los Angeles County.
CY · LF · TONLos Angeles, CA
Construction estimating services in Los Angeles, CA
We produce CSI-organized quantity takeoffs and estimates for Los Angeles contractors and developers, priced with ZIP-code-adjusted material and labor rates. Plans come back in 24–48 hours with marked-up drawings, Excel and PDF.
24–48 hours for most projectsTypical turnaround
Every CSI divisionSitework through MEP
Los Angeles ZIP pricingLocal material and labor
Price confirmed firstBefore any work starts
Census BPS · Los Angeles · 2025Real permit data
Los Angeles new housing permits2025
New housing units11,211Change vs. 2024+7%Permitted construction value$1.9BAverage value per unit$172,300Rank among covered California cities#1
Single-family: 3,848 (34%)Multifamily: 7,363 (66%)
U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2025. Residential only.
What makes construction estimating in Los Angeles different?
High permitting costs, hillside and liquefaction-prone soils, Title 24 energy requirements, dense infill logistics and expensive labor all move LA numbers. Multifamily dominates permit volume, so unit-count-driven budgets, parking structures and Type III over podium costs drive most bid comparisons here.
- Los Angeles permitted 11,211 new housing units in 2025, #1 among the California cities we cover.
- About 66% were in multifamily buildings; 34% were single-family.
- Permit volume was up 7% compared with 2024.
Los Angeles issued 11,211 new privately-owned residential units in 2025, up 7 percent from 10,488 in 2024, with 66 percent of those units in multifamily buildings and a permitted value of $1.9B. That mix shapes what you bid: wood-frame over podium, parking podiums, and small-lot single-family infill in the hills. We take off those plans by CSI MasterFormat division, apply ZIP-code-adjusted material and labor pricing, and return Excel and PDF with marked-up plan sets in 24–48 hours for most projects.
If you are pricing work across the region, our California construction estimating team handles the same format for San Diego, San Jose and San Francisco. In LA, the estimate usually turns on sitework and shoring, concrete, framing, and MEP rough-in quantities, so those divisions get the closest review before you send a number to a general contractor or owner.
- Coverage
- Los Angeles and nearby California communities
- Deliverable
- Excel estimate + marked-up PDF plans
- Pricing basis
- Los Angeles ZIP-code material and labor costs
- Turnaround
- 24–48 hours for most projects
- Software
- Bluebeam Revu, PlanSwift, RSMeans data
01
For bidders. You get division-level quantities with waste factors you can adjust, so your bid markup reflects real scope instead of a square-foot guess. We flag missing scope before submission.
02
For builders. Use the takeoff to buy out framing, concrete and MEP packages. Quantities tie to plan sheets so your superintendent can verify counts in the field.
03
For owners. Compare contractor bids against one independent quantity baseline. We show where proposals diverge on scope, not just price, before you sign.
Los Angeles by the numbers
Los Angeles's residential construction pipeline
Select a bar to compare Los Angeles with the largest California markets we cover.
11,211New housing units, 2025
30.6%Of all units in the California cities we cover
$1.9BPermitted residential value
66%In multifamily buildings
New housing units permitted in 2025. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey.
This city
Los Angeles
11,211 new housing units in 2025 (+6.9% vs 2024).
3,848 single-family · 7,363 multifamily (66%).
Multifamily sets the pace
With 7,363 multifamily units against 3,848 single-family units in 2025, multifamily is 66 percent of LA's residential permit volume and the bulk of plan sets we take off. Average permitted value per unit is $172,300, which pushes bidders toward unit-cost checks before detailed quantity work. On a typical Type III over podium job, we separate the parking podium, the wood-frame residential levels and the roof deck so your multi-family estimating budget shows cost per unit by level, not one blended number. The city alone accounts for 30.6 percent of the 36,591 units permitted across the 25 California cities we track, so LA pricing assumptions rarely transfer from other markets.
Cost drivers behind the numbers
Permitted value of $1.9B on 11,211 units reflects LA's high permitting costs, dense infill logistics and labor rates that sit above most of the state. Plans in the hills bring shoring, caisson and retaining scope; coastal and flatland sites bring liquefaction, dewatering and imported fill. Title 24 energy requirements add envelope, glazing and mechanical line items that bidders sometimes miss. If you also price work in San Diego or San Francisco, expect different soil, seismic and haul-off assumptions, so we price each city separately rather than reusing one rate sheet.
Services
Construction estimating services in Los Angeles
We take off the divisions that carry the most risk on LA projects and price them with ZIP-adjusted material and labor rates.
Concrete and foundations
Footings, mat slabs, podium decks and retaining walls, with formwork and rebar quantities separated.
CY · SF · TONFraming takeoffs
Wood and light-gauge framing counts by level, including blocking, sheathing and hardware for Type III and V buildings.
LF · EA · SFMEP estimating
Plumbing, HVAC and electrical rough-in quantities priced for LA labor rates and Title 24-driven equipment.
LF · EA · TONRoofing and waterproofing
Membrane, tile and deck assemblies with flashing, drains and balcony waterproofing measured from plan and detail sheets.
SF · LF · EAResidential estimating
Custom hillside homes and small-lot infill, with sitework and structural scope broken out from finish allowances.
SF · EA · LSCommercial estimating
Tenant improvements, retail and mixed-use shells taken off by division for hard-bid comparison.
SF · LF · EABid review and scope checks
We compare your subcontractor quotes against the takeoff and flag missing scope before you submit.
DIV · EA · LSWho we provide estimates for
Who sends us Los Angeles plans
General contractors
You bid podium multifamily and tenant improvement work across the basin and need division-level quantities you can defend line by line when a competing bid comes in low on concrete or drywall.
Framing and concrete subcontractors
Wood-frame over podium and cast-in-place garage decks dominate LA multifamily, so you need board feet, hold-down counts and cubic yards separated by pour strip before you commit a crew.
Multifamily developers
With 66 percent of 2025 permitted units in multifamily buildings, you are comparing pro formas on Type III and Type V projects where parking ratios and podium area swing the budget.
Custom home builders
Hillside and small-lot infill in the Santa Monica Mountains and San Gabriel Valley foothills carry shoring, caisson and retaining scope that a square-foot number never captures.
Architects and design teams
You need a quantity check at design development to confirm the budget still holds before you lock elevations, especially on adaptive reuse of older concrete and masonry buildings.
Owners and asset managers
You want one independent baseline to compare contractor proposals on scope, not just price, before releasing funds for a ground-up or repositioning project.
Where we provide estimates
Los Angeles areas and nearby communities we cover
We take off plans for projects anywhere in Los Angeles County and the surrounding counties, from downtown high-rises to foothill infill. Send the full set and we price it to the ZIP code where the work sits.
Downtown and central
- Downtown
- Arts District
- Echo Park
- Silver Lake
- Koreatown
- Westlake
- Chinatown
Westside and coastal
- Santa Monica
- Culver City
- Venice
- Westwood
- Brentwood
- Pacific Palisades
San Fernando Valley and hills
- Sherman Oaks
- Studio City
- North Hollywood
- Woodland Hills
- Glendale
- Burbank
- Pasadena
South Bay, harbor and nearby cities
- Long Beach
- Torrance
- El Segundo
- Carson
- Compton
- Downey
Property types
Types of Los Angeles properties we estimate
The 2025 permit mix was 3,848 single-family and 7,363 multifamily units, so our LA takeoffs lean heavily toward attached housing and the sitework that supports it. Each property type below carries its own scope traps.
Podium multifamily
Type III wood frame over a concrete podium, usually with one or two below-grade or at-grade parking levels. We separate the podium concrete, the wood superstructure and the roof deck so your buyout packages do not overlap.
Watch for: Podium slab thickness, shear wall hold-downs, deck waterproofing at planters.
Small-lot single-family
Infill subdivisions and SB 9 lot splits where lots are narrow and driveways, retaining walls and utility trenching repeat per unit. We count those repeats per lot rather than averaging them across the site.
Watch for: Per-lot utility runs, retaining wall length, driveway and sidewalk flatwork.
Hillside custom homes
Caisson and grade beam foundations, drilled piers, and long retaining walls on slopes in the Santa Monica Mountains and the San Gabriel Valley foothills. Shoring and export quantities drive the early budget.
Watch for: Caisson depth, shoring area, soil export and haul-off cubic yards.
Adaptive reuse and TI
Office-to-residential conversions and commercial tenant improvements in older concrete or masonry buildings downtown and in Hollywood. Existing conditions mean selective demolition and structural strengthening scope that new-build plans never show.
Watch for: Selective demo, moment frame additions, existing MEP tie-in points.
Affordable and mixed-income
Density bonus and mixed-income projects where unit mix, common areas and amenity decks are tightly programmed. We break out unit types so you can compare cost per unit across the affordability bands.
Watch for: Unit mix repetition, common area finish levels, amenity deck structure.
Commercial and industrial
Warehouse, light industrial and retail shells near the ports, rail yards and the Alameda Corridor. Tilt-up and metal building systems dominate, and site concrete and yard paving are often a large share of the total.
Watch for: Tilt-up panel counts, slab flatness, yard paving and striping quantities.
Local factors
What changes a construction estimate in Los Angeles
Two identical plan sets can price far apart in LA County depending on where the site sits, what the geotech report says and which agency reviews the permit. These are the drivers we adjust for before we send a number.
Permitting and code review
The city and county each adopt their own amendments to the California Building Standards Code, and coastal, hillside and historic districts add design review on top. Plan check comments can force structural or egress revisions after you have bid, so we note which scope is likely to move. Confirm the adopted code edition and any local amendments with the local building department before you finalize your number.
California Building Standards Code · local building department · design review boardsSoils and foundation depth
Much of the basin sits on alluvium, while hillside parcels and areas near the fault systems require deeper caissons, mat or grade beam foundations and sometimes ground improvement. A geotechnical report that calls for 30-foot piers instead of 15 changes concrete and drilling quantities substantially. We price foundations from the geotech recommendations, not from a default depth.
geotechnical report · caissons and grade beams · ground improvementSeismic and wind bracing
Los Angeles sits in a high seismic design category, so shear walls, hold-downs, moment frames and diaphragm nailing are heavier than in most of the country. Soft-story retrofits and older masonry buildings add strengthening scope. We count hold-downs, anchor bolts, blocking and shear panel square footage rather than carrying a percentage allowance.
seismic design category · shear walls and hold-downs · soft-story retrofitLabor rates and trade availability
Union and open-shop rates differ by trade, and prevailing wage applies to publicly funded work. Crew availability in the basin tightens when several large multifamily and infrastructure projects are running at once, which shows up in overtime and supervision lines. We apply ZIP-code-adjusted labor pricing so your rate reflects the project location, not a national average.
prevailing wage · union and open-shop rates · ZIP-code-adjusted laborGrading, drainage and haul-off
Flat lots still need pad grading, and hillside lots need cut and fill balanced against export. Los Angeles County and city stormwater rules push bioretention, flow-through planters and underground retention into the site package. We take off cut, fill, export and drainage structures separately because haul-off costs swing the sitework total.
cut and fill · stormwater retention · soil export and haul-offMaterials, logistics and taxes
Concrete, rebar and structural steel delivered into dense neighborhoods face limited staging, lane closures and crane permits, which adds handling time. Sales tax applies to materials and varies by jurisdiction within the county. We price material at the project ZIP code and flag long-lead items such as switchgear and elevators early in the takeoff.
staging and lane closures · sales tax by jurisdiction · long-lead equipmentLos Angeles estimating guide
How Los Angeles conditions show up in a takeoff, trade by trade
Los Angeles takeoffs are shaped by seismic detailing, hillside drainage, and a permitting environment that rewards early clarity. The five trades below carry the most risk on local bids.
Concrete and foundations
In Los Angeles, foundation takeoffs are rarely a simple slab-on-grade. Hillside and near-fault sites drive mat slabs, deepened footings, and continuous footings with dowels into grade beams. You need to count anchor bolt templates, hold-down embed plates, and post-tension cable quantities separately. We measure formwork by contact area, not by footprint, because stepped footings on slopes add face area that a plan-area takeoff misses. For a typical multifamily podium, concrete line items include 03 30 00 cast-in-place concrete, 03 10 00 concrete forming and accessories, and 03 20 00 concrete reinforcing. Our concrete estimating services break these out by pour strip so your crew can sequence. Confirm with the local building department which adopted code edition applies to your site.
Mechanical, electrical, and plumbing
Los Angeles MEP takeoffs are affected by Title 24 energy requirements and local amendments. You need to count high-efficiency condensing units, duct insulation R-values, and LED fixture counts by room type. On the plumbing side, we take off 22 11 16 domestic water piping by diameter and material, and 22 13 16 sanitary drainage by fixture unit load. Gas lines for ranges and water heaters are often run in attics or crawlspaces, which adds length compared to a slab-on-grade layout. Electrical takeoffs include 26 05 19 conductors, 26 27 26 wiring devices, and 26 51 00 interior lighting. Our MEP estimating services produce a division-by-division breakdown so you can bid mechanical, electrical, and plumbing as separate packages.
Roofing and waterproofing
Roofing takeoffs in Los Angeles must account for low-slope and steep-slope assemblies on the same project. We measure 07 51 00 built-up bituminous roofing by square (100 square feet), and 07 41 13 metal roof panels by area plus edge metal. On multifamily, you often have a flat roof over the podium and a pitched roof over the wood-frame portion, so the takeoff splits by assembly. Flashing quantities include 07 62 00 sheet metal flashing and trim, with counterflashing at parapets and step flashing at sidewalls. Walk pads, roof drains, and overflow scuppers are separate line items. Our roofing estimating services include a waste factor that reflects the number of penetrations and valleys on the plan.
Structural steel and framing
Wood-frame multifamily over podium is the dominant Los Angeles residential type, but seismic bracing changes the framing takeoff. You will see more shear walls with hold-downs, blocking at panel edges, and Simpson-type straps at plate lines. We count studs by length and gauge, not just by wall area, because 2x6 walls at 16 inches on center with double top plates change the piece count. For steel, we take off 05 12 00 structural steel framing by member size and connection type, and 05 50 00 metal fabrications separately. Roof and floor sheathing quantities carry a typical 5–10% waste factor, higher on complex hip roofs. Framing estimating services can isolate the shear wall package so your lumber yard quote matches the plan.
Sitework, grading, and drainage
Los Angeles sites often require cut and fill balancing, and the takeoff must account for shrink and swell factors. We measure 31 23 16 excavation by bank cubic yards, then apply a typical 1.15–1.25 swell factor for haul-off. For hillside projects, you also need 31 23 23 backfill and 33 40 00 storm drainage with catch basins, area drains, and corrugated HDPE or PVC pipe by diameter. Erosion control items like silt fence and fiber rolls are measured by linear feet and are frequently omitted from contractor bids. Our sitework estimating services include a separate haul-off quantity so you can price disposal separately. Check with the local building department on which grading and drainage ordinances apply to your specific site.
Scope gaps we see on Los Angeles bids
- Missing hold-down and anchor bolt quantities in the framing package, leading to a later change order for seismic hardware.
- No line item for haul-off and disposal of excavated soil, which is significant on hillside sites with cut and fill.
- Omitting temporary erosion control measures like silt fence and fiber rolls required during grading.
- Excluding fire sprinkler and alarm rough-in because it is assumed to be in the MEP package, but it is not.
- Leaving out Title 24 compliance documentation and testing costs from the electrical bid.
- Forgetting to include concrete pump charges and crane time for elevated pours on podium projects.
Free tool
Concrete volume calculator
Quick check for a single element. For a full drawing set, send the plans and we measure everything, including the items calculators miss.
Typical waste: 3–5% for slabs, 5–10% for footings and walls. Truck count assumes 10 CY loads; confirm load size with your ready-mix supplier.
Result
19.4CY
Net volume18.5 CY
Cubic feet500 CF
Ready-mix trucks (10 CY)2
80 lb bags (premix)875
Need the full takeoff with pricing? Upload your plans.
How it works
How we estimate a Los Angeles project
- Read the full setArchitectural, structural, civil and MEP drawings, the geotechnical report and every addendum.
- Check Los Angeles conditionsLocal code edition, site and drainage requirements, soils and any hazard rules are confirmed before the takeoff starts.
- Take off by CSI sectionQuantities measured and color-coded on the plans, so every number traces to a sheet.
- Price to Los AngelesMaterial and labor costs adjusted to the project ZIP code, or to your own supplier quotes and crew rates.
- Check and deliverA second estimator checks quantities before the estimate goes out.
Sample output
Sample takeoff: typical Los Angeles multifamily podium project
| Section | Line item | Qty | Unit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 03 30 00 | Cast-in-place concrete, podium slab | 1,250 | CY |
| 03 20 00 | Reinforcing steel, grade 60 | 185,000 | LB |
| 05 12 00 | Structural steel, columns and beams | 42 | TON |
| 06 10 00 | Wood framing, 2x6 walls | 38,500 | LF |
| 07 51 00 | Built-up roofing, flat roof | 220 | SQ |
| 22 11 16 | Domestic water piping, type L copper | 6,800 | LF |
| 26 05 19 | Conductors, THHN, various sizes | 24,000 | LF |
| 31 23 16 | Excavation, bank cubic yards | 3,200 | BCY |
Worked example: exterior wall framing for a Los Angeles multifamily building
This example shows how we take off exterior wall framing for a three-story wood-frame building over a podium. Dimensions are illustrative and do not represent a specific project. We assume a rectangular floor plate, 120 feet by 60 feet, with 9-foot floor-to-floor heights and 2x6 studs at 16 inches on center. The building has three stories of wood framing above the podium. We start by calculating the linear feet of exterior wall per floor. The perimeter is 2 × (120 + 60) = 360 linear feet. For three floors, total wall length is 360 × 3 = 1,080 linear feet. Next, we convert to stud count. At 16 inches on center, studs per foot = 12 ÷ 16 = 0.75. So 1,080 × 0.75 = 810 studs. Add one stud per corner and per opening; assume 12 corners and 24 openings total, adding 36 studs. Total studs = 846. We add a typical 5% waste factor for cutting and breakage: 846 × 1.05 = 888 studs. For plates, we need top and bottom plates. Each wall run has two plates, so total plate length = 1,080 × 2 = 2,160 linear feet. Add 5% waste: 2,160 × 1.05 = 2,268 linear feet. Sheathing: wall area = 1,080 linear feet × 9 feet = 9,720 square feet. Subtract openings: assume 24 windows at 15 square feet each = 360 square feet, and 12 doors at 21 square feet each = 252 square feet. Net sheathing area = 9,720 – 360 – 252 = 9,108 square feet. Add 10% waste for sheathing: 9,108 × 1.10 = 10,019 square feet. The table below summarizes the steps. For a real project, we would also break out shear wall segments, hold-downs, and blocking separately. Our framing estimating services can produce this level of detail for your Los Angeles project.
FAQ
Los Angeles construction estimating questions
What types of projects do you estimate most in Los Angeles?
We handle a mix of multifamily, commercial, and residential projects. Multifamily podium and wrap buildings are common, as are hillside custom homes and tenant improvements. Because Los Angeles has a high volume of residential permits—11,211 new privately-owned residential units in 2025—we see many wood-frame and podium projects. We also estimate commercial shell and core, retail, and light industrial. If your project is in the City of Los Angeles or surrounding areas like Santa Monica, Pasadena, or Long Beach, we can provide a detailed takeoff.
How do you account for Los Angeles seismic requirements in your takeoffs?
We include seismic hardware as separate line items: hold-downs, anchor bolts, embedded straps, and shear wall nailing. We count these by type and quantity based on the structural plans. We also note where special inspection is required, which affects the bid. Because the adopted code edition can change, confirm with the local building department which edition of the California Building Code applies to your permit. We do not guess at code requirements; we take off what the plans show and flag discrepancies for your engineer to resolve.
Do you use local Los Angeles pricing?
Yes. We use ZIP-code-adjusted material and labor pricing from RSMeans data. That means the labor rates and material costs reflect the Los Angeles market, not a national average. For example, concrete and steel prices are adjusted for local suppliers and union labor rates. We also factor in typical local waste factors and sales tax where applicable. If you have specific quotes from local suppliers, we can incorporate those into the estimate. Our goal is to give you a number you can bid with confidence.
What is your turnaround time for a Los Angeles estimate?
Most projects are delivered within 24–48 hours. Rush service is available if you have a bid deadline. The timeline depends on the completeness of the plans and the complexity of the project. For a full multifamily podium building, we may need 48 hours to produce a detailed takeoff with marked-up plans. For smaller residential or tenant improvement projects, we can often turn it around in 24 hours. We deliver in Excel and PDF, organized by CSI MasterFormat division.
Can you estimate projects in areas near Los Angeles?
Yes. We cover Los Angeles County and surrounding areas. We also serve San Diego, San Jose, and San Francisco through our California construction estimating services. If your project is in a nearby city like Glendale, Burbank, or Torrance, we can handle it. The pricing adjustments are based on ZIP code, so we can fine-tune the estimate for the specific location. Just send us the plans and the project address, and we will apply the correct local factors.
What do you need from me to start an estimate?
We need the complete plan set, including architectural, structural, mechanical, electrical, and plumbing drawings. Specifications and addenda are helpful. If you have a bid date, let us know so we can prioritize. We also ask for the project address to apply the correct ZIP-code pricing. For sitework, a grading plan and geotechnical report are useful. You can upload plans through our get an estimate page. We will confirm receipt and give you a delivery time.
How do you handle waste factors in your takeoffs?
We apply typical waste factors by material: 5–10% for framing lumber, 10% for sheathing and drywall, 5% for concrete, and 2–5% for roofing. These are not arbitrary; they reflect cutting, breakage, and overage common in Los Angeles projects. For complex roofs or hillside foundations, we may increase the factor. We list waste as a separate line item so you can see the base quantity and the waste quantity. If you have a preferred waste factor, we can adjust it. Our sample takeoff shows how we present this.
Do you provide marked-up plan sets?
Yes. Every estimate includes a marked-up plan set in PDF. We color-code or annotate the plans to show what was measured, so you can verify quantities. This is especially useful for complex areas like shear walls, foundation steps, and MEP routing. The marked-up plans are delivered alongside the Excel estimate. If you have a question about a specific quantity, you can refer to the markup to see exactly what we included. This reduces back-and-forth and helps you bid with confidence.
Where does the permit data in this page come from?
The permit data comes from the U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey. It counts new privately-owned residential units only, for the city itself. In 2025, Los Angeles issued permits for 11,211 units, up 7% from 10,488 in 2024. Of those, 3,848 were single-family and 7,363 were multifamily, making up 66% of the total. The permitted value was $1.9 billion, with an average value per unit of $172,300. This data helps us understand the local market but does not affect your individual estimate.
Can you estimate both residential and commercial projects in Los Angeles?
Yes. We provide residential estimating services and commercial estimating services. On the residential side, we handle single-family custom homes, ADUs, and multifamily buildings. On the commercial side, we estimate office, retail, restaurant, and light industrial projects. We also have specialized teams for concrete, framing, roofing, MEP, and sitework. If your project is a mix, such as a mixed-use building with retail on the ground floor and apartments above, we can break out the estimate by use type. Send us the plans and we will scope it accordingly.
Other California cities we cover
Popular services in Los Angeles
Send your Los Angeles project plans for a quote
Upload your plans and get a detailed takeoff in 24–48 hours, organized by CSI division and adjusted for Los Angeles labor and material costs.
- We review the set and check for missing sheets or addenda.
- You get a quote with a price and a delivery date.
- You approve and we start the takeoff.
- You receive the Excel estimate and marked-up plans.