Construction estimating services in Marietta, GA

Cobb County's red clay and rock, its stormwater detention requirements, and the split between Cobb County Water System and well/septic service. A generic takeoff also tends to miss the erosion control line items and the rock excavation allowance. We build those into the sitework and foundation sections rather than leaving them as a note. For example, we measure rock excavation in cubic yards based on the geotech borings, and we carry silt fence and inlet protection as separate line items under Division 31. That way, your bid reflects the actual site conditions, not a national average.

They come from the U.S. Census Bureau's Building Permits Survey, which counts new privately-owned residential units permitted by the city itself. The survey does not include commercial permits or renovations, so the unit count is a measure of new housing activity only. We use it to describe the local market, not to estimate your project. For your specific job, we rely on the drawings and specifications you provide. If you need commercial permit data, you would need to contact the city of Marietta or Cobb County directly.

The 2025 survey year shows 112 new privately-owned residential units, all single-family, up from 98 the year before. That is a 14% increase. Permitted value was $37 million, which averages about $327,800 per unit. These figures are for the city of Marietta only, not the wider Cobb County market. They indicate a steady level of single-family construction, which aligns with the infill and teardown work we see in the area. For your project, we focus on the specific scope rather than market averages.

Yes. We take off single-family and small multi-family projects through our residential and multi-family teams, and we handle retail, office, warehouse and light industrial work through our commercial and industrial teams. The CSI division structure is the same; the level of detail and the labor assumptions change with the project type. For example, a residential takeoff might focus on wall framing and roof trusses, while a commercial warehouse takeoff emphasizes steel joists, tilt-up panels and dock equipment. We adjust the crew mix and productivity factors accordingly.

We can, but you should expect allowances for anything not yet drawn. We will flag the missing information in a written assumptions page so you know which quantities are firm and which are placeholders. As the drawings progress, we can update the takeoff and keep the same CSI structure so you can compare versions. This is common for design-build projects in Marietta, where the structural and MEP drawings lag behind the architectural set. We typically note any missing details, such as roof framing or panel schedules, and carry a reasonable allowance until they are available.

Excel and PDF, organized by CSI MasterFormat division, with marked-up plan sets showing what we measured. We use Bluebeam Revu, PlanSwift and RSMeans data, and we adjust material and labor pricing by ZIP code so the numbers reflect the Marietta market rather than a national average. The Excel file includes formulas so you can adjust quantities or unit costs. The PDF includes the marked-up drawings with color-coded takeoff areas, which helps you verify our scope and share it with your team or subcontractors.

Most projects come back in 24 to 48 hours. Rush turnaround is available if you are bidding a job with a hard deadline. The clock starts when we have a complete set of drawings and specifications, so sending the full package up front is the fastest path. For large or complex projects, we may need additional time to coordinate multiple trades, but we will give you a firm delivery date when we receive the documents. If you have a bid date, let us know so we can prioritize accordingly.

Yes. We work across the metro and the state, including Alpharetta, Smyrna, Dunwoody, Albany, Warner Robins and Valdosta. If your project is outside those areas, our Georgia construction estimating team can still take it on. We understand the regional differences in soil, labor and code enforcement. For example, projects in Alpharetta may have different stormwater requirements than those in Marietta, and we adjust the takeoff accordingly. You can see our full coverage on the Georgia construction estimating page.

Architectural, structural, civil, mechanical, electrical and plumbing drawings, plus the specifications and any geotech report. If you have a bid date and a scope letter from the general contractor, send that too. The more of the package we have, the fewer assumptions we have to write into the estimate. For residential projects, we also need the floor plans, elevations and roof plan. If any of these are missing, we can still proceed with allowances, but the estimate will be less precise until we receive them.

Both. We use RSMeans data adjusted to the local ZIP code for labor and material pricing, then apply productivity factors for the trade and the project type. You get a line-item view you can mark up or compare against subcontractor quotes, not just a bottom-line number. For example, we might adjust concrete formwork labor for the local crew rates and the complexity of the foundation. This approach gives you a transparent basis for your bid and helps you identify where subcontractor quotes may be high or low.