Construction estimating services in Somerville, MA

You get an Excel workbook and a PDF, organized by CSI MasterFormat division, with the marked-up plan set we used. Each line item shows quantity, unit, and the pricing basis. We use RSMeans data adjusted by ZIP code for material and labor, and we run takeoffs in Bluebeam Revu and PlanSwift. The package is built so you can drop it into your own bid form or send it back for revisions.

Most projects are returned in 24–48 hours. Larger lab, institutional, or multi-building packages take longer, and we will tell you the schedule before we start. Rush turnaround is available if your bid date is close. The clock starts when we have a complete plan set, specifications, and any addenda.

The residential permit figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau Building Permits Survey. They count new privately-owned residential units permitted by the city itself, not total construction activity. That means commercial, institutional, and lab projects are not reflected in those numbers, even though they are a large part of Somerville's workload.

Yes. Lab work is measured differently from residential because of fume hoods, process piping, dedicated exhaust, and clean utilities. We take those off as separate assemblies and cross-check them against the architectural and structural scopes. If your project includes a vivarium or a BSL-rated suite, tell us up front so we can carry the right divisions.

Yes, and they are common here. The tricky part is selective demolition and shoring, because balloon framing and out-of-plumb walls mean the new work has to tie into existing structure. We measure demo by area and by count, and we carry temporary shoring as its own line item rather than burying it in the framing cost.

We work across the Boston metro and the rest of Massachusetts, including Fall River, Newton, Lawrence, Framingham, Haverhill, and Waltham. Pricing is adjusted by ZIP code, so a takeoff for Somerville will not carry the same labor and material rates as one for a project further out. If your project is in one of those cities, send the plans and we will price it for that location.

Send the architectural, structural, and MEP drawings, the specifications, and any addenda or geotech reports you have. If there is a bid form or a scope narrative, include that too. The more complete the set, the fewer assumptions we have to flag. You can upload everything through our get an estimate page.

We carry temporary heat, winter protection, and cold-weather concrete measures as separate line items when the schedule runs through the heating season. In Somerville, freeze-thaw cycles also drive ice-and-water membrane and air-barrier detailing quantities. If your schedule is not set, we will show the cost both ways so you can see the difference.

Yes. Demolition is measured by area, volume, or count depending on the element, and disposal is priced separately because urban haul routes and transfer station fees differ from suburban ones. On Somerville infill sites, we also flag any suspect materials that may require testing before disposal, since that can change the handling cost.

Yes. Multi-family work is a large share of Somerville's residential permits, and we take off the full package: foundations, framing, envelope, MEP, and finishes. We organize the takeoff by building and by floor so you can phase the buyout. See our multi-family estimating services page for the divisions we cover.