Multifamily takeoff
Unit-by-unit counts for plumbing, HVAC terminals, devices, doors and corridor finishes on Binghamton's all-multifamily permit pipeline.
EA · LF · SFBinghamton, NY
Construction estimating services in Binghamton, NY
Binghamton permitting in 2025 ran entirely multifamily — 65 new privately-owned residential units, all in multi-unit buildings, at $187,400 average value per unit. We price that work from the plans up, with ZIP-adjusted material and labor rates for Broome County.
24–48 hours for most projectsTypical turnaround
Every CSI divisionSitework through MEP
Binghamton ZIP pricingLocal material and labor
Price confirmed firstBefore any work starts
Census BPS · Binghamton · 2025Real permit data
Binghamton new housing permits2025
New housing units65Change vs. 20240%Permitted construction value$12MAverage value per unit$187,400Rank among covered New York cities#14
Single-family: 0 (0%)Multifamily: 65 (100%)
U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2025. Residential only.
What makes construction estimating in Binghamton, NY different?
Three drivers shape every Binghamton number: a multifamily-only residential pipeline (65 units in 2025, zero single-family), heavy institutional and public work through the Southern Tier, and a short building season that compresses concrete, roofing and sitework into fewer productive months. Hillside soils and frost depth drive foundation and retaining-wall quantities. Aging downtown building stock adds demolition and structural repair scope that new-construction templates miss.
- Binghamton permitted 65 new housing units in 2025, #14 among the New York cities we cover.
- About 100% were in multifamily buildings; 0% were single-family.
- Permit volume was flat compared with 2024.
Binghamton is the 14th-ranked city in New York by permitted residential units, and the 2025 permit data is unusual: all 65 new privately-owned units were multifamily, with no single-family permits at all. That mix tells you where the estimating risk sits. Wood-frame and podium multifamily buildings carry unit-count-driven MEP counts, corridor lengths, elevator and stair cores, and a site package that has to deal with Southern Tier hillside grades and frost depth.
We build estimates from the drawings, not from a square-foot rule of thumb. Quantities are taken in Bluebeam Revu and PlanSwift, priced with RSMeans data adjusted to the project ZIP code, and delivered in Excel and PDF organized by CSI MasterFormat division with marked-up plan sets. Most projects turn in 24–48 hours, with rush available. If your bid date is close, start with our New York construction estimating page or send the set through get an estimate.
- Coverage
- Binghamton and nearby New York communities
- Deliverable
- Excel estimate + marked-up PDF plans
- Pricing basis
- Binghamton ZIP-code material and labor costs
- Turnaround
- 24–48 hours for most projects
- Software
- Bluebeam Revu, PlanSwift, RSMeans data
01
For bidders. You have a hard bid date and a set that may be short on details. We return quantified line items by division, marked-up plans showing what was measured, and a clear list of assumptions so your bid holds up at buyout.
02
For builders. You are pricing multifamily, institutional or infrastructure work in the Southern Tier. We give you a budget you can carry into subcontractor scopes, with waste factors and unit rates you can defend.
03
For owners. You need a cost check before committing to a design. We produce a division-level budget tied to ZIP-adjusted pricing, so you can see which scope items move the number before drawings are finalized.
Binghamton by the numbers
Binghamton's residential construction pipeline
Select a bar to compare Binghamton with the largest New York markets we cover.
65New housing units, 2025
1.8%Of all units in the New York cities we cover
$12MPermitted residential value
100%In multifamily buildings
New housing units permitted in 2025. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey.
This city
Binghamton
65 new housing units in 2025 (0% vs 2024).
0 single-family · 65 multifamily (100%).
A multifamily-only permit year
The 2025 Building Permits Survey shows 65 new privately-owned residential units in Binghamton, unchanged from 65 in 2024, with 100% of them multifamily and an average permitted value of $187,400 per unit. Zero single-family permits means your residential pipeline here is almost entirely multi-unit buildings — which changes what you estimate. Unit counts drive plumbing fixture counts, HVAC terminal units, electrical device counts and corridor finishes; the building envelope is a wall-area and window-count problem, not a per-house problem. At roughly 1.8% of the covered New York state total of 3,635 units, Binghamton is a small but steady market, ranked 14th of 24 covered cities. For comparison, see how the downstate cities run on our White Plains construction estimating page, where high-rise and transit work dominates the same divisions.
Institutional and public work carries the rest
Outside residential, Binghamton's volume sits in institutional, healthcare, higher-education and municipal infrastructure work across Broome County, plus renovation of older downtown and riverfront building stock. That work prices differently from new multifamily: phased occupancy, temporary partitions, selective demolition, asbestos and lead abatement allowances, and MEP tie-ins to existing systems. Site packages on the hillsides above the river routinely include retaining walls, stepped footings and dewatering, and frost depth governs footing elevations. Winter conditions compress the exterior season, so schedule-driven general conditions and temporary heat are real line items, not padding. If your project is public or institutional, the quantity takeoff usually has to be defensible line by line, and we format it that way.
Services
Construction estimating services in Binghamton, NY
Every scope below is measured from your drawings and priced with ZIP-code-adjusted material and labor rates for the Binghamton area.
Sitework and excavation
Mass excavation, rock allowance, dewatering and retaining walls for Southern Tier hillside sites above the river.
CY · SFConcrete and foundations
Stepped footings, frost-depth wall heights, slab-on-grade and formed walls priced by form area and volume.
CY · SFCAFraming
Wood-frame and podium multifamily framing, sheathing and blocking measured from floor plans and elevations.
LF · SFRoofing
Low-slope membrane and steep-slope systems with insulation, flashing and edge metal for a short building season.
SQ · LFMEP systems
Fixture counts, distribution mains, ductwork and panel schedules for multi-unit buildings and institutional renovations.
EA · LF · TONCommercial interiors
Selective demolition, partitions, ceilings, storefront and MEP tie-ins for downtown Binghamton building reuse.
SF · LFBid-level budget
Division-level budget with assumptions and alternates so you can compare scopes before the bid date.
LS · SFWho we provide estimates for
Who sends us Binghamton plans
General contractors bidding Southern Tier work
You are chasing Binghamton Housing Authority, Broome County and SUNY-related packages where bid dates are fixed and addenda land late. We return division-level quantities and marked-up plans so your bid holds through buyout.
Multifamily developers and builders
All 65 permitted units in Binghamton in 2025 were multifamily. You need unit-by-unit counts, corridor and core takeoffs, and a site package that accounts for hillside grades before you commit to a pro forma.
Subcontractors pricing one trade
You bid framing, drywall, roofing or MEP on Binghamton rehab and infill work and need quantities fast. We measure your scope only and flag what the drawings leave open so you can qualify your proposal.
Architects and design-build teams
You are at schematic or design development on a Binghamton project and need a cost check that tracks your drawings. We price by division so you can compare design options before CDs are finished.
Owners and facility managers
You maintain older Binghamton building stock and need a repair or renovation budget before soliciting bids. We quantify from existing conditions drawings, photos and scope notes and price to the project ZIP code.
Out-of-state contractors entering the Southern Tier
You are licensed elsewhere and pricing your first Binghamton job. We apply ZIP-adjusted material and labor pricing and list the local assumptions you should verify before you sign a contract.
Where we provide estimates
Binghamton areas and nearby communities we cover
We estimate from plans for projects anywhere in Broome County and the surrounding Southern Tier. Send the set with the project address and we price to that ZIP code, whether the work is downtown or in a surrounding town.
Downtown and the West Side
- Downtown Binghamton
- First Ward
- Westside
- Riverside Drive corridor
- Southside
- Northside
Broome County suburbs and villages
- Johnson City
- Endicott
- Vestal
- Endwell
- Conklin
- Port Dickinson
Nearby Southern Tier and Finger Lakes towns
- Owego
- Whitney Point
- Chenango Forks
- Windsor
- Norwich
- Ithaca
Property types
Types of Binghamton properties we estimate
The 2025 permit mix is entirely multifamily, but Binghamton work also runs through institutional, commercial and older-building renovation. These are the property types we take off most often here.
Multifamily and podium
Wood-frame and podium apartment buildings are the core of Binghamton's permitted residential work. We count units, corridor lengths, stair and elevator cores, and separate the site package from the building package so you can see both.
Watch for: Unit counts, corridor and core takeoffs, fire separation, sprinkler coverage
Adaptive reuse and rehab
Binghamton has a deep stock of older commercial and industrial buildings being converted or repaired. Existing conditions drive the estimate, so we take off selective demolition, structural repairs and new MEP rough-in as separate scopes.
Watch for: Hazardous materials, structural unknowns, MEP tie-in points
Institutional and public
County, city, school district and university work moves through public bidding with strict scope documents. We quantify by CSI division and list alternates separately so your bid form lines up with the specifications.
Watch for: Prevailing wage, alternates, allowance items, phasing
Retail and restaurant fit-out
Small commercial fit-outs on Court Street and in the surrounding commercial corridors turn on MEP, hood and grease, and storefront scope. We measure from the architectural and MEP sets and price the trades you will actually subcontract.
Watch for: Grease interception, hood make-up air, ADA restrooms
Light industrial and warehouse
Broome County has warehouse and light manufacturing space near the rail corridors and industrial parks. Slab, steel, overhead door and power distribution quantities drive these estimates more than finish work.
Watch for: Slab thickness and reinforcement, power service size, clear height
Single-family and small residential
Even with no single-family permits filed in 2025, renovation, addition and infill work continues throughout the city and towns. We take off framing, envelope and MEP from the drawings and price to the project ZIP code.
Watch for: Frost depth, framing spans, window and door schedules
Local factors
What changes a construction estimate in Binghamton
Binghamton sits in the Susquehanna and Chenango river valleys, and the combination of hillside grades, river soils and a cold inland climate changes quantities in ways a flat national average will not capture.
Code and permitting
Binghamton and Broome County enforce the New York State Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code, which adopts the IBC and IRC families with state amendments. Permit review, fire separation and egress requirements affect layout and therefore quantities. Confirm the adopted code edition and any local amendments with the city or town building department before you finalize scope, because edition changes move wall ratings, sprinkler thresholds and energy envelope requirements.
NY State Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code · IBC · IRC · local building departmentSoils and foundations
Valley floor soils along the Susquehanna and Chenango rivers include fill, silt and clay that can require over-excavation, engineered backfill or deeper footings. Hillside sites on the West Side and Southside often need stepped footings, retaining walls and drainage behind walls. Frost depth in this part of New York drives footing depth, so foundation and sitework quantities move together and should be taken off as one package.
Susquehanna River valley soils · frost depth · stepped footings · retaining wallsClimate and winter work
Binghamton winters bring freeze-thaw cycles, snow load and lake-effect and upslope snow events. That affects temporary heat, winter protection, concrete curing and roofing schedules. Snow load governs structural framing in some cases, and ice barrier underlayment at eaves is typical. If your schedule pushes exterior work into winter, add temporary enclosure, heating and snow removal to the general conditions line.
ground snow load · freeze-thaw · ice barrier underlayment · temporary heatLabor market and trade availability
The Southern Tier labor pool is smaller than downstate, and specialty trades such as sprinkler fitters, elevator contractors and curtain wall crews may travel from Syracuse, Scranton or the Albany area. Travel and per diem can show up in subcontractor pricing. For public work, prevailing wage requirements under New York law apply to many contracts, so confirm wage determinations and whether the project is covered before you set labor rates.
prevailing wage · trade travel · per diem · subcontractor availabilitySitework and drainage
Sloped lots, river proximity and older combined storm systems make drainage and erosion control real line items in Binghamton. Expect sediment basins, silt fence, stabilized construction entrances, retaining walls and storm structure connections. If the site is in a floodplain, floodproofing and elevation requirements change foundation and utility design. Take off sitework and utilities before the building package so the two estimates reconcile.
storm drainage · erosion and sediment control · floodplain · retaining wallsMaterials and logistics
Binghamton sits on I-81 and NY Route 17, so most standard materials reach the site without unusual freight. The exceptions are long-lead items such as switchgear, elevators and rooftop units, which carry schedule risk more than cost risk. Masonry, precast and steel suppliers in the region serve the market, but confirm fabrication lead times. ZIP-code-adjusted pricing accounts for the local material and labor differential rather than a national average.
I-81 · NY Route 17 · long-lead equipment · ZIP-adjusted pricingBinghamton estimating guide
How Binghamton conditions show up in a takeoff, trade by trade
Binghamton's mix of older masonry stock, hillside sites, and a 100% multifamily permit year changes what you count and how you count it. Here is where the local conditions land in each division.
Divisions 02 and 31 — Sitework and earthwork
Most Binghamton parcels off Riverside Drive, Front Street, or the South Side sit on glacial till over shale, so rock excavation is a real line item, not a footnote. Count over-excavation under footings and backfill imported granular separately; the on-site material often fails compaction. Winter shutdowns mean you carry temporary erosion control and stabilized construction entrance quantities across two seasons. For hillside sites, add retaining wall excavation, drainage blanket, and underdrain in the takeoff — these get missed when someone prices from the site plan alone. Our sitework estimating services break quantities by cut, fill, and unsuitable material so your bid reflects what the geotech report actually says.
Division 05 — Structural steel and framing
Upstate multifamily and institutional work here leans on steel joists and metal deck for spans over 30 feet, with wood framing on lower-rise buildings. Count joist seats, bridging, deck gauge, and shear studs as separate lines; they are frequently lumped into a single 'steel' number that hides the real cost. On wood-framed projects, include engineered lumber headers, hangers, and hold-downs by count, not allowance. Binghamton's snow load drives roof framing member sizes, so verify the ground snow load the structural drawings used and confirm the adopted code edition with the City of Binghamton Building and Construction Division before you finalize member takeoffs. Framing estimating services can carry the member-by-member count if your plans are still in design.
Divisions 22, 23, 26 — MEP
Binghamton's older building stock means MEP takeoffs often involve tie-ins to existing systems, not clean new construction. Count pipe by diameter and material, fittings by type, valves by size, and hangers by spacing rule — not by a percentage of pipe length. For HVAC, separate duct by gauge and size, plus insulation, dampers, and terminal units. Electrical takeoff should carry conduit by trade size, wire by conductor count, boxes by type, and fixtures by count. On multifamily projects, riser diagrams and unit counts drive the quantities; on commercial fit-outs, the panel schedule does. Our MEP estimating services price these by system so the mechanical and electrical bids can be compared line by line.
Division 03 — Concrete
Foundations in Binghamton commonly need air-entrained mix and a minimum 4,000 psi design for freeze-thaw exposure. Your takeoff should separate footings, foundation walls, slab-on-grade, and any interior piers, because formwork and reinforcement ratios differ sharply between them. Count vapor barrier under slab, granular base thickness, and dowels at construction joints — three items that disappear when a takeoff is done from the architectural sheets only. For multifamily work, add balcony and stair landings, which carry their own mix and finish specs. Our concrete estimating services itemize formwork by contact area and rebar by bar size and lap, so the ready-mix and placing bids both reconcile.
Division 07 — Roofing and envelope
Freeze-thaw cycling and ice damming make roof assembly details a cost driver on every Binghamton building. Take off underlayment, ice barrier at eaves, drip edge, and roof insulation by area, and count roof drains, scuppers, and expansion joints individually. On flat roofs common to commercial and multifamily work, separate membrane, cover board, and tapered insulation, because tapered packages are priced by the board and vary with slope. Air barrier and flashing at parapets and penetrations belong in the same takeoff — they are the first items cut when a bid runs tight, and the first to fail. Our roofing estimating services organize these by assembly so nothing gets buried in a square-foot allowance.
Scope gaps we see on Binghamton bids
- Rock excavation and unsuitable material disposal left out because the geotech report was issued after the bid.
- Temporary heat and winter protection carried as an allowance instead of a duration-based line item.
- Ice barrier, drip edge, and parapet flashing omitted from the roofing scope on flat-roof multifamily buildings.
- MEP tie-ins to existing systems priced as new work, with no allowance for shutdowns or phased connections.
- Snow load and wind exposure assumptions not stated, so structural steel and framing bids are not comparable.
- Final cleaning, commissioning, and closeout documentation excluded from every trade and assumed by the GC.
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 Binghamton project
- Read the full setArchitectural, structural, civil and MEP drawings, the geotechnical report and every addendum.
- Check Binghamton 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 BinghamtonMaterial 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: Binghamton multifamily building, 4-story wood over podium
| Section | Line item | Qty | Unit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 03 30 00 | Footing concrete, 4,000 psi air-entrained | 184 | CY |
| 03 20 00 | Rebar, #5 and #6, including laps | 22.4 | TON |
| 05 12 00 | Structural steel, columns and beams | 18.6 | TON |
| 06 10 00 | Wood framing, floor and roof, 2x10 | 41,200 | BF |
| 07 21 00 | Rigid insulation, roof, tapered package | 14,800 | SF |
| 07 60 00 | Flashing and sheet metal, parapets | 620 | LF |
| 22 11 00 | Domestic water piping, Type L copper | 3,450 | LF |
| 26 05 19 | Conduit and wire, branch circuits | 18,900 | LF |
Worked example: footing concrete for a Binghamton multifamily building
This walkthrough uses illustrative dimensions for a continuous strip footing on a Binghamton hillside site. The geotech report governs the actual bearing depth; confirm the adopted code edition with the local building department before you finalize.
Step 1 — Perimeter. Building footprint 120 ft by 60 ft gives a perimeter of 2 × (120 + 60) = 360 LF.
Step 2 — Cross-section. Footing width 24 in (2.0 ft), thickness 12 in (1.0 ft). Volume per linear foot = 2.0 × 1.0 = 2.00 CF/LF.
Step 3 — Net volume. 360 LF × 2.00 CF/LF = 720 CF. Divide by 27 to get cubic yards: 720 ÷ 27 = 26.67 CY.
Step 4 — Waste. Typical waste for formed footings runs 5–10%. At 7%: 26.67 × 1.07 = 28.54 CY.
Step 5 — Over-excavation. If the geotech requires 12 in of unsuitable material removed and replaced with granular fill under the footing, add 360 LF × 2.0 ft × 1.0 ft = 720 CF = 26.67 CY of imported material, plus disposal of the same volume.
| Step | Calculation | Result | Unit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Perimeter | 2 × (120 + 60) | 360 | LF |
| Volume per LF | 2.0 ft × 1.0 ft | 2.00 | CF/LF |
| Net volume | 360 × 2.00 | 720 | CF |
| Net volume | 720 ÷ 27 | 26.67 | CY |
| With 7% waste | 26.67 × 1.07 | 28.54 | CY |
| Granular fill | 360 × 2.0 × 1.0 ÷ 27 | 26.67 | CY |
Two things to carry beyond the concrete line: formwork is measured by contact area (both sides plus ends), and rebar is counted by bar size and lap length, not by a pounds-per-yard factor. On a Binghamton site, also add a line for dewatering if the excavation sits below the seasonal high water table. If you want this broken out by division with material and labor split, send the plans through our concrete estimating services or the main New York construction estimating page.
FAQ
Binghamton construction estimating questions
What does the Binghamton permit data actually count?
The figures we cite come from the U.S. Census Bureau's Building Permits Survey and cover new privately-owned residential units permitted by the city itself. For 2025, Binghamton permitted 65 units, all multifamily, with a total permitted value of $12M and an average of $187,400 per unit. That is unchanged from 2024. Commercial, institutional, and infrastructure permits are not in this dataset, so the residential numbers understate total construction activity in the city.
Do you need the geotech report to estimate foundations in Binghamton?
It helps significantly. Glacial till over shale is common on the hillsides, and the report tells us whether rock excavation, over-excavation, or imported fill will be required. Without it, we carry a stated allowance and flag it as a risk item. If the report is issued later, we can revise the foundation takeoff and issue a delta so you can adjust your bid before submission.
How do you handle winter conditions in a Binghamton takeoff?
We add duration-based line items for temporary heat, hoarding, and cold-weather concrete protection when the schedule crosses November through March. These are separate from general conditions so you can see the cost of a winter start versus a spring start. We also carry temporary erosion and sediment control across the full construction period, since the ground stays frozen or saturated longer here than in downstate markets.
Can you price a multifamily project from a preliminary set?
Yes. On early sets we take off what is dimensioned, carry unit-count-driven quantities for repeated elements, and list every assumption in a basis-of-estimate note. As the drawings progress, we update the takeoff and issue a revision log so you can track what moved. Most Binghamton multifamily work we see is wood-framed over a podium, which makes unit repetition a reliable driver for framing, MEP, and finishes.
What format do you deliver the estimate in?
Excel and PDF, organized by CSI MasterFormat division, with the marked-up plan sets included so you can trace every quantity back to the sheet it came from. We use Bluebeam Revu for markup, PlanSwift for takeoff, and RSMeans data with ZIP-code-adjusted material and labor pricing for the Binghamton area. Turnaround is 24–48 hours for most projects, with rush available if your bid date is tight.
Do you cover projects outside the City of Binghamton?
Yes. We work across Broome County and the surrounding Southern Tier, and we also cover other New York markets including White Plains, Troy, Niagara Falls, Freeport, Valley Stream, and Long Beach. If your project is in Johnson City, Endicott, or Vestal, the same ZIP-code-adjusted pricing applies. Send the address with the plans and we will confirm the pricing basis before we start.
How do you treat MEP tie-ins on a Binghamton renovation?
We count new work by system and carry tie-ins as separate line items with an allowance for shutdowns, temporary connections, and phased commissioning. On older buildings, we also flag asbestos and lead abatement as a separate scope that should be priced by a specialty contractor, not absorbed into the general trades. That keeps the mechanical and electrical bids comparable and prevents a late change order.
What is your turnaround for a Binghamton bid?
Most projects are delivered in 24–48 hours. Larger multifamily or commercial packages with full MEP may take longer, and we will tell you the delivery date when we review the plans. Rush turnaround is available when your bid date is inside that window. We confirm scope, deliverables, and price before starting so there is no ambiguity about what is included.
Do you estimate sitework separately from the building?
Yes, and on Binghamton hillside sites we recommend it. Sitework takeoff covers clearing, cut and fill, rock excavation, retaining walls, storm drainage, and erosion control, each with its own unit of measure. Keeping it separate from the building estimate lets you compare earthwork bids and see where the risk sits. Our sitework estimating services handle this as a standalone package or as part of a full-project estimate.
Can you help if we only have architectural drawings?
We can, but we will list the assumptions clearly. Structural, MEP, and civil quantities will be carried as allowances based on typical assemblies for the building type and size, and flagged so you know which numbers are firm and which are not. As the other disciplines arrive, we update the takeoff and issue a revised estimate with a change log so you can see exactly what moved.
Other New York cities we cover
Popular services in Binghamton
Send your Binghamton project plans for a quote
Send your plans, specifications, and bid date, and we will confirm scope, turnaround, and price before we start the takeoff.
- 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.