Sitework takeoffs
Mass excavation, caliche and rock removal, over-excavation, import, and utility trench quantities for Washington County sites.
CY · LF · TONSt. George, UT
Construction estimating services in St. George, UT
We produce CSI MasterFormat takeoffs and estimates for builders working in St. George and Washington County, priced with ZIP-code-adjusted material and labor rates and delivered in Excel and PDF within 24–48 hours on most projects.
24–48 hours for most projectsTypical turnaround
Every CSI divisionSitework through MEP
St. George ZIP pricingLocal material and labor
Price confirmed firstBefore any work starts
Census BPS · St. George · 2025Real permit data
St. George new housing permits2025
New housing units936Change vs. 2024−27%Permitted construction value$173MAverage value per unit$184,700Rank among covered Utah cities#3
Single-family: 822 (88%)Multifamily: 114 (12%)
U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2025. Residential only.
What makes construction estimating in St. George, UT different?
St. George pricing turns on caliche and rock excavation, expansive clay soils that drive deeper footings and post-tension slabs, extreme summer heat that affects concrete curing and roofing schedules, high wind and dust exposure on exposed ridges, and a residential market where single-family work dominates permit volume.
- St. George permitted 936 new housing units in 2025, #3 among the Utah cities we cover.
- About 12% were in multifamily buildings; 88% were single-family.
- Permit volume was down 27% compared with 2024.
St. George sits in Washington County at the junction of the Mojave and Colorado Plateau, where summer design temperatures, caliche layers, and expansive soils change how you price foundations and flatwork. Most of the permit volume here is single-family residential, so your estimate needs clean takeoffs on footing and stem wall concrete, post-tension slab tendon counts, and roof squares before you can trust a bid. We build those quantities from the plan set, not from a square-foot multiplier.
Our takeoffs follow CSI MasterFormat divisions and arrive as Excel workbooks and PDFs with marked-up plan sets, priced using RSMeans data adjusted to the ZIP code where the work is. If your project is in the commercial or industrial range, we separate sitework, structural concrete, and MEP scopes so you can see where the money actually sits. Start with our Utah construction estimating page, or send plans through Get an estimate and we will confirm scope and turnaround.
- Coverage
- St. George and nearby Utah communities
- Deliverable
- Excel estimate + marked-up PDF plans
- Pricing basis
- St. George ZIP-code material and labor costs
- Turnaround
- 24–48 hours for most projects
- Software
- Bluebeam Revu, PlanSwift, RSMeans data
01
For bidders. You need quantities you can defend line by line. We return footing, slab, framing, and roofing takeoffs organized by division, with assumptions noted, so you can adjust labor and markup before the bid date instead of guessing at scope.
02
For builders. You buy from local suppliers and self-perform some scopes. We price material and labor ZIP-adjusted, break out waste by trade, and flag items like rock excavation or tendon layout that routinely move the number on Washington County sites.
03
For owners. You want a budget before design is finished. We estimate from schematic sets, list exclusions clearly, and show unit costs by assembly so you can compare alternates without re-pricing the whole building.
St. George by the numbers
St. George's residential construction pipeline
Select a bar to compare St. George with the largest Utah markets we cover.
936New housing units, 2025
7.9%Of all units in the Utah cities we cover
$173MPermitted residential value
12%In multifamily buildings
New housing units permitted in 2025. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey.
This city
St. George
936 new housing units in 2025 (-26.9% vs 2024).
822 single-family · 114 multifamily (12%).
Permit volume cooled, but St. George still ranks near the top of the state
St. George issued 936 new privately-owned residential units in 2025, down about 27% from 1,281 in 2024, according to the U.S. Census Bureau Building Permits Survey. That is still the third-highest unit count among the 25 covered Utah cities and 7.9% of the 11,785 statewide units. Single-family accounted for 822 units, or about 88% of the local total, with 114 multifamily units. For a bidder, that mix matters: most of your competition is pricing detached homes, so a clean single-family takeoff with accurate concrete, framing, and roofing quantities is the differentiator. Permitted value reached $173M, an average of $184,700 per unit, which is a useful sanity check when you compare your own cost per unit against the market.
Where the money moves in a Washington County estimate
The $184,700 average permitted value per unit covers a wide range of finish levels, so do not treat it as a cost target. On St. George sites, the line items that swing hardest are rock and caliche excavation, over-excavation and import for expansive soils, post-tension slab systems, and roof assemblies rated for high summer heat and wind. Sitework and foundation scopes often carry more risk than the vertical structure, which is why we separate them. If you also build in Sandy or Lehi, the same takeoff format travels with you, but the ZIP-adjusted pricing does not. We also cover Ogden and South Jordan for builders working multiple Utah markets.
Services
Construction estimating services in St. George
These are the scopes we take off most often for St. George and Washington County projects, each delivered by division with quantities you can trace back to the drawings.
Concrete estimating
Footings, stem walls, post-tension slabs, and flatwork, with formwork and reinforcement broken out by pour.
CY · SF · LBFoundation estimating
Spread and continuous footings, pier schedules, and slab-on-grade assemblies sized for expansive soils.
CY · LF · EAFraming takeoffs
Floor, wall, and roof framing counts with plate, stud, joist, and truss quantities by level.
LF · EA · BFRoofing estimating
Roof squares, underlayment, flashing, and tile or shingle counts for heat- and wind-exposed assemblies.
SQ · LF · EAMEP estimating
Mechanical, electrical, and plumbing rough and finish counts, with fixture and equipment schedules.
LF · EA · TONResidential estimating
Full single-family takeoffs from foundation through finishes, priced ZIP-adjusted for the St. George market.
SF · EA · LSCommercial estimating
Divisions 2 through 16 for retail, office, and light industrial work, with site and structure separated.
SF · CY · LSWho we provide estimates for
Who we estimate for in St. George
General contractors
You bid Washington County subdivisions against builders who already hold lot positions. We return division-coded quantities with waste factors by trade so your markup holds after footing and roof takeoffs are reconciled.
Residential builders
St. George permitted 822 single-family units in 2025, so production schedules drive your purchasing. We take off stem walls, post-tension slabs, trusses, and roof squares per plan so you can release material packages lot by lot.
Subcontractors
Concrete, framing, and roofing crews here price from quantity, not allowance. We hand you measured footing, slab, and square counts with the assumptions written down so your scope letter matches the bid form.
Developers
You compare lot yields and phase timing across Washington County parcels. We estimate sitework, utilities, and vertical shell separately so infrastructure cost per lot is visible before you commit to a plat.
Architects
Your schematic sets need a cost check before construction documents. We price assemblies from partial drawings, list exclusions, and flag items like caliche excavation that change the budget between design phases.
Owners and facility managers
You are budgeting a build or a tenant improvement in the St. George area. We estimate from existing conditions, separate landlord and tenant scopes, and show unit costs by division for capital planning.
Where we provide estimates
St. George areas and nearby communities we cover
We estimate projects across Washington County and the surrounding southern Utah communities, from the older grid near the city center to the newer subdivisions along the river corridor. If your site is outside this list, send the address and we will confirm coverage.
Central St. George
- Downtown St. George
- Bloomington
- Bloomington Hills
- Green Valley
- Dixie Downs
- Red Cliffs
Outlying Washington County
- Santa Clara
- Ivins
- Washington
- Hurricane
- La Verkin
- Toquerville
North corridor and nearby cities
- Leeds
- Silver Reef
- Enterprise
- Veyo
- Dammeron Valley
Property types
Types of St. George properties we estimate
The 2025 permit mix here is 936 new privately-owned residential units, 822 of them single-family, so most of our takeoffs are houses and small multifamily. Commercial and industrial work follows the growth in services and light manufacturing.
Single-family homes
The core of St. George volume, from production plans repeated across a subdivision to custom homes on view lots. We take off footing and stem wall concrete, post-tension slab tendons, framing, and roof squares.
Watch for: Slab tendon counts, stem wall height, roof pitch changes
Townhomes and duplexes
Party walls, shared utilities, and repeated unit plans change how you buy material. We separate common and unit scopes so each building can be priced once and multiplied with the right waste factor.
Watch for: Fire separation assemblies, shared trenching, unit count
Multifamily buildings
Larger apartment and condo projects need MEP rough-in counts, corridor finishes, and elevator or stair cores priced separately. We break these out by division so you can compare a wood-frame and podium scheme.
Watch for: Podium waterproofing, riser counts, corridor lengths
Retail and restaurant shells
Tenant improvements and shell buildings along the commercial corridors need grease interceptors, hood exhaust, and storefront glazing taken off line by line. We price landlord and tenant scopes apart.
Watch for: Hood and make-up air, grease line routing, glazing
Light industrial and warehouse
Distribution and shop buildings need slab thickness, column spacing, and dock equipment quantified. We take off site concrete, tilt or masonry walls, and MEP by system so the shell cost is transparent.
Watch for: Slab flatness, dock count, fire sprinkler density
Resort and short-term rental
Furnished rentals and resort units carry furniture, finishes, and pool or spa scopes beyond a standard house. We estimate the building and the amenity packages separately so operating budgets stay clear.
Watch for: Pool equipment, finish upgrades, turnover durability
Local factors
What changes a construction estimate in St. George
Cost here is driven less by the plan than by what the ground and the climate do to it. These are the items that move a St. George number after the takeoff is done.
Permitting and code review
St. George and Washington County review building permits under adopted editions of the IBC and IRC, with energy requirements from the IECC and seismic detailing from the IRC. Review timelines shift with subdivision volume, so carry a realistic allowance for plan check and resubmittals. Confirm the adopted code edition and any local amendments with the city or county building department before you lock the schedule.
IBC · IRC · IECC · Washington County building departmentCaliche and expansive soils
Much of the St. George area carries caliche layers and expansive clays that change foundation design and excavation cost. Overexcavation, moisture conditioning, and post-tension slab design are common, and rock excavation can appear where a test pit was not dug. Price from the geotechnical report, and treat any footing depth shown on the drawings as a minimum until the soils report confirms it.
Geotechnical report · Post-tension slab · Overexcavation · CalicheHeat, wind, and monsoon
Summer design temperatures push HVAC tonnage and duct sizing above what the same plan would need in northern Utah, and monsoon storms drive roof drainage and site grading detail. Roof underlayment and flashing take more abuse under high UV, so specify products rated for the exposure. Wind uplift on exposed ridge lines affects truss bracing and roof attachment schedules.
ASHRAE design temperatures · Monsoon drainage · UV-rated underlayment · Wind upliftLabor supply and crew mix
The St. George labor market is smaller than the Wasatch Front, so concrete, framing, and finish trades can be stretched when several subdivisions pour at once. Crew availability affects productivity assumptions more than wage rates do. Build your labor hours from local production rates and check them against the schedule before you finalize markup.
Concrete crews · Framing crews · Finish trades · Production ratesSitework, drainage, and land use
Grading on sloped lots near the river corridor and the red cliffs requires retaining walls, swales, and storm drain runs that a flat-lot budget will miss. Utility trenching through rock, import fill, and dust control add cost on undeveloped parcels. Land use approvals and lot grading plans should be reviewed together so the sitework takeoff matches the approved drainage plan.
Retaining walls · Storm drain · Import fill · Dust controlMaterials and logistics
St. George is roughly two hours from the Wasatch Front suppliers, so freight and delivery lead times show up in material pricing more than they would in Salt Lake. Concrete, masonry, and specialty finishes may carry a haul premium. Utah does not levy a state property tax on real property, but sales tax applies to materials, so confirm tax treatment with your supplier and accountant.
Freight · Delivery lead time · Sales tax · Supplier distanceSt. George estimating guide
How St. George conditions show up in a takeoff, trade by trade
St. George sits in Washington County, where caliche layers, expansive clays, and a hot, windy monsoon climate change what you measure and how you price it. The notes below show where those conditions hit the quantity sheet.
Earthwork and sitework
Caliche and cemented sand lenses across the St. George bench mean ripping and rock excavation quantities that a soft-soil takeoff misses. We measure stripping by area and depth, then break excavation into unclassified, caliche, and rock, each with its own hourly production rate. Trenching for wet utilities gets a separate line because rock sawing and bedding import run higher than in valley soils. Import and export are computed from cut/fill volumes with a shrink/swell factor, not a flat allowance. If your site is on the gravelly benches above the Virgin River corridor, include over-excavation and backfill under footings. See our sitework estimating services for the full division breakdown.
Framing and drywall
St. George single-family plans run heavy on engineered lumber and truss packages, so we take off by member count and linear foot rather than a per-square-foot allowance. Wall framing is measured by linear foot of plate with studs at 16 or 24 inches on center, plus headers, blocking, and shear nailing. Roof trusses are counted by type and span. Drywall is measured by square foot of finished wall and ceiling, with separate lines for moisture-resistant board in baths and garages. Wind uplift hardware and hold-downs get their own count. Our framing estimating services page shows the format you receive.
MEP and service coordination
St. George sits in a hot-dry climate, so HVAC tonnage, duct routing, and attic equipment platforms drive the mechanical takeoff. We count diffusers, registers, and flex duct by linear foot, and we separate condenser pads and line sets. Plumbing is taken off by fixture count and pipe linear foot, with gas runs to ranges, dryers, and outdoor kitchens common in this market. Electrical counts devices, fixtures, and panel schedules by circuit. Underground service and trenching are coordinated with the sitework division to avoid double-counting. Our MEP estimating services page explains how we handle coordination.
Concrete and foundations
Expansive clay in parts of Washington County drives post-tensioned slabs and deepened footings, so we take off tendon footage, anchorages, and stressing separately from mild rebar. Flatwork is measured by square footage with thickened edges, saw cuts by linear foot, and vapor barrier with lap and penetration waste. Hot-weather placement means curing compound and wet-curing labor are real line items, not notes. We also carry a separate line for caliche undercut backfill, since footing depth often exceeds the plan assumption. Confirm the geotech recommendation before you freeze quantities. Our foundation estimating services page covers the divisions we include.
Roofing and envelope
Tile and standing-seam metal dominate St. George roofs, and the takeoff changes with each. Tile is measured by square with a higher breakage factor than asphalt, plus battens, underlayment, and valley metal by linear foot. Metal is measured by panel square foot with clip counts and eave/ridge trim. Because summer surface temperatures are high, we note underlayment type and ventilation as separate lines. Stucco and stone veneer are measured by wall area with weep screed and control joints by linear foot, and window flashing is counted per opening. Our roofing estimating services page lists the line items we return.
Scope gaps we see on St. George bids
- Caliche ripping and rock excavation left out of the sitework bid, then added as a change order once trenching starts.
- Over-excavation and structural backfill under footings omitted because the geotech report was issued after pricing.
- Curing compound, wet-curing labor, and hot-weather placement premiums missing from the concrete scope.
- Roof tile breakage, battens, and valley metal excluded when the bid is based on an asphalt-shingle square price.
- HVAC attic platforms, secondary drains, and condensate routing not carried in the mechanical division.
- Final grade, landscape rock, and drainage swales excluded from the site package on sloped Washington County lots.
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 St. George project
- Read the full setArchitectural, structural, civil and MEP drawings, the geotechnical report and every addendum.
- Check St. George 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 St. GeorgeMaterial 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: St. George single-family residence on a graded lot
| Section | Line item | Qty | Unit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 03 30 00 | Post-tension slab, 5 in., 3,000 psi | 4,850 | SF |
| 03 30 00 | Spread footings, 24 in. x 12 in. | 186 | LF |
| 05 12 00 | Structural steel beams and columns | 1,240 | LB |
| 06 10 00 | Wall framing, 2x6 at 16 in. O.C. | 612 | LF |
| 06 17 53 | Roof trusses, 24 in. O.C., 6/12 pitch | 38 | EA |
| 09 29 00 | Gypsum board, 1/2 in., walls and ceilings | 7,420 | SF |
| 07 32 13 | Concrete roof tile, including battens | 42 | SQ |
| 23 31 00 | Flex duct, R-8, supply and return | 380 | LF |
Worked example: post-tension slab concrete for a St. George single-family home
This example uses illustrative dimensions for a 2,000 SF single-story home on a graded St. George lot. Your plans will differ, but the sequence is the same one we run in PlanSwift and Bluebeam Revu.
Start with the slab area and thickness. The plan shows a 5-inch post-tension slab over a vapor barrier and 4-inch base. Add a 12-inch thickened edge along the perimeter.
| Step | Calculation | Quantity | Unit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Slab area | 50 ft x 40 ft | 2,000 | SF |
| Slab volume | 2,000 SF x 5 in. / 12 | 833 | CF |
| Slab volume | 833 CF / 27 | 30.9 | CY |
| Thickened edge | 180 LF x 1 ft x 1 ft / 27 | 6.7 | CY |
| Subtotal | 30.9 + 6.7 | 37.6 | CY |
| Waste | 37.6 x 1.05 | 39.5 | CY |
| Order | round up to whole yard | 40 | CY |
Tendons are counted separately. At 4 feet on center in both directions, the long direction yields 40 ft / 4 = 10 runs of 50 ft, or 500 LF, and the short direction yields 50 ft / 4 = 12.5, rounded to 13 runs of 40 ft, or 520 LF. Total tendon footage is 1,020 LF before waste. Add 5 percent for cut and anchorage tails, giving about 1,071 LF. Anchors are counted at each end of each run, so 46 anchors.
Rebar for the thickened edge runs four continuous bars at 180 LF each, or 720 LF, plus dowels at 24 inches on center around the perimeter, about 90 dowels. Vapor barrier is measured at slab area plus 10 percent for laps and penetrations, about 2,200 SF.
For pricing, we apply ZIP-code-adjusted material and labor rates from RSMeans data for the St. George area, then separate concrete supply, pumping, finishing, and curing so you can see where the money sits. Hot-weather curing compound and wet-curing labor are carried as their own lines. If your geotech report calls for over-excavation, we add that under the sitework division rather than burying it in the slab price. Send the plan set and we return the takeoff in Excel and PDF, organized by CSI MasterFormat division, with marked-up drawings, usually within 24 to 48 hours.
FAQ
St. George construction estimating questions
Where does the permit data for St. George come from?
The figures we cite come from the U.S. Census Bureau Building Permits Survey and count new privately-owned residential units permitted by the city itself. In 2025 St. George issued 936 total units, down from 1,281 in 2024, a change of about -27 percent. Of those, 822 were single-family and 114 were multifamily, so multifamily was about 12 percent of the total. The permitted value was $173M, or an average of $184,700 per unit. The survey does not include commercial or industrial permits.
How does the St. George climate affect my concrete takeoff?
Summer placement in Washington County means high evaporation rates, so curing compound, wet curing, and sometimes ice or retarder are real line items. We also separate hot-weather finishing labor because crews cannot finish as much square footage per hour as they can in cooler months. If your schedule pushes a large pour into July or August, tell us and we will price it accordingly rather than using a spring rate.
Do you handle caliche and rock excavation in the sitework division?
Yes. We break excavation into unclassified soil, caliche, and rock, each with its own production rate, because the hourly output differs sharply. Trenching for wet and dry utilities gets a separate line with rock sawing and bedding import. If you have a geotech report or a site survey showing depth to caliche, send it with the plans so we can tie quantities to the actual profile instead of a default allowance.
What format do you deliver the estimate in?
We return Excel and PDF, organized by CSI MasterFormat division, with marked-up plan sets so you can trace every quantity back to the drawing. Concrete, framing, roofing, and MEP each get their own division tabs. If your team works in a different structure, tell us at kickoff and we will match your template. Most projects come back within 24 to 48 hours, and rush turnaround is available.
How do you price labor in St. George?
We use ZIP-code-adjusted material and labor pricing from RSMeans data, so the St. George rate reflects the local market rather than a national average. Labor supply in Washington County swings with the volume of single-family and multifamily work, and that shows up in crew rates. If you have recent subcontractor quotes, send them and we will benchmark our labor lines against them.
Can you estimate a post-tension slab without a geotech report?
We can, but the footing and slab quantities will carry an allowance rather than a measured depth. Expansive clay and caliche in parts of Washington County often push footing depths beyond what the architectural sheet shows, so the geotech recommendation is the document that fixes the number. If the report is not ready, we flag the affected lines so you know which quantities to revisit before you commit to a lump sum.
Do you estimate multifamily and commercial work in St. George?
Yes. St. George permitted 114 multifamily units in 2025, and we estimate those projects alongside single-family. For commercial work we follow CSI MasterFormat divisions through Divisions 2 through 33, including sitework, concrete, metals, envelope, and MEP. The scope gaps are different on a multifamily podium than on a custom home, so we review the drawing set for exclusions before we start.
What do you need from me to start a takeoff?
Send the architectural, structural, civil, and MEP sheets in PDF, plus any geotech report, survey, and specifications. If you have a target budget or a bid date, include it so we can flag the divisions that matter most. We also ask for the project address so we can apply the correct ZIP-code pricing. Missing sheets are listed in our kickoff reply so you know what will be carried as an allowance.
How do you handle waste factors on a St. George takeoff?
Waste is applied by material, not as one blanket percentage. Typical ranges are 5 percent for concrete, 10 percent for framing lumber, 7 to 10 percent for drywall, and 10 to 15 percent for roof tile, which breaks more than asphalt. Vapor barrier and underlayment get 10 percent for laps and penetrations. We show the waste line on the sheet so you can see what we assumed and change it if your supplier or crew works differently.
Do you cover nearby cities in Washington County and the Wasatch Front?
Yes. We cover St. George and the surrounding Washington County market, and we also estimate projects in Orem, Sandy, Ogden, Layton, South Jordan, and Lehi. Pricing is ZIP-code adjusted, so a takeoff for a Lehi project uses Lehi-area rates rather than St. George rates. If your project is outside those areas, send the address and we will confirm coverage before we start.
Other Utah cities we cover
Popular services in St. George
Send your St. George project plans for a quote
Send your plan set and geotech report, and we will return a division-organized takeoff with marked-up drawings, usually within 24 to 48 hours.
- 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.