Who We Serve: Estimating Services by Contractor and Client Type
You have plans and need a quantity takeoff and cost estimate, but the right service depends on your role and bid stage, not on the trade alone. A general contractor bidding a full school addition needs every CSI division priced; a concrete subcontractor needs Division 03 only, measured off the same sheets. This hub maps each client type to the exact deliverable, pricing basis, and document set it applies to, so you order the right service the first time. Every service below delivers Excel and PDF organized by CSI MasterFormat division, with marked-up plan sets, at 24–48 hour turnaround for most projects. Read your row, check the document set you actually have, then send the files through our Get an estimate page.
What this group covers and how the services differ
Every service in this group is a quantity takeoff and cost estimate. What changes is the scope boundary, the document set you send, and the pricing structure we apply.
Scope boundaries by client type
- General contractor estimating covers all divisions on a bid set, from Division 01 general requirements through Division 33 utilities. If you self-perform concrete or framing, those lines get broken out separately from subcontractor-level pricing.
- Subcontractor estimating prices one trade only: Division 03 concrete, 05 metals, 09 finishes, 26 electrical, and so on. You send the sheets that carry your scope plus the general notes and finish schedule, so exclusions and alternates are priced correctly.
- Home builder and renovation services price from model plans and existing-conditions documentation. Demolition, temporary protection, and patch-and-match line items sit outside the new-work divisions, so they need their own rows rather than being buried in Division 01.
- Architect, developer, and owner services are used before a full bid set exists. They work from design development drawings, unit prices, and allowances rather than firm quotes, which means the estimate carries a stated range and a list of what is not yet defined.
- Insurance restoration estimates follow carrier scope formats and line-item pricing, and pair with Xactimate-style output. Solar estimates break out racking, modules, inverters, and balance-of-system by roof or ground-mount condition.
- Federal and government services require Davis-Bacon wage rates, certified payroll awareness, and pricing organized to match the solicitation's bid schedule or CLIN structure.
What stays the same across all of them
Every service delivers Excel and PDF organized by CSI MasterFormat division, with marked-up plan sets showing what was measured. Material and labor are priced with RSMeans data adjusted by ZIP code, so labor rates reflect your project location rather than a national average. Turnaround is 24–48 hours for most projects, with rush available.
Service comparison: which one fits your role
Use the table to match your role and the document set you have on hand. The "use it when" column names the stage and the file you send; the deliverable column lists what comes back. If two rows look close, pick the one that matches who signs the contract and how the awarding authority will read the estimate.
| Service | Use it when | What you receive |
|---|---|---|
| General Contractor Estimating | Full bid set, all divisions, you carry the bid | Division-organized Excel and PDF, marked-up plan set, quantity takeoff in CY, SF, LF, EA, TON, material and labor split, ZIP-code-adjusted pricing |
| Subcontractor Estimating Services | Single-trade plans, one scope package | One-trade takeoff with units, material and labor split, marked-up sheets showing measured areas |
| Small Contractor Estimating | Model plan set or small commercial job, price-sensitive | Division-organized estimate, quantity takeoff, assumptions list, allowances where scope is thin |
| Home Builder Estimating Services | Model plans, repeatable floor plans | Per-plan takeoff, material and labor split, unit-price summary for option pricing |
| Architect & Designer Cost Support | DD drawings, design-phase budgets | Assembly-based estimate, $/SF or $/unit benchmarks, allowances and unit prices, stated range |
| Developer & Owner Estimating | Feasibility stage, no full bid set | Order-of-magnitude estimate, unit prices, contingency line, benchmark comparison |
| Real Estate Investor Estimating | Rehab scope with photos and inspection notes | Rehab takeoff, allowances for concealed conditions, assumptions list you can firm up after a site walk |
| Government Contractor Estimating | Public solicitation with bid schedule | Estimate formatted to the bid schedule, division-organized backup, wage-rate notes |
| Federal Contractor Estimating | Solicitation with wage determination | Davis-Bacon wage rates applied, CLIN-structured pricing, certified payroll awareness notes |
| Renovation Contractor Estimating | Existing-conditions documentation, phased work | Demo and new-work line items separated, temporary protection rows, patch-and-match allowances |
| Insurance Restoration Contractor Estimating | Carrier scope sheet | Line-item estimate matching carrier scope format, quantities by room or elevation, Xactimate-compatible structure |
| Solar Contractor Estimating | Single-line electrical and site plan | Racking, modules, inverters, and balance-of-system broken out by roof or ground-mount condition |
How to choose the right service for your bid stage
Match the service to the stage, not the trade. The same building needs a different estimate at feasibility, design development, and construction documents, and the pricing method changes with it.
Stage-to-service mapping
- Pre-design and feasibility: unit prices and $/SF or $/unit benchmarks. Developer and owner service.
- Design development: assemblies and allowances, with a stated range. Architect and designer cost support.
- Construction documents: full quantity takeoff with division-level detail. GC, subcontractor, or specialty service depending on who you are.
Practical rules
If you are bidding one trade, order the subcontractor service and send only the sheets that carry your scope, plus the general notes and finish schedule. If you are the GC carrying the bid, order the GC service and confirm which divisions you self-perform, because those scope lines get broken out separately. If the project is federally funded or on a public solicitation, order the federal or government service so Davis-Bacon wage rates and bid-schedule formatting are applied from the start rather than reworked later. If scope is undefined, such as a rehab with concealed conditions, order the investor or renovation service and expect allowances with clear assumptions you can convert to firm numbers after a site walk. When two services overlap, pick the one that matches who signs the contract, and use the estimate format that matches how your client or the awarding authority will read it.
Our process from plans to estimate
You send the plan set, specifications, addenda, and any scope notes. We confirm the sheet list and flag missing pages or illegible details before measuring starts, so a missing MEP sheet does not turn into a silent gap in the estimate.
We measure in Bluebeam Revu and PlanSwift, tagging each quantity to a sheet and detail so the marked-up set shows where every number came from. Material and labor are priced with RSMeans data adjusted by ZIP code, so labor rates and material costs reflect your project location rather than a national average.
We organize the output by CSI MasterFormat division in Excel and PDF, with quantities, units, material and labor split, and a separate list of assumptions, exclusions, and allowances. Turnaround is 24–48 hours for most projects, with rush available. The first review pass is where you flag scope you self-perform or carry as an alternate, and we revise the division breakdown accordingly.
You can start by sending plans through the Get an estimate page, and we confirm scope, format, and delivery date before any measuring begins.
What you receive
- Excel and PDF estimate organized by CSI MasterFormat division
- Marked-up plan set showing measured areas and tagged quantities
- Quantity takeoff with units: CY, SF, LF, EA, TON
- Material and labor split, priced with RSMeans data adjusted by ZIP code
- Assumptions, exclusions, and allowances list for undefined scope
- Bid-schedule or CLIN-formatted pricing for government and federal solicitations
- Davis-Bacon wage-rate application for federally funded work
- Carrier-scope-format line-item estimate for insurance restoration
- Racking, modules, inverters, and balance-of-system breakout for solar
- 24–48 hour turnaround for most projects, rush available
Related services
- Subcontractor Estimating Services
- Small Contractor Estimating
- General Contractor Estimating
- Architect & Designer Cost Support
- Developer & Owner Estimating
- Real Estate Investor Estimating
- Federal Contractor Estimating
- Government Contractor Estimating
- Home Builder Estimating
- Insurance Restoration Contractor Estimating
- Renovation Contractor Estimating
- Solar Contractor Estimating
Frequently asked questions
How do I know whether to order the general contractor service or the subcontractor service?
Order the GC service if you carry the bid and need all divisions priced, from Division 01 through 33. Order the subcontractor service if you bid one trade and need only your division, such as 03 concrete or 26 electrical. Send the sheets that carry your scope plus the general notes and finish schedule so exclusions and alternates are priced correctly.
Can you price a project from design development drawings instead of a full bid set?
Yes. Design development drawings are priced with assemblies and allowances rather than firm quotes, and the estimate carries a stated range plus a list of what is not yet defined. This is the standard input for architect and designer cost support and for developer or owner feasibility work. Confirm the drawing issue date and revision so we price the right set.
Do you handle Davis-Bacon wage rates for federal and government projects?
Yes. For federally funded work and public solicitations, we apply the wage determination rates and organize pricing to match the solicitation's bid schedule or CLIN structure. We also note certified payroll awareness items. Confirm the applicable wage determination and any local prevailing-wage requirements with the awarding agency before bid day.
What file formats do you deliver, and can I get the marked-up plan set with the estimate?
You receive Excel and PDF organized by CSI MasterFormat division, plus the marked-up plan set showing what was measured. Quantities are tagged to sheets and details so you can trace any number back to its source. If you need a specific column layout or a bid-form format, send the template with your plans.
How do you handle undefined scope like concealed conditions on a renovation or rehab?
We price defined work as firm line items and carry undefined work as allowances with written assumptions. Demo, temporary protection, and patch-and-match rows are separated from new-work divisions. After a site walk or selective demolition, you can convert allowances to firm numbers using the same line-item structure.
What do you need from me to start, and how fast can I get the estimate back?
Send the plan set, specifications, addenda, and any scope notes, and tell us which divisions you self-perform. We confirm the sheet list and flag missing pages before measuring. Turnaround is 24–48 hours for most projects, with rush available. Start through the Get an estimate page and we confirm scope, format, and delivery date.
Send your plans and get the right estimate
Tell us your role, bid stage, and the document set you have, and we will confirm the service, format, and delivery date before measuring begins.
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