Commercial Estimating Services for Contractors, Builders & Developers
Build Plans And Estimates delivers commercial estimating services: a complete line-item quantity takeoff and cost estimate built from your drawings and specs, organized by CSI MasterFormat division, with labor, materials, equipment, subcontractor allowances, overhead and profit. You receive a PDF and an Excel file, usually within 24–72 hours, starting at $350 per project.
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Also see our construction takeoff services and residential estimating.
What’s Included in Our Commercial Takeoff and Estimate
Every commercial estimate is built division by division, so you can compare it against subcontractor bids and your own budget line by line. Typical scope covers:
A commercial estimate is only useful if it matches how you bid. That is why we deliver by CSI MasterFormat division instead of a single lump sum. General contractors can send each division to subcontractors for pricing, developers can compare scope against budget, and owners can see where the money goes before construction starts. Our commercial estimating services cover offices, retail, restaurants, medical, warehouses, multifamily and mixed-use buildings.
| CSI Division | Typical line items |
|---|---|
| 01 General Requirements | Supervision, temporary facilities, permits, mobilization, cleanup |
| 02 Existing Conditions | Selective demolition, haul-off, abatement allowance |
| 03 Concrete | Footings, slabs, formwork, rebar, finishing (CY, SF, tons) |
| 04 Masonry | CMU, brick veneer, grout, reinforcing |
| 05 Metals | Structural steel, joists, metal deck, miscellaneous metals |
| 06 Wood & Composites | Framing, blocking, sheathing, millwork and casework |
| 07 Thermal & Moisture | Insulation, roofing, waterproofing, sealants |
| 08 Openings | Doors, frames, hardware, storefront, glazing |
| 09 Finishes | Metal studs, drywall, ceilings, flooring, tile, paint |
| 10–14 Specialties & Equipment | Signage, toilet accessories, appliances, elevators (allowances) |
| 21–28 MEP | Fire protection, plumbing, HVAC, electrical, low voltage (full takeoff or allowances) |
| 31–33 Sitework | Earthwork, paving, site utilities, landscaping |
- Current drawings and specifications supplied by you
- Regional pricing based on the project zip code
- Standard working hours, no phasing penalties
- Open shop labor unless you specify prevailing wage
- Land, design and permit fees
- Owner-furnished equipment and furniture
- Hazardous material abatement (allowance only)
- Financing, insurance and legal costs
Quantities include a waste factor (typically 5–10% depending on the material), and labor is priced with productivity rates suited to commercial work, such as drywall at several hundred square feet per crew-day and slab finishing by crew size. Anything unclear on the drawings is listed in a written clarifications log instead of being guessed silently.
Need one scope only? See our MEP estimating or roofing estimating pages.
Software and Cost Databases We Use
Accurate commercial estimating depends on reliable quantities and current pricing. Our team works with:
Digital takeoff matters because it keeps every quantity traceable. Each measurement is tied to a plan sheet, so when an addendum arrives we update only the affected areas rather than starting over. Cost data is refreshed regularly, and material-heavy lines such as steel, lumber, copper and concrete are re-checked at the time of your estimate because commercial prices can shift quickly.
We then verify unit costs against current local supplier and subcontractor quotes, so the estimate reflects the market, not just a database. You can read more about our takeoff methodology.
Download a Sample Commercial Estimate (PDF)
See exactly what you will receive. Our client-safe sample is a 4,200 SF retail tenant improvement with all names and addresses removed. It shows division summaries, quantities, unit costs, markups and project notes.
Sample Commercial Estimate: Retail Tenant Improvement
Download Sample PDFIllustrative figures only. Browse more on our sample estimates page.
Turnaround Time and Pricing
Most commercial estimates ship in 1 to 7 business days. Pricing depends on building size, number of trades and drawing quality.
| Project size | Turnaround | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 5,000 SF | 24–48 hours | Starting at $350 |
| 5,000–25,000 SF | 2–4 days | Starting at $750 |
| 25,000–100,000 SF | 4–7 days | Starting at $1,500 |
| 100,000+ SF or multi-phase | Custom schedule | Custom quote |
Three factors move the price most: the number of trades you want priced, the completeness of the drawings, and whether you need full MEP takeoffs or allowances. A tenant improvement with allowances is faster and cheaper than a ground-up building with a full structural and mechanical scope. If you are unsure, send the plans and we will recommend the leanest scope that still protects your bid.
Rush delivery is available on request. Review full pricing or request a free quote for a fixed price.
Our 4-Step Estimating Process
You always know what is happening. After the quote, you get a delivery date, and if we find missing sheets or conflicts in the drawings we contact you before the clock runs out. Every estimate is reviewed by a second estimator before release, so errors are caught before they cost you a bid.
Bid Estimates That Help You Win More Projects
We provide the complete package for bidding assistance, from preparing accurate bid estimates and setting profit margins to filing competitive bids that win more project leads. We help you stay competitive and present a bid value that shows the project owner real value.
- Detailed marked-up plans that are easy to review and cross-check
- Editable estimates in Excel spreadsheet format
- A bidding proposal with bid reviews, notes and clarifications
- Clear inclusions and exclusions to define your scope of the project
Our bidding and project services include
- 📑Bid Estimates
- 🎯Assistance on Smartly Filing Bids
- 🔎Project Lead Generation
- 📣Subcontractor Marketing
- 📦Precise Material & Labor Takeoffs for Procurement
- 🔄Change Order Management
- 👁️Cold Eye Review
- 🗓️Project Scheduling
- 💰Cost Management
- 🛠️Value Engineering
- ⚖️Legal Claims
Ready to bid? Request a free quote or see our bid estimate services.
Projects, Trades and Software We Estimate With
Our estimators have priced multi-million-dollar projects, with evaluations from $10 million and up, across all industries. That covers a wide variety of small and heavy construction types, including:
- Commercial Facilities
- Restaurants
- Retail Spaces
- Airports
- Condominiums
- Educational Facilities
- High Rise Buildings
- Shopping Centers
- Theaters & Museums
- Sports Auditoriums
- Exhibition Buildings
- Prisons & Police Stations
- Fire Stations
- Courts
- Office Buildings
- Warehouses
- Parking Garages
- Libraries
- Medical Facilities
- Hotels & Motels
- Airport Facilities
- Bus & Subway Facilities
Takeoffs by trade
With in-house, trade-specialized estimators, we offer commercial estimating services in all CSI divisions. You can rely on us for these takeoffs:
Software our estimators are skilled in
Not sure which trade you need? Browse all our trades or request a free quote.
Frequently Asked Questions
A full quantity takeoff, material and labor pricing, equipment, subcontractor allowances, general conditions, overhead and profit, organized by CSI division.
With complete drawings, our estimates typically land within 3–5% of final bid pricing. Incomplete plans widen that range, so we flag assumptions clearly.
Architectural, structural, MEP and civil sheets plus the project manual or specifications. We can begin with partial sets and note the gaps.
Yes. We offer single-trade takeoffs as well as full-building estimates. See our trade estimating services.
A branded PDF summary and an editable Excel workbook with quantities and unit costs.
Every estimate includes one revision round. Addenda and major design changes are quoted separately at a reduced rate.
Ready for an Accurate Commercial Estimate?
Send your plans today and get a fixed-price quote, usually within hours.
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