Construction Estimating for Small Contractors
Most estimating firms are built around high-volume GCs. If you are a small general contractor or a trade sub bidding a few jobs a month — often with the owner doing the estimating at night — the calculation is different: you need professional numbers per bid, at a price that makes sense on a $300K job, without signing up for a monthly package you will not use. That is exactly the engagement this page describes.
How it works for a small shop
- Pay per bid. Takeoffs from $150, estimates from $250 — our published starting prices, with the real number confirmed in writing after we see the drawings. No retainer required, ever.
- One trade or the whole job. A drywall sub can send just the drywall scope; a small GC can send the full set for a multi-trade estimate.
- Bid-ready output. Quantities organized the way you bid — by trade, by your cost codes, or against the owner's bid form — with assumptions stated in plain language, not estimator jargon.
- You stay in control. You review the quantities, set your margins and own the final number. We do the measuring so your evenings go back to running the business.
- Grow into it. If bid volume rises, monthly plans (from $1,250) become the better rate — the honest crossover math is in our cost guide and on the outsourcing page.
Common situations we solve
The owner-estimator who cannot price every invitation that comes in; the sub who wins work on relationships but loses margin on rushed numbers; the small GC stepping up from residential to light commercial and facing an unfamiliar bid form; the contractor eyeing a first public-works bid in New Jersey or New York and needing prevailing-wage labor priced correctly. Trade coverage spans sitework, concrete, masonry, steel, electrical, carpentry, roofing, drywall and finishes.
What you send, what you get
Send PDF drawings (and specs if you have them) with the bid date through the request-a-quote form. You get a written scope-and-price confirmation first, then the deliverable: an organized quantity workbook, marked-up drawings for traceability, and — for full estimates — labor, material and equipment pricing with stated assumptions. Questions after delivery are part of the job, not an upsell.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a minimum project size?
No minimum project size — the entry price simply reflects the smallest engagements. A single-trade takeoff on a small commercial job is a normal order for us, not an exception.
Do I need to commit to a monthly plan?
No. Per-project is the default. Monthly plans exist for contractors who find themselves sending several bids a month and want a better rate.
Will the deliverable make sense without an estimating background?
Yes — quantities are organized by trade in plain spreadsheets with marked-up drawings, and we walk you through the first deliverable if anything is unclear.
Can you match the owner's bid form?
Yes — send the bid form with the drawings and quantities will be organized against its line items; see bid support for the fuller submission service.
How fast can I get numbers?
Turnaround is confirmed with your quote after document review — standard delivery is included, with priority and rush options when the bid date is close.