Commercial
Office, retail, hospitality and industrial work, from tenant fit-outs to ground-up buildings.
- Core-and-shell and tenant improvements
- Phased and occupied renovations
- Owner budget and GMP support
For general contractors
Estimating Services for General Contractors
Full-scope, multi-trade estimates for commercial, multi-family and public projects, organized by CSI division, so you can check sub bids, close scope gaps and submit with confidence.
- All CSI divisions
- Sub bid leveling
- Public bid formats
Mixed-use building, 4 stories
Illustrative example
- Div 03 · Concrete$1.42M
- Div 05 · Metals$0.98M
- Div 09 · Finishes$1.76M
- Div 22–26 · MEP$3.21M
CSI MasterFormat 01–33Excel ready
- Turnaround
- 3–5 days
- Typical for full-scope commercial
- Coverage
- Div 01–33
- Every trade in one estimate
- Leveling
- Included
- Sheets to compare sub bids
- Formats
- Your forms
- Owner and public bid forms
Markets
Estimating for Every GC Market
Each market has its own pricing pressures and paperwork. We set up the estimate to match.
Multi-Family
Garden-style, podium and mid-rise apartments, senior living and student housing.
- Unit-type and building breakdowns
- Wood-frame and podium systems
- Amenity and site scopes
Public Projects
Schools, municipal buildings and other public work with prevailing wage and formal bid requirements.
- Prevailing wage labor rates
- Bid forms and unit prices
- Alternates priced separately
Scope coverage
Full-Scope Estimates, Division by Division
One estimate that covers the whole job, so you know what every sub bid should include.
Division 01 general conditions
Supervision, temporary facilities, insurance, bonds and schedule-driven costs.
Sitework & earthwork
Clearing, excavation, utilities, paving and landscaping from the civil sheets.
Concrete & masonry
Foundations, slabs, structure and masonry walls with all reinforcing.
Metals & carpentry
Structural and misc. steel, rough carpentry and finish millwork.
Building envelope
Roofing, waterproofing, insulation, cladding, windows and storefront.
Interiors & finishes
Framing, drywall, ceilings, flooring, paint and specialties.
Mechanical, plumbing & fire
HVAC, plumbing and fire protection from the M, P and FP sheets.
Electrical & low voltage
Power, lighting, fire alarm and data from the E-sheets.
Alternates & allowances
Owner alternates, unit prices and allowances priced separately.
What you receive
What's in a GC Estimate Package
A summary for the owner, detail for your team and leveling sheets for buyout.
Bid summary by division
Div 01–33 roll-up
Sub bid leveling
Up to 3 bids per trade
Alternates & unit prices
Priced separately
Clarifications & exclusions
Bid-form ready
Every measurement is color-coded and tied to its sheet number.
| Item | CSI | Net | Unit | Waste | Gross |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cast-in-place concrete, all elements | 03 30 00 | 3,860 | CY | 5% | 4,053 |
| Structural steel framing | 05 12 00 | 412 | TON | 8% | 445 |
| Gypsum board, all types | 09 29 00 | 186,000 | SF | 10% | 204,600 |
| TPO roofing, 60-mil | 07 54 23 | 28,400 | SF | 5% | 29,820 |
| Aluminum storefront | 08 41 13 | 6,200 | SF | — | 6,200 |
| Galvanized ductwork | 23 31 13 | 48,600 | LB | 5% | 51,030 |
Live formulas: change any waste factor and the gross quantity updates.
Illustrative example. Key quantities for every division sit behind the bid summary, so you can check any sub's number.
How we price
How We Price Your GC Bid
Every division is priced from the same four cost groups, so the whole estimate reads consistently.
Cost group 01
Materials
Material pricing across every division, checked against current supplier quotes for the project's location.
Local market pricing
Cost group 02
Labor
Self-performed and subcontracted labor at union, open-shop or prevailing wage rates.
Wage determinations
Cost group 03
Equipment
Cranes, lifts, hoists and site equipment tied to the project schedule.
Schedule-based
Cost group 04
Overhead & Profit
General conditions, insurance, bonds, fee and contingency shown line by line.
Your fee & contingency
Who it's for
Built Around How GCs Bid
Support for everyone on your preconstruction and project teams.
Estimating teams
Add capacity during heavy bid weeks without hiring, and keep your team focused on strategy.
- Overflow estimating
- Bid-day support
Project managers
Budgets and change order pricing during construction, checked against the original estimate.
- Change order reviews
- Cost-to-complete checks
Owners & developers
Independent budgets for feasibility, lender reviews and contractor selection.
- Feasibility budgets
- Lender-ready reports
Why Bidnora
Why General Contractors Choose Bidnora
- 1
A baseline for every trade
Know what each sub bid should cost before the numbers come in.
- 2
Scope gaps closed
Leveling sheets show what each sub included and excluded.
- 3
Ready for public bids
Prevailing wage rates, bid forms, unit prices and alternates are handled.
- 4
Capacity on demand
Bid more projects without adding permanent overhead.
- 5
One point of contact
A lead estimator coordinates every trade in your estimate.
“We use Bidnora for overflow when we're bidding several jobs at once. Their numbers line up with the sub bids we get back, which is exactly what we need.”
Estimates built with industry-standard software
Free quote
Get a GC Takeoff Quote
Send what you have and we'll reply with a fixed price and delivery date before any work starts.
What to send
- Drawings as PDF or CAD files, or a plan-room link
- Specifications, or just the sections for your scope
- Any addenda issued so far
- Your bid date and anything to include or exclude
Trade takeoffs
Trade Takeoffs for Your Subcontractors
Need a single scope instead of the whole job? Every specialty trade has its own takeoff package.
Common questions
GC Estimating FAQ
Yes. We prepare full-scope estimates across Divisions 01 to 33, or any combination of divisions you need help with.
Ready for bid day
Bidding a Full-Scope Project?
Send your bid documents and get a fixed quote and delivery date for a complete GC estimate.
- 100% confidential
- NDA on request
- Fixed price before we start