Commercial construction
Commercial estimating that turns drawings into a number you can bid
Commercial projects fail at the estimate long before they fail in the field. A missed division, a labor rate from the wrong market or a subcontractor quote that was never leveled can erase the margin on a multi-million dollar job. LEEDS builds commercial estimates the way your best in-house estimator would, with every division measured, every quantity traceable and every price tied to the project's zip code.
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Overview
What commercial estimating covers
A commercial construction estimate is a complete forecast of what it will cost to build the project described in the drawings and specifications.
It begins with a quantity takeoff of every division, from earthwork and foundations through structure, envelope, interiors, mechanical, electrical and plumbing, and ends with a bid summary that applies general conditions, overhead, profit, bonds and contingency to your targets.
For general contractors the estimate is the backbone of the bid: it sets the budget against which subcontractor quotes are leveled, identifies scope gaps between trades, and supports the schedule of values once the project is awarded. For developers and owners it is the independent check that tells you whether the numbers you are seeing are fair and whether the pro forma still works.
Our commercial estimators work from the full document set, cross-reference the specifications for material grades and finishes, and document every assumption, allowance and exclusion. The deliverable is an Excel workbook organized by CSI MasterFormat division, color-coded marked-up plans, and a bid summary you can take straight into a proposal or an investment committee.
Scope of takeoff
Commercial scope we quantify
Every division measured from the drawings and cross-checked against the specifications.
- 01
Sitework and earthworkCY / SF / LF
Clearing, cut and fill, utilities, paving, curbs and landscaping
Civil and landscape sheets
- 02
Concrete and foundationsCY / TON / SF
Footings, slabs, tilt-up panels, decks and structural concrete with rebar and formwork
Structural plans and schedules
- 03
Masonry and structural steelSF / TON
CMU, brick veneer, stone, structural steel, joists, deck and miscellaneous metals
Architectural and structural sheets
- 04
Building envelopeSF / LF
Roofing, waterproofing, insulation, air barriers, curtain wall, storefront and sealants
Elevations, sections and details
- 05
Doors, frames and hardwareEA
Hollow metal, wood and aluminum doors, frames, hardware sets and glazing
Door and hardware schedules
- 06
Interior finishesSF / LF
Framing, drywall, ceilings, flooring, paint, tile and millwork by room finish schedule
Finish schedule and floor plans
- 07
Specialties, equipment and furnishingsEA
Toilet accessories, signage, lockers, kitchen equipment and casework
Specialty schedules and Division 10–12 specs
- 08
Fire protection and plumbingSF / EA / LF
Sprinkler systems, fixtures, water, waste, vent, storm and gas piping
Fire protection and plumbing sheets
- 09
HVAC and controlsEA / LBS / LF
Equipment, ductwork, piping, insulation and building automation
Mechanical plans and schedules
- 10
Electrical and low voltageEA / LF
Service, distribution, branch power, lighting, fire alarm, data and security
Electrical, technology and life safety sheets
- 11
General conditions and requirementsWKS / LS
Supervision, temporary facilities, hoisting, cleanup, permits and insurance
Schedule duration and Division 01
- 12
Markups, bonds and contingency%
Overhead, profit, bonds, builder's risk and design or escalation contingency
Applied to your targets
Estimate types
What type of commercial estimating can you get?
Match the estimate to where your project is. Every option is priced as a flat fee before work begins.
- 01
Preliminary estimate
A conceptual budget built from square footage, assemblies and historical cost data when drawings are schematic. It answers the go/no-go question before you invest in detailed takeoffs.
Best for Feasibility and early budgeting
Precision±15–20%Turnaround24 hours - 02
Detailed estimate
Line-by-line quantities measured from construction documents, priced with localized labor, material and equipment rates, and organized by CSI division with a full assumptions log.
Best for Hard bids and GMP contracts
Precision±5%Turnaround48–72 hours - 03
Bid estimate
A competitive, bid-day-ready number with overhead, profit, bonds and contingencies applied to your targets, plus a scope letter you can attach to the proposal.
Best for Competitive bidding
Precision±5%Turnaround24–48 hours - 04
Change-order estimate
Fast, defensible pricing for added or deleted scope mid-construction, documented against the original contract quantities so approvals move quickly.
Best for Scope changes during construction
Precision±3%TurnaroundSame day to 24 hours - 05
Design-build estimate
Rolling estimates at each design milestone, from concept through GMP, so value engineering happens while the design is still flexible.
Best for Evolving design packages
Precision±10%Turnaround48 hours - 06
Quantity takeoff only
Measured quantities by division, with marked-up plans and material lists, for contractors who prefer to apply their own labor rates and pricing.
Best for Self-performing contractors
PrecisionQuantities onlyTurnaround24 hours
Process
How our estimating process works
Four steps from upload to a bid-ready estimate, with a senior estimator signing off before anything leaves our desk.
- 1
Upload plans and scope
Send your drawings, specifications and bid invitation through the secure upload form. We confirm scope, deadline and a fixed price within two business hours.
Then step 2
- 2
Digital quantity takeoff
Estimators measure every item from calibrated plans in Bluebeam and PlanSwift, color-coding each layer so quantities can be traced back to the drawing.
Then step 3
- 3
Pricing and labor
Quantities are priced with location-adjusted material costs, crew productivity rates and equipment, then marked up to your overhead and profit targets.
Then step 4
- 4
Senior review and delivery
A second estimator audits quantities and pricing, documents assumptions and exclusions, and delivers your Excel workbook, PDF summary and marked-up plans.
Bid-ready
What's included in your estimate package
Every deliverable is formatted so it can go straight into a proposal, a purchase order or an owner report.
Estimate workbook
Marked-up plans
Material procurement list
Labor hours by task
Estimate workbook XLSX
Quantities, unit costs, labor hours and totals organized by CSI division, with subtotals, markups and a bid summary tab.
Marked-up plans PDF
Color-coded takeoff drawings showing exactly where every measured quantity came from.
Material procurement list XLSX
Consolidated material quantities with waste factors applied, ready to send to suppliers for quotes.
Labor hours by task XLSX
Crew-based labor hours and productivity rates so you can check the schedule against the estimate.
Assumptions and exclusions log PDF
Every clarification, allowance and exclusion documented so your proposal scope is defensible.
Bid summary sheet PDF
A proposal-ready one-page summary with overhead, profit, bonds and contingency applied.
Why LEEDS
Why contractors switch to LEEDS
An estimating desk that behaves like an extension of your team, not a software subscription.
- 01
Estimators who have run preconstruction for, general contractors and understand how a bid is leveled, scoped and won.
- 02
Every CSI division measured from the drawings, and cross-referenced to the specifications, with scope gaps between trades flagged.
- 03
Labor, material and equipment priced to the, project zip code from current cost data and regional subcontractor benchmarks.
- 04
Subcontractor quote leveling sheets included, so you can compare bids against our budget line by line.
- 05
General conditions built from the schedule duration, not a percentage, with supervision, temporary facilities and hoisting itemized.
- 06
Assumptions, allowances and exclusions documented, in a log you can attach to your proposal or owner report.
- 07
Deliverables in your template with CSI, UniFormat or your own cost codes.
- 08
48-hour turnaround on most commercial sets, with milestone estimates scheduled around your design calendar.
Reviews
What contractors say after their first bid with us
What general contractors, subcontractors and developers say after bidding with our numbers.
“We were turning down bids because our two in-house estimators were buried. LEEDS gave us division-by-division numbers in 48 hours that leveled cleanly against our sub quotes. We bid 40% more work last quarter and our hit rate went up, not down.”
Marcus Whitfield
Chief Estimator, Whitfield Commercial Builders · Charlotte, NC
“Washington energy code and seismic detailing were reflected in the pricing without us having to explain anything. That is rare for an out-of-state estimator.”
Kim Nakamura
Co-founder, Pacific Build Collective · Seattle, WA
“We use LEEDS for independent bid reviews on every multifamily deal. Their preliminary numbers have landed within 6% of final GMP on three projects in a row.”
Priya Raman
Development Manager, Northgate Partners · Denver, CO
FAQ
Commercial Estimating FAQs
How long does a commercial construction estimate take?
Most commercial sets up to roughly 100,000 square feet are delivered within 48 hours of receiving complete drawings. Larger or phased projects are scheduled individually, and we confirm the delivery date, scope and price before starting. Rush delivery is available for bid-day deadlines.
What types of commercial estimates do you provide?
Preliminary and conceptual budgets, design-development and milestone estimates, detailed hard-bid estimates, GMP and design-build pricing, change-order estimates, and independent bid reviews for owners and developers.
Do you level subcontractor quotes against the estimate?
Yes. Every commercial estimate includes division-level budgets you can compare against incoming sub quotes, and we provide leveling sheets that highlight scope gaps and inclusions so you are comparing like for like.
How is pricing localized to my project?
Labor rates, material costs and equipment are adjusted to the project zip code using current cost data, regional subcontractor benchmarks and supplier quotes gathered while the estimate is built.
Can you work from design-development drawings?
Yes. We build assembly-based estimates from schematic and design-development sets, carry an appropriate design contingency, document every assumption, and refine the estimate as the documents progress.
What file formats do you deliver?
An Excel workbook organized by CSI division, PDF marked-up plans and a PDF bid summary. We can also deliver in your own estimate template, UniFormat structure or cost code system.
Related
Related estimating services
Most projects need more than one trade. Bundle them into a single upload and we price the whole scope together.
Ready for a commercial estimating quote?
Upload your plans and get a fixed quote within 2 business hours. Most estimates are delivered in 24–48 hours.