Division 32 · Exterior improvements
Everything between the building and the property line, quantified and priced
The exterior package is where a project meets the public: the parking lot, the sidewalk, the fence line, the courtyard and the planting. It is also where scope gets lost between civil, architectural and landscape sheets. LEEDS estimators pull Division 32 items from every drawing, measure them by their proper units and price them to your market so nothing falls between the trades.
- 5.0 Google
- 4.9 Trustpilot
- 4.9 Clutch
Projects estimated
Typical turnaround
Trade categories
Takeoff accuracy
Scope of takeoff
Exterior improvement quantities
A complete Division 32 scope list measured to plan, with alternates separated where the bid form requires them.
- 01
Asphalt paving and parkingSY / TON / EA
Surface and base courses, tack coat, patching, speed bumps and wheel stops
Site plan and pavement details
- 02
Concrete paving and flatworkSF / CY
Drive aprons, dumpster pads, plazas and slabs with joints, dowels and finish
Paving plan and typical sections
- 03
Curbs, gutters and sidewalksLF / SF
Header, barrier and rolled curb, valley gutters, ADA ramps and detectable warning panels
Site plan and ramp details
- 04
Unit pavers and hardscapeSF / LF
Concrete and clay pavers, bases, edge restraint, steps and seat walls
Hardscape plan and pattern layout
- 05
Fencing and gatesLF / EA
Chain link, ornamental iron, wood and screen fencing with posts, footings, slide and swing gates
Site plan and fence schedule
- 06
Site furnishingsEA
Benches, bike racks, trash receptacles, bollards, flagpoles and signage
Landscape and architectural site details
- 07
Pavement markings and signageLF / EA
Stalls, accessible symbols, arrows, fire lane striping and regulatory signs
Striping plan and ADA details
- 08
Athletic and recreational surfacesSF / SY
Court surfacing, synthetic turf, running tracks and playground safety surfacing
Athletic plans and spec sections
- 09
Irrigation systemsLF / EA
Mainline, laterals, valves, heads, drip, controllers and backflow assemblies
Irrigation plan and legend
- 10
Planting and soil preparationEA / SF / CY
Trees, shrubs, groundcover, topsoil amendments, mulch, sod and seed
Planting plan and plant schedule
- 11
Site walls and screeningSF / LF
Landscape retaining walls, trash enclosures, screen walls and railing
Wall elevations and details
- 12
Maintenance and establishmentMO / LS
Plant warranty periods, watering, mowing and first-year care carried as allowances
Division 32 specification
Estimate types
What type of exterior improvements estimating can you get?
Match the estimate to where your project is. Every option is priced as a flat fee before work begins.
| Estimate type | Accuracy | Turnaround | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
Full Division 32 bid estimate Every exterior scope item measured from civil, landscape and architectural sheets, priced and organized by material for a site package bid. | ±5–6% | 48 hours | GCs and site contractors |
Paving and flatwork takeoff Asphalt tons, concrete yards, curbs and sidewalks by plan area with section depth and joint patterns for paving subs. | ±5% | 24 hours | Paving and concrete subs |
Landscape and irrigation estimate Plant counts, soil volumes, sod and irrigation components priced with warranty and establishment included. | ±6% | 24–48 hours | Landscape contractors |
Retail and multifamily site budget Cost per parking stall, per linear foot of curb and per unit for early budget checks before civil plans are final. | ±12% | 24 hours | Developers and owners |
By the numbers
Measured twice, delivered on time
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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Why LEEDS
Why contractors switch to LEEDS
An estimating desk that behaves like an extension of your team, not a software subscription.
Scope merged from civil
landscape and architectural sheets so paving, furnishings and planting are all in one set of numbers.
Pavement quantities delivered in both square yards and tons
matched to the section thickness shown on the plans.
ADA ramps, detectable warnings and accessible
Stalls counted individually, where inspection failures tend to cost the most.
Fence and gate quantities built from post spacing
footing depth and hardware, not an assumed price per foot.
Site furnishings tied to the specified manufacturer and model
with freight and installation labor listed separately.
Irrigation priced by zone with mainline
valves and controllers, not as an unexplained allowance.
Deliverables
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.
- XLSX
Estimate workbook
Quantities, unit costs, labor hours and totals organized by CSI division, with subtotals, markups and a bid summary tab.
- PDF
Marked-up plans
Color-coded takeoff drawings showing exactly where every measured quantity came from.
- XLSX
Material procurement list
Consolidated material quantities with waste factors applied, ready to send to suppliers for quotes.
- XLSX
Labor hours by task
Crew-based labor hours and productivity rates so you can check the schedule against the estimate.
- PDF
Assumptions and exclusions log
Every clarification, allowance and exclusion documented so your proposal scope is defensible.
- PDF
Bid summary sheet
A proposal-ready one-page summary with overhead, profit, bonds and contingency applied.
Clients
Who relies on our estimates
From single-trade subs to national developers, every client gets the same measured-twice standard.
General Contractors
Bid more work without adding estimating headcount. We deliver division-by-division numbers you can level against sub quotes.
Subcontractors
Trade-specific takeoffs with labor hours and material lists, ready to drop into your proposal.
Developers & Owners
Feasibility budgets and bid reviews that tell you whether the numbers you are seeing are fair.
Architects & Engineers
Design-stage estimates at every milestone so value engineering happens before documents are finished.
CSI divisions
CSI MasterFormat divisions we cover
Estimates are organized by division so they drop straight into your cost codes and schedule of values.
Highlighted divisions are the primary scope on this page.
What counts as exterior improvements
CSI Division 32 groups the finished surface work outside the building envelope. It starts with base courses and flexible or rigid paving, continues through curbs, gutters, walks, ramps and unit pavers, and then adds the fences, gates, retaining elements, site furnishings and recreational surfaces that give a property its character. Planting and irrigation close out the package with finish soil, plants, mulch, sod and the distribution lines that keep them alive. Each category lists its units and sheet references. That keeps the scope list complete.
These items are drawn on several sheets.
Paving and curb details live on the civil plans, hardscape and furnishings on the landscape and architectural sheets, and electrical scope for site lighting is somewhere else entirely. We merge them into a single measured set organized by material and system, then tie quantities to plan sheet references so scope questions can be settled quickly. Coordination matters too, since a bollard on the landscape plan may need a footing from the civil detail and conduit from the electrical sheet, and a lawn shown as sod in one place may be seed in another, so we flag every conflict for resolution before pricing.
Pricing reflects installation conditions: pavement thickness and tonnage, concrete finish type, paver pattern and edge restraint, post spacing and footing depth for fencing, and plant sizes, warranty and establishment periods for landscaping. For competitive bids we separate base scope from alternates, owner-furnished items and work by others, so your proposal matches the bid form line for line. Fees for permits, inspection of backflow devices and the maintenance period are listed as allowances, ensuring that the finished site is priced all the way to turnover and not just to the end of installation.
FAQ
Exterior Improvements Estimating FAQs
What is included in Division 32 exterior improvements?
Base courses and paving, curbs, gutters and sidewalks, unit pavers, fences and gates, retaining and screen walls, site furnishings, athletic surfaces, irrigation, and planting. Earthwork belongs to Division 31 and utilities to Division 33, but we can include them when you want a complete site number. Division 33 utilities can be added to the same workbook.
Do you measure asphalt in square yards or tons?
Both. We measure the area in square yards and convert to tons using the thickness and mix density from the pavement section. Each lift is separated so base, binder and surface courses can be ordered and priced individually. We also show the base thickness per lift.
Can you take off fencing and gates accurately?
Yes. We measure fence length from the site plan, count corner, end and gate posts, and size footings by the detail. Gate leaves, hardware and operators are listed by type so you can see what is carried and what is excluded. Hardware, automatic operators and access control are listed apart.
How do you handle plant counts?
We count from the planting plan and reconcile against the plant schedule. When the two disagree, we flag the discrepancy and carry the larger quantity unless you tell us otherwise. Plant size and warranty requirements are included in the pricing. The discrepancy log goes to you with the estimate.
Is irrigation priced in detail?
We quantify mainline, laterals, valves, heads, drip zones, controllers and backflow devices from the irrigation plan and legend. If only a design-intent drawing exists, we budget by area and note the assumptions. Rain sensors, flow meters and winterization are noted as options. Controller type and water source details are noted.
How quickly can you deliver an exterior estimate?
Most Division 32 packages are completed within 48 hours of receiving drawings. Simple paving or landscape-only packages are often ready in 24 hours, and larger campus projects are scheduled when the plan set is reviewed. Rush work is possible for bid-day deadlines. Complex campuses may take longer.
Related
Related estimating services
Most projects need more than one trade. Bundle them into a single upload and we price the whole scope together.
Blog
Insights from the estimating desk
Practical guidance on bidding, takeoffs and protecting margin.
Ready for a exterior improvements estimating quote?
Upload your plans and get a fixed quote within 2 business hours. Most estimates are delivered in 24–48 hours.