Estimating capacity on demand
Add estimating capacity this week without adding another salary to payroll
Bid volume never arrives evenly. Three invitations land on Monday, nothing for two weeks, then five more. We place a dedicated estimator on your account or cover your overflow, working in your spreadsheet templates and software, under your NDA, and aligned to your time zone, so your own estimators stay focused on the highest-value bids and your bid calendar never outruns your headcount.
- 5.0 Google
- 4.9 Trustpilot
- 4.9 Clutch
typical time from signed scope to the first estimate in your template
typical time from signed scope to the first estimate in your template
24–48 hours
Typical turnaround
01 · 03 · 05 · 06
CSI divisions
XLSX · PDF
You receive
Overview
Outsourced estimating, structured like part of your team
Outsourcing an estimate means a qualified estimator performs the takeoff and pricing off site while you keep the client, the bid decision and the final markup.
Two models cover most needs. A dedicated estimator is assigned to your company for a set number of hours each week and learns your assemblies, labor rates and proposal style. Overflow service handles individual projects when your team is full, billed by estimate or hours.
Integration is what separates a useful remote estimator from an extra headache. We load your Excel templates, cost databases and cost codes, take instructions through your project folders or Procore, and follow your naming conventions for takeoff files. NDAs are signed before documents are shared, and project files are stored in access-controlled folders only the assigned estimator can open.
Cost is the other reason contractors outsource. A full-time estimator brings salary, benefits, software licenses, training and downtime between bid cycles. Outsourced capacity is paid when it is used. You can scale up for a heavy bidding month, pause during a slow quarter and keep continuity because the same person keeps handling your work.
Scope of takeoff
What the service covers
The engagement is built from the tasks your in-house estimator would do, assigned to a remote estimator you control.
- 01
Dedicated estimator seatHRS
A named estimator assigned to your account for a fixed weekly block of hours
Monthly retainer with adjustable hours
- 02
Overflow project estimatesEA
Complete estimates for individual bids that exceed your team's capacity
Per-project quote from the plan set
- 03
Quantity takeoffSF
On-screen measurement of every trade in the scope, in your preferred takeoff platform
Bluebeam, PlanSwift or On-Screen Takeoff
- 04
Template integrationLS
Your Excel estimate templates, assemblies, labor rates and cost codes loaded and followed
Template walkthrough during onboarding
- 05
Subcontractor quote handlingEA
Collection, comparison and entry of subcontractor proposals into your bid sheet
Leveling sheet by trade
- 06
Pricing and labor build-upLS
Material, labor and equipment priced from your databases or current regional cost data
RSMeans and supplier quotes
- 07
Rush and bid-week coverageHRS
Priority capacity for short deadlines and last-minute addenda
Reserved hours during bid weeks
- 08
Time-zone coverageHRS
Working hours overlapped with your office so questions are answered the same day
Agreed daily overlap window
- 09
NDA and file securityLS
Signed confidentiality agreement and restricted access to project folders
Mutual NDA before files transfer
- 10
Quality reviewEA
Second-estimator check of quantities and extensions before delivery to you
Peer review checklist
- 11
Cost comparison reportPG
Side-by-side of outsourced cost per estimate versus the loaded cost of an in-house hire
Your payroll and bid volume data
- 12
Scale-up and scale-down planLS
Agreed ramp for adding estimators in busy seasons and releasing them in slow ones
Quarterly capacity review
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
Estimate types
What type of outsource & freelance estimating can you get?
Match the estimate to where your project is. Every option is priced as a flat fee before work begins.
Dedicated estimator
A single estimator who learns your standards and handles a steady weekly workload, acting as an extension of your department.
- Accuracy
- Consistent with your historical bid variance
- Turnaround
- Start within one week
Overflow estimating
Individual estimates assigned when your team is at capacity, priced per project and returned in your format.
- Accuracy
- Reviewed by a second estimator
- Turnaround
- 24 to 72 hours
Takeoff-only support
Quantities measured and delivered as a workbook while your estimator applies pricing and markups.
- Accuracy
- Quantities traceable to marked plans
- Turnaround
- 24 to 48 hours
Estimator coverage
Temporary support during vacations, resignations or hiring searches, with handover notes at the end.
- Accuracy
- Work continues in existing files
- Turnaround
- Within days
Team on demand
Multiple estimators assigned during peak seasons and released when bid volume falls.
- Accuracy
- Standardized through shared templates
- Turnaround
- Per project schedule
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.
Estimate workbook
Quantities, unit costs, labor hours and totals organized by CSI division, with subtotals, markups and a bid summary tab.
Marked-up plans
Color-coded takeoff drawings showing exactly where every measured quantity came from.
Material procurement list
Consolidated material quantities with waste factors applied, ready to send to suppliers for quotes.
Labor hours by task
Crew-based labor hours and productivity rates so you can check the schedule against the estimate.
Assumptions and exclusions log
Every clarification, allowance and exclusion documented so your proposal scope is defensible.
Bid summary sheet
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.
Estimators who work in your Excel templates
And cost codes instead of forcing you to adopt a new format.
Mutual NDA signed before any drawing changes hands
with project folders restricted to assigned staff only.
Overlapping working hours so your project
Manager can ask a question and get an answer the same afternoon.
Capacity that rises and falls with bid volume
without recruiting fees, benefits or severance obligations.
A second estimator reviews quantities and extensions before delivery
reducing errors that cost a bid or margin.
The same estimator on your account over time
so your assemblies and preferences accumulate instead of resetting.
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
“Lumber lists, finish schedules and allowances in a format our clients actually understand. The assumptions log alone has saved us from two scope disputes.”
Luis Herrera
Project Manager, Sierra Ridge Homes · Phoenix, AZ
“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
Outsource & Freelance Estimating FAQs
Straight answers on scope, turnaround, pricing and deliverables.
What is the difference between a dedicated and an overflow estimator?
A dedicated estimator is assigned to your company for a recurring number of hours each week and learns your standards over time. Overflow service covers specific projects when your team is full, billed per estimate. Many clients start with overflow and move to a dedicated seat once volume is steady.
Will the estimator use our templates and cost data?
Yes. During onboarding we review your Excel workbooks, assemblies, labor rates, cost codes and proposal format, then build every estimate inside them. If you have no standard template, we supply one organized by CSI division and adjust it to your preferences after the first project.
How do you protect our bid information?
A mutual NDA is signed before documents transfer. Files are stored in access-controlled folders limited to the assigned estimators, and project data is never reused for other clients. At the end of the engagement we return or delete the files according to your written instructions.
How does the cost compare with hiring an estimator?
An in-house hire carries salary, benefits, payroll taxes, software, training and idle time between bid cycles, which often adds a third or more to base pay. Outsourcing charges for the hours or estimates used. We provide a comparison using your bid volume, though a steady full-time workload can still favor an employee.
Can you work in our time zone?
Yes. We agree on a daily overlap window so questions are answered the same day, and rush work is scheduled around your bid deadlines. For West Coast clients we shift working hours to keep the overlap and avoid next-morning delays before a bid is due.
How quickly can we scale capacity up or down?
Additional estimators can usually be assigned within a few business days once templates and project access are in place. To reduce capacity, give us notice under the agreed terms and we wrap open estimates with handover notes. There is no long-term hiring commitment to unwind.
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 outsource & freelance estimating quote?
Upload your plans and get a fixed quote within 2 business hours. Most estimates are delivered in 24–48 hours.