Division 23 · Mechanical Plants
Mechanical estimating for plants, pumps and the rigging it takes to set them
The expensive part of a mechanical package is usually behind a locked door: a boiler room, a chilled water plant or a rooftop cooling tower yard. These jobs are won on equipment pricing, crane picks, header piping and startup scope. Our estimators price plant equipment from schedules and manufacturer quotes, measure hydronic systems and specialties, and carry rigging, insulation, controls and commissioning that bid forms often leave vague.
- 5.0 Google
- 4.9 Trustpilot
- 4.9 Clutch
Specification sheet
- CSI divisions
- 23 HVAC · 25 Integrated Automation
- Turnaround
- 24–48 hours (rush available)
- Deliverables
- Excel workbook, marked-up PDFs, material list
- Software
- Bluebeam Revu, RSMeans Data, Trimble Accubid
Scope of takeoff
Mechanical plant scope we quantify
Plans, schedules and flow diagrams are cross-checked so every connection to equipment is counted.
- 01Boilers and heat generationCondensing and non-condensing boilers, burners, flues, stacks and combustion airCondensing and non-condensing boilers, burners, flues, stacks and combustion airEABoiler schedule and plant plan
- 02Chillers and heat pumpsAir-cooled and water-cooled chillers, heat recovery and chiller isolation valvesAir-cooled and water-cooled chillers, heat recovery and chiller isolation valvesEA / TONEquipment schedule with capacity in tons
- 03Cooling towers and dry coolersCooling tower cells, basins, risers, vibration cutouts and platform accessCooling tower cells, basins, risers, vibration cutouts and platform accessEARoof plan and tower schedule
- 04Pumps and variable frequency drivesBase-mounted and inline pumps with VFDs, inertia pads, suction diffusers and triple-duty valvesBase-mounted and inline pumps with VFDs, inertia pads, suction diffusers and triple-duty valvesEAPump schedule and piping diagram
- 05Hydronic main and header pipingChilled, hot and condenser water mains by diameter, with grooved or welded jointsChilled, hot and condenser water mains by diameter, with grooved or welded jointsLFPlant piping plans and risers
- 06Piping specialtiesAir separators, expansion tanks, strainers, flow meters, balancing valves and gaugesAir separators, expansion tanks, strainers, flow meters, balancing valves and gaugesEAP&ID and details
- 07Heat exchangers and water treatmentPlate-and-frame exchangers, glycol feed systems, chemical pots and filtrationPlate-and-frame exchangers, glycol feed systems, chemical pots and filtrationEA / LSEquipment schedule and specification
- 08Equipment rigging and curbsCranes, hoists, roof reinforcement, housekeeping pads and vibration isolatorsCranes, hoists, roof reinforcement, housekeeping pads and vibration isolatorsLS / EARigging plan, weights and access path
- 09Mechanical insulationPipe insulation, equipment jackets, valve covers and weatherproof cladding outdoorsPipe insulation, equipment jackets, valve covers and weatherproof cladding outdoorsLF / SFPiping lengths and specification thickness
- 10Controls and plant automationDDC points, plant sequencer, sensors, flow meters and BAS integrationDDC points, plant sequencer, sensors, flow meters and BAS integrationEA / PTSPoints list and sequence of operations
- 11Testing, balancing and commissioningFlushing, pressure testing, TAB support, startup and commissioning agent coordinationFlushing, pressure testing, TAB support, startup and commissioning agent coordinationHRS / LSSpecification Division 23 05 93 and 01 91 13
- 12Labor by activityEquipment setting, piping, hanging, insulation, controls and startup hoursEquipment setting, piping, hanging, insulation, controls and startup hoursHRSCrew rates adjusted for plant congestion
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.
Overview
Mechanical estimating beyond ductwork and diffusers
Mechanical estimating at the plant level means sizing the cost of a system, not a room. Boilers, chillers, cooling towers, heat exchangers, pumps and air separators come from the equipment schedules, but the price depends on how they are connected: header piping sized for flow, isolation valves, strainers, expansion tanks, balancing valves and flexible connectors at every vibrating machine.
Equipment must also physically reach its pad. Rigging plans, crane size, rooftop steel reinforcement, housekeeping pads and access routes through walls and doors are real cost, and often the largest uncertainty on an existing-building replacement. Insulation systems, glycol fills, water treatment, controls and the commissioning agent's requirements add further scope.
Our approach quantifies equipment, piping and specialties from drawings, then adds labor by activity, including setting, welding or grooved joints, insulation, controls and startup. Where hvac-estimating covers air distribution, this scope is the plant behind it, and we keep the two reconciled so nothing is carried twice or missed.
Estimate types
What type of mechanical estimating can you get?
Match the estimate to where your project is. Every option is priced as a flat fee before work begins.
Central plant hard bid
Complete pricing for boilers, chillers, towers, pumps, piping, insulation, controls and startup from construction documents, organized by system and floor.
Accuracy
±5%
Turnaround
72 hours
Best for
Mechanical contractors bidding plant work
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 workbookXLSX
Quantities, unit costs, labor hours and totals organized by CSI division, with subtotals, markups and a bid summary tab.
Marked-up plansPDF
Color-coded takeoff drawings showing exactly where every measured quantity came from.
Material procurement listXLSX
Consolidated material quantities with waste factors applied, ready to send to suppliers for quotes.
Labor hours by taskXLSX
Crew-based labor hours and productivity rates so you can check the schedule against the estimate.
Assumptions and exclusions logPDF
Every clarification, allowance and exclusion documented so your proposal scope is defensible.
Bid summary sheetPDF
A proposal-ready one-page summary with overhead, profit, bonds and contingency applied.
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.
- 01
Estimators who have priced boiler rooms, chiller plants and tower yards and know where field conditions blow up a number.
- 02
Equipment quotes gathered with rigging, startup and warranty scope spelled out so they can be leveled.
- 03
Header piping, strainers, isolation valves, and flexible connectors counted per machine instead of assumed at a percent of equipment.
- 04
Rigging and crane lifts priced from equipment weights and pick radius, not guessed lump sums.
- 05
Insulation by pipe size and thickness, including outdoor jacketing on tower and roof piping.
- 06
Controls points counted from the sequence, of operations to price plant automation separately.
- 07
Commissioning, flushing, pressure testing, and TAB support carried as defined scope lines.
- 08
Reconciled with HVAC and plumbing takeoffs so duct, plant and fixture scope do not overlap.
Reviews
What contractors say after their first bid with us
What general contractors, subcontractors and developers say after bidding with our numbers.
“Duct takeoff by gauge and size, equipment schedules, hangers, insulation. They understand sheet metal. Turnaround was 36 hours on a 90,000 square foot clinic.”
Tom Beaulieu
President, Beaulieu Mechanical · Minneapolis, MN
“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
“Change-order pricing came back the same day with quantities tied to the original contract set. The owner approved without a single question.”
Rob Castellano
Senior PM, Castellano Construction Management · Newark, NJ
FAQ
Mechanical Estimating FAQs
How is mechanical estimating different from HVAC estimating?
HVAC estimating centers on air distribution: ductwork, terminal units, diffusers and rooftop equipment. Mechanical estimating focuses on plants and hydronic systems: boilers, chillers, cooling towers, pumps and headers, along with the rigging, controls and commissioning they require. Many projects need both, and we reconcile them.
Do you price equipment from schedules or from quotes?
We use manufacturer or representative quotes whenever they are available and clearly state what is included in each, such as startup, extended warranty or factory vibration isolation. If quotes are not yet in hand, we apply current published pricing adjusted to your location and flag it.
Can you estimate crane and rigging costs?
Yes. We use equipment weights, pick radius and access routes to select crane size and duration, add riggers, steel reinforcement and temporary road or street closures where needed, and price them as a visible rigging line instead of burying them in labor.
Do you include insulation and water treatment?
Pipe and equipment insulation is measured by diameter and thickness from the specification, with outdoor jacketing where needed. Water treatment, glycol fill and chemical feed systems are priced from the equipment schedule and specification as allowances or quotes.
Is commissioning part of the mechanical estimate?
We carry flushing, pressure testing, startup support, TAB coordination and a commissioning agent's functional test time when the specification assigns it to the mechanical contractor. Each item is listed in the assumptions so you can edit it.
How long does a central plant estimate take?
A typical boiler or chiller replacement takes about 48 hours. A full plant with towers, headers and controls on a large building usually takes 72 hours or longer, and we confirm the delivery date after reviewing drawings and the specification.
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 mechanical estimating quote?
Upload your plans and get a fixed quote within 2 business hours. Most estimates are delivered in 24–48 hours.