Scope before price
Use the bid form, drawings and specification together to identify base work, alternates and allowances. Flag any requested item that lacks a clear drawing or specification reference.
Bid-form and alternate review
Construction Bid Estimating Services
Prepare a construction bid estimate aligned to a particular solicitation, bid form and deadline.
What this service covers
Quotes and gaps
Compare each trade quote with the measured work and the agreed scope limits. Note items such as freight, testing or equipment connections that a quote may exclude even when the base item is listed.
Final bid review
Tie the estimate total back to the required bid form and identify assumptions still awaiting approval. Keep unit prices and deduct alternates separate so the bid lead can check them before submission.
What the estimate covers
- Scope matrix by bidder or trade
- Measured quantities with drawing references
- Vendor quote and allowance register
- Base bid and additive or deductive alternates
What to send
Send instructions to bidders, bid form, specifications, latest drawings, addenda and any vendor quotes you want incorporated.
Frequently asked questions
Can you structure the estimate around owner bid items?
Yes. Provide the issued bid schedule so the measured quantities and trade subtotals can be reconciled to the owner’s bid items.
Request an Estimate View Estimating Samples
Reconciling alternates before submission
Carry the base bid, add and deduct alternates and requested unit prices on separately labeled lines. Compare the bid form to the addenda log and mark unresolved subcontractor exclusions so they can be dealt with before the bid is released.
What to reconcile before bid submission
- Drawing issue and addenda. Record the governing set and identify late revisions that affect the base bid, a unit price or a requested alternate.
- Trade coverage. Compare vendor and subcontractor inclusions against the measured scope. Keep unresolved exclusions and allowances visible until responsibility is confirmed.
- Bid form reconciliation. Map cost lines to the customer’s form. Keep add and deduct alternates separate and review lump-sum amounts against scope notes and unit-rate assumptions.
Review a reference sample
Division-organized commercial estimate PDF
Page 1 shows the division subtotal alongside separate item quantities and costs. Use that layout to see how detail rolls up before mapping a total to a bid form.
Reference file adapted from the WorldEstimating.com sample library.
Open Division-organized commercial estimate PDFHave a bid set ready?
Tell us what you need priced, which drawings govern the bid and when it is due.