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Sheet
Preconstruction

Estimate

A priced estimate from your drawings and specs – trade or elemental.

Build an estimate the way a seasoned estimator would – define the scope, take off the quantities, set the rates and hand it over for review. Every line shows how the total was reached.

What you get

  • Trade or elemental – Organized by CSI MasterFormat division for tenders and pricing, or by UniFormat element for early budgets.
  • Measured line items – Every line has a description, a quantity, a unit and a rate. No lump sums for work that can be measured.
  • Three sections – Direct costs, general expenses, and overhead & fee, with every total calculated by the sheet.
  • Flagged rates – Assumed, budget and sub quote rates are marked in remarks, along with every quantity assumption.
  • Summary – The grand total, section subtotals, five biggest cost drivers, assumptions, exclusions and the unknowns that would move the number most.

How it works

  1. The agent reviews the project’s drawings, specs and content, then agrees the scope, estimate class and format with you.
  2. It confirms location, currency, building size and type, and how general expenses and fee are carried, then presents a plan for your approval.
  3. It builds one section at a time – substructure, then superstructure and envelope – and pauses for your review before moving on.
  4. Quantities come from the drawings; rates come from your project’s own rates where it has them, otherwise researched regional rates. Tax is excluded unless you ask.
  5. It checks the sheet for zero-rate, missing and duplicate lines, then reports the total and how firm it is.

Try asking

  • Prepare a Class C estimate for divisions 3 to 5. Exclude the parking structure.
  • Build an elemental budget for the office tower, show general expenses and fee separately.
  • Price the below grade work first, then we’ll move on to the envelope.
Details
Output
Sheet
Category
Preconstruction
Builds
Trade (CSI) or elemental (UniFormat) estimate (sheet)
Reads
Drawings, specifications, project rates
Learns from
11 example estimates, Class D to Class A, across 7 building types

See more playbooks

Estimates, scopes, reviews and logs – built the way your team builds them.

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