Commercial Construction Estimating & Takeoffs Commercial bids you can stand behind.
We build your dedicated commercial estimating team — office, retail, tenant improvement and ground-up — recruited, trained and managed in-house to run structure, envelope, interiors and MEP across every division. Full-time, part-time, or as-needed.
15 days of free estimating is available to qualified contractors, subject to approval. If you choose to continue afterwards, service moves to a quarterly agreement (3-month term) that renews each quarter until cancelled — full-time, part-time, or as-needed.
- 600+estimators
- 140,000+jobs estimated
- 45 states+ D.C. & PR · Canada · Australia
- 50+trades & scopes
Hiring an estimator is slow, expensive, and risky.
Or have a dedicated estimator on your bids in under 7 days.
Hiring in-house
| 12,435 | open estimator positions across the US — everyone is competing for the same people |
|---|---|
| 3–5 months | typical time to hire an estimator |
| $50,000 | typical cost of a bad hire |
| $100K–$120K | estimator salary, plus benefits, payroll taxes, and overhead |
| 20–25% | typical recruiter or placement fee, charged on first-year salary |
With Bidding Enterprise
- A fraction of the in-house costNo salary, payroll tax, benefits or recruiter fees
- One simple monthly paymentNo benefits to pay. We handle payroll and expenses; it's all included in one monthly payment
- No placement feesZero recruiting or placement fees
- Free replacementNot the right fit? We swap your estimator at no cost
- QA team includedQA and technical managers at no extra cost
- Start within 7 daysYour estimator onboards in about a week
- Your hours, your time zoneWorks your schedule and reports directly to you
Fully managed and AI-enabled. Hiring, training and coverage are handled by us; Build Intel and Dexter speed up the work, and your estimator and our QA team check every output.
Market figures are typical industry estimates and vary by region and role.
Every commercial division, under one number.
From a tenant fit-out to a ground-up Class A shell, we quantify and price the whole building — structure, envelope, interiors and MEP — so your commercial bid is competitive, complete, and defensible.
Substructure & structure
Foundations, cast-in-place and structural steel (Div 03 / 05) — quantities, connections and erection allowances rolled into the frame cost.
Envelope & roofing
Curtainwall, storefront, metal panel, masonry veneer and roofing (Div 04 / 07 / 08) — the water-tight line that owners scrutinize most.
Interiors & finishes
Partitions, ceilings, flooring, millwork and specialties (Div 09 / 10 / 06) — the TI-heavy scope where square-foot accuracy wins the job.
MEP & fire protection
Mechanical, electrical, plumbing and sprinkler budgets (Div 21 / 22 / 23 / 26) — modeled by system, not a per-SF guess.
Sitework & utilities
Grading, paving, site utilities and landscape (Div 31 / 32 / 33) — coordinated with the building so nothing falls between scopes.
GCs, GRs & escalation
General conditions, general requirements, phasing and market escalation carried explicitly — the soft costs that decide the margin.
Commercial budget calculator.
Get a conceptual budget range from gross area and a cost-per-SF band. A quick planning check — your dedicated estimating team delivers the full, drawing-based estimate.
Conceptual budget (ROM)
A division rollup you can drop into your bid.
Clean, CSI-organized quantities and pricing across every division, with assumptions and exclusions spelled out. Sample below (illustrative only).
| Division | Qty | Unit | Rate | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 03 — Concrete | 40,000 | SF | $18.50 | $740,000 |
| 05 — Metals / Structural Steel | 40,000 | SF | $22.00 | $880,000 |
| 07/08 — Envelope & Openings | 40,000 | SF | $31.00 | $1,240,000 |
| 09 — Interiors & Finishes | 40,000 | SF | $28.50 | $1,140,000 |
| 23 — HVAC / Mechanical | 40,000 | SF | $24.00 | $960,000 |
| 26 — Electrical | 40,000 | SF | $21.00 | $840,000 |
| Estimated subtotal (excl. GCs) | $5,800,000 |
One project, or your whole preconstruction desk.
Bid more, hire less
Chase every commercial and TI package without adding seats. Extra capacity when you're slammed, or a dedicated estimator who learns your subs and rates.
Budgets you can trust
Independent conceptual and hard-bid budgets to test feasibility, check GC pricing, and take a project from pro forma to award.
Cover your scope
Trade-specific takeoffs for the divisions you self-perform, quantified straight from the plans so your quotes match the job.
Build your commercial estimating team.
Tell us your project type and the bids you're chasing. Book a free 1-hour pre-construction assessment — we'll review your process; assessment and setup take about an hour, and your estimator is typically on your bids in under 7 days.
Qualified contractors get 15 days of free estimating — your dedicated estimator works your live bids at no cost, full-time, part-time, or as-needed.
Or reach us: Estimate@Biddingenterprise.com · 718-717-2729
Commercial construction estimating — common questions
What does commercial construction estimating cover?
It covers the whole building: substructure and structure, envelope and roofing, interiors and finishes, MEP and fire protection, sitework, and general conditions. We price office, retail, tenant improvement, and ground-up work across every CSI division, with escalation and phasing carried explicitly, so your commercial bid is complete and defensible.
Do you estimate tenant improvements as well as ground-up projects?
Yes. We estimate everything from small tenant fit-outs and restaurant build-outs to ground-up office, retail, medical, and warehouse projects. TI estimates lean on interiors, MEP, and demolition, while ground-up work adds structure, envelope, and sitework — your dedicated team adjusts the approach to the project types you bid.
Can I hire a part-time commercial estimator?
Yes. Many clients start with a part-time or as-needed commercial estimator and move to full-time as their bid list grows. Your estimator is dedicated to your company, trained on your standards and past bids, and backed by our QA and management, so you can chase more commercial bids without hiring, training, or covering PTO yourself.
How fast can you start commercial estimating for us?
Most clients finish the free assessment and setup in about an hour, with their estimator typically on their bids in under 7 days. We review your commercial scope, software, and the bids you're chasing, then map the estimator or team we'd assign. Timelines for individual bids depend on project size and drawings, so we agree on them bid by bid rather than promising a fixed turnaround.
Is your commercial estimating AI-enabled?
Yes. Every commercial estimating team we build works with Build Intel, our AI-assisted estimating software, and Dexter, our AI co-estimator, which reads drawings and specs and gives cited answers. AI speeds up the first draft; your dedicated estimator checks every quantity and our QA team reviews the work before it reaches you. You review and approve the final bid.
How fast can I get an estimator?
Typically in under 7 days. The free assessment and setup take about an hour; then we match a dedicated estimator trained for your trade, and most clients have that estimator on their bids in under 7 days. It is a good-faith target, not a guarantee — timing depends on your trade, software, and bid volume.