Multifamily Construction Estimating · Apartments Multifamily numbers that scale with the plan.
We build your dedicated multifamily estimating team — garden, podium and mid-rise — recruited, trained and managed in-house to master unit repetition, common areas and parking 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.
Unit types, common areas, parking — the whole community.
Multifamily is a repetition game. We quantify each unit type once, multiply it cleanly across the count, then layer in corridors, amenities, parking and site — so your number is accurate and easy to value-engineer.
Unit-type takeoffs
Each plan type quantified once — framing, finishes, cabinets, fixtures and appliances (Div 06 / 09 / 11 / 12) — then rolled across the unit mix.
Structure & podium
Wood-frame, light-gauge and podium concrete/steel (Div 03 / 05 / 06) — the type-of-construction line that drives cost and code.
Envelope & roofing
Siding, stucco, windows, decks and roofing (Div 07 / 08) — quantified by elevation and repeated across identical buildings.
MEP & fire protection
Unit HVAC, plumbing risers, electrical and sprinkler (Div 21 / 22 / 23 / 26) — priced per unit and per common area, not a blanket SF rate.
Common areas & amenities
Corridors, lobbies, clubhouse, fitness and leasing (Div 09 / 10 / 12) — the finish-heavy spaces that carry premium rates.
Parking & site
Surface, podium and structured parking, plus grading, utilities and landscape (Div 31 / 32 / 33) — coordinated with the unit count.
Multifamily budget calculator.
Rough a conceptual budget from your unit count, average unit size and a cost-per-SF rate. A quick planning check — your dedicated estimating team delivers the full, drawing-based estimate.
Conceptual budget (ROM)
A division rollup, priced per unit.
Clean, CSI-organized quantities and pricing across every division, with per-unit and per-SF checks and clear assumptions. Sample below (illustrative only).
| Division | Qty | Unit | Rate | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 03 — Concrete / Podium | 122,400 | SF | $14.00 | $1,713,600 |
| 06 — Wood Framing & Carpentry | 122,400 | SF | $32.00 | $3,916,800 |
| 07/08 — Envelope & Openings | 122,400 | SF | $21.50 | $2,631,600 |
| 09/11/12 — Interiors & Appliances | 120 | UNIT | $34,000 | $4,080,000 |
| 22/23 — Plumbing & HVAC | 120 | UNIT | $21,500 | $2,580,000 |
| 26 — Electrical | 120 | UNIT | $14,500 | $1,740,000 |
| Estimated subtotal (excl. GCs & site) | $16,662,000 |
One community, or your whole bid list.
Bid more, hire less
Chase every multifamily package without adding seats. Extra capacity when you're slammed, or a dedicated estimator who learns your subs and rates.
Budgets lenders trust
Conceptual and hard-bid budgets with per-unit metrics to test feasibility, underwrite the deal, and check GC pricing before award.
Cover your scope
Trade-specific, unit-based takeoffs for the divisions you self-perform, pulled straight from the plans so your quotes match the job.
Build your multifamily 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
Multifamily construction estimating — common questions
What does multifamily construction estimating include?
It covers garden, podium, and mid-rise projects across every division — structure, framing, envelope, MEP, finishes, common areas, and parking. We take off typical units once, multiply them accurately across the building, and price the non-typical areas separately, so repetition speeds up the estimate without hiding errors.
Do you estimate podium and mid-rise buildings?
Yes. We estimate garden-style, podium, and mid-rise multifamily, including concrete podium decks, wood-frame upper floors, parking, amenity spaces, and corridors. Each building type carries different structure and MEP costs, so your team models them separately instead of applying a single per-unit rate to the whole project.
Can I hire a part-time multifamily estimator?
Yes. Many clients start with a part-time or as-needed multifamily 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 multifamily bids without hiring, training, or covering PTO yourself.
How fast can you start multifamily 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 multifamily 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 multifamily estimating AI-enabled?
Yes. Every multifamily 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.