Plumbing Estimating Services & Takeoffs Plumbing numbers that hold pressure.
A dedicated plumbing estimator, working as part of your shop — DWV and domestic water, fixtures and trim, gas piping, equipment, and site utility tie-ins, priced to your labor units and your market. 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 plumbing scope, quantified and priced.
Underground to roof, rough-in to trim-out — we count the pipe, the fittings, the fixtures, and the equipment, then price it so your bid is both competitive and defensible.
Sanitary & storm DWV
Waste, vent, and storm piping with fittings, cleanouts, and slopes — counted by size and material.
Domestic water distribution
Hot, cold, and recirc mains and branches with valves, insulation, and hangers by pipe size.
Fixtures & trim
Water closets, lavatories, sinks, and specialties with carriers, stops, and trim — priced fixture by fixture.
Gas piping
Natural gas and propane distribution with fittings, regulators, and connections sized per the load schedule.
Water heaters & equipment
Heaters, pumps, mixing valves, and specialties with connections, venting, and set-in-place labor.
Roof drains & site utility tie-ins
Roof and overflow drains, leaders, and connections to site water, sewer, and storm at the 5-foot line.
Plumbing calculator.
Rough your fixture count and drainage load in seconds. A quick planning check — your dedicated estimator delivers the full, drawing-based takeoff.
Plumbing rough-in quick estimate
A bid-ready deliverable — not a wall of numbers.
Clean, organized quantities and pricing you can drop straight into your bid, with assumptions and exclusions spelled out. Sample below (illustrative only).
| Description | Qty | Unit | Rate | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22 40 00 — Fixtures | ||||
| Water closets — flush valve | 18 | EA | $980 | $17,640 |
| Lavatories & sinks | 24 | EA | $720 | $17,280 |
| 22 10 00 — DWV & Water | ||||
| Sanitary waste & vent pipe | 1,640 | LF | $28.50 | $46,740 |
| Domestic water pipe | 1,980 | LF | $19.75 | $39,105 |
| 22 30 00 — Equipment | ||||
| Water heaters & pumps | 3 | EA | $6,400 | $19,200 |
| Estimated subtotal | $139,965 |
One package, or your whole plumbing desk.
Bid more, hire less
Chase every plumbing package without adding seats. Extra capacity when you're slammed, or a dedicated estimator who learns your crews and rates.
Cover your self-perform
Independent plumbing numbers to check subs, carry self-perform scope, and level bids apples-to-apples.
Quote with confidence
Pipe, fitting, and fixture quantities pulled straight from the plans, so your quotes match the job.
Build your plumbing estimating team.
Tell us your trade 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
Plumbing estimating services — common questions
What does a plumbing takeoff include?
A plumbing takeoff covers DWV and domestic water piping, fixtures and trim, gas piping, equipment, and site utility tie-ins. We count fixtures and measure pipe by size and material, apply your labor units, and price to your market, with hangers, fittings, testing, and exclusions accounted for in the final number.
What software do your plumbing estimators use?
Any of the 100+ tools you already run. Our plumbing estimators work natively in your software, templates, and cost data — Trimble QuickPen, FastPIPE, and Bluebeam Revu are common examples — and deliver in your format, ready to drop into your bid. Your team also gets Build Intel, our AI-assisted estimating software for drawing review and QC checks.
Can I hire a part-time plumbing estimator?
Yes. Many clients start with a part-time or as-needed plumbing 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 plumbing packages without hiring, training, or covering PTO yourself.
How fast can you start plumbing 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 plumbing 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 plumbing estimating AI-enabled?
Yes. Every plumbing 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.