Frequently Asked Questions

Our goal is to provide you with competitive market rates that can enhance your chances of winning construction bids. Each project is individually assessed, and the cost of the service is estimated based on the final product you require. A 50% upfront payment is required before we begin working on your project. The summary page with limited details will be sent, and the complete detailed estimate will be given after receiving the remaining 50%.

You'll find our rates to be reasonable. Pricing is determined by the size, scale, complexity, and scope of the project and includes one review and amendment. Our quotes generally meet clients' expectations, and at times, haggling is advised to seal deals. Simply upload your plans and we'll get back to you shortly with a pricing specific to your project.

The key to achieving your project goals is accuracy. Our estimates' dependability is guaranteed through the use of actual contractor feedback, specific regions, and our cost database that has been built over years of data collection and RSMeans calculations.

Claiming to be the most efficient estimating service implies a potential for reduced accuracy, which can harm business by providing inaccurate estimates. The time needed to finish the project may differ based on its size, complexity, and level of detail required, and will be determined after we receive the project documents for review.

We're following the North American standard form, using our standard estimating form with a summary and detailed estimate, and following CSI codes and divisions. Our services are customizable and can include the use of your own CSI and material codes or templates. Our services include detailed takeoffs, marked-up plans (upon request), and estimates with markups and conditions considered.

Our short form agreement will be included with the invoice. Refunds are not available after estimate delivery, but we can provide a Non-Disclosure Agreement if you require one. You can count on us to be available for review, adjustments, and answering questions.

Our goal is to provide accurate estimates for as many trades as possible. However, please note that certain custom designs, materials, equipment, and fixtures may only be priced by specific vendors. To obtain accurate pricing for HVAC and electrical equipment for commercial projects, one must go through distributors exclusively. This also holds true for light fixtures of commercial type, as well as for items that are custom-manufactured. In cases where we are unable to obtain a price from those vendors, we generally provide an allowance based on previous experience or our database. Obtaining certain prices from vendors may take several weeks, and unfortunately, the timing is beyond our control.

A personal discussion is necessary to clarify expectations and project details. Collaboration through email is also an option if clarification is required.

Sure, we can arrange for that. To cover the costs related to travel to the project site, a pre-approved retainer must be paid before travel. Our physical location is in the area of St. Petersburg, Florida.

The construction project estimate is crucial to maintain the project within the budget. There are six steps involved in this process.

1. Create a timeline.

2. Perform a quantity takeoff.

3. Estimate labor & material.

4. Add fixtures and equipment to the mix.

5. Add General Conditions, Insurance, Fee, and Contingency

6. Create Qualifications and Exclusions list.

In 90% of cases, this reflects the lack of experience of estimating shops in real-world construction or estimating. Take-off may seem easy with RSMeans on the paper, but real contractors know better. The likelihood of an inaccurate estimate with only RSMeans is high. Our knowledge of construction comes from real-world experience over two decades, rather than just relying on RSMeans.

Yes. However, we can only use it as a reference since the 3D model lacks accurate information and some blocks and details are unidentified or confusingly labeled. 2D is right there, plain and simple. We usually turn a 3D model into 2D sheets for accuracy.

Sure thing! We're happy to send a PDF or Excel file (if you ask) so you can make changes. It's important to note that minor changes can affect some formulas, leading to different values. To prevent errors, we prefer converting formulas to static numbers. We'll work it out based on your preference.