Divisions 01 to 33: Whole project01 · 03 · 09 · 22 · 23 · 26
General contractor estimates
A general contractor estimate is a whole-project cost summary organized by MasterFormat division.
- 01General requirementsQuoted
- 03Concrete4 lines
- 04Masonry4 lines
- 05MetalsQuoted
- 06Wood and plasticsQuoted
- 07Thermal and moistureRoofing5 lines
- 08OpeningsDoors4 lines
- 09FinishesPainting, Drywall, Flooring, Ceilings19 lines
- 10SpecialtiesQuoted
- 22Plumbing6 lines
- 23HVAC5 lines
- 26Electrical6 lines
- 31-32Earthwork and siteSitework6 lines
1Callout 1: 59 lines across 9 of 13 divisions
The service
What you send. What you get.
You send
- Complete plan set by discipline
- Project manual with Division 00 and 01 requirements and technical sections
- Bid form, alternates list and addenda
- Subcontractor quotes you have received
- Your approved rates, markups and general conditions assumptions
Start with a short description. We arrange document sharing after confirming the work.
You get
- Division summaryCosts rolled up by MasterFormat division, with the trade detail behind each line.
- General conditions build-upTime-based and fixed project costs using your durations and rates.
- Alternates and allowancesEach alternate priced as an add or deduct, and allowances carried as the documents state them.
- Scope gap logItems no trade covers, conflicts between documents and questions for your team.
Typical buyers: General contractors bidding commercial projects; Construction managers preparing budgets and bids; Design-build contractors pricing a project.
What we measure
Measured from your plans.
The estimate covers the trades in your plans plus general conditions, allowances and alternates. Division-level quantities and costs are priced with rates and subcontractor numbers you approve, with scope gaps, assumptions and open questions listed. We confirm fit and a fixed quote after reviewing your documents.
- Trade quantities and costs by MasterFormat division
- General conditions by duration, such as staff and temporary facilitiesweeks or months
- Allowances named in the documentslump sum
- Alternates, each priced as an add or deduct
- Self-performed and subcontracted scope by division
- Fee, overhead and contingency as percentages you set
Before we start
Questions to resolve and work not included.
Questions we help identify
- Scope that falls between trades, such as blocking, firestopping or equipment connections
- Alternate description does not match the plans
- Allowance amount or allowance scope not stated
- Phasing or occupied-building rules that change general conditions
Not included
- Final bid price, markups and the decision to submit
- Bonds and insurance, which come from your surety and carrier
- Soliciting subcontractor bids on your behalf
- Design, engineering, code review and site verification
Questions
About general contractor estimates.
What do I need to provide for a whole-project estimate?
The full plan set, the project manual, the bid form, all addenda and any subcontractor quotes you have. You also approve the rates, markups, general conditions assumptions and the final price.
Can you take off some divisions and carry my subcontractor numbers for the rest?
Yes. Tell us which divisions to take off and which to carry from your quotes, and the summary shows the source of each number.
Why organize the estimate by MasterFormat?
MasterFormat, published by CSI and CSC, organizes construction specifications into numbered divisions, so costs line up with the project manual. If your company uses its own cost codes, the summary can map to them.
Related
Keep reading.
- Budget and conceptual estimatesConcept to design development
- Bid-day estimatesConstruction documents / bid day
- Bid leveling for general contractorsWe compare subcontractor bids side by side so you can see price differences, missing work and exclusions.
- Quantity takeoffsAny stage with a measurable plan set
Sources
Where the rules come from.
Send the plan set details.
We confirm availability, scope, price and timing before any work begins.