Division 08: Openings and glazing
Glazing estimating services for storefront and curtain wall
Bidmere’s glazing estimating services take off storefront, curtain wall, windows, entrances and glass by elevation. Frame, glass, doors and sealant are priced at your material, fabrication and install rates.
Fixed price in 2 business hours. Pay only after you accept.
- Fixed price and delivery date before any work starts
- Plan review is free, and no files are needed to get a quote
- You pay only after you accept the fixed price
- Single-trade estimates in 48 hours from complete documents
- Priced at your rates; your team sets the final number
Quick answer
Glazing estimating services from Bidmere give glazing contractors and general contractors elevation-by-elevation takeoffs and priced estimates. We measure storefront and curtain wall by frame area and mullion length, glass by type, and count entrances, hardware and lites, plus sealant and flashing. Single-trade estimates are from $195 and ready in 48 hours.
What do glazing estimating services cover?
A glazing estimate covers the glazed openings and assemblies in Division 08. Bidmere organizes it by CSI section and elevation.
- 08 41 13 Aluminum-Framed Entrances and Storefronts
- 08 44 13 Glazed Aluminum Curtain Walls
- 08 51 13 Aluminum Windows
- 08 80 00 Glazing: insulating, laminated, tempered and spandrel glass
- 08 83 00 Mirrors and interior glazed partitions when in your scope
- 08 42 29 Automatic Entrances when carried by your company
Order a glazing takeoff only, or a full estimate with a cost summary at your rates.
What does a storefront and curtain wall takeoff measure?
| Scope | Unit |
|---|---|
| Storefront and curtain wall, by system and depth | SF of frame area |
| Vertical and horizontal mullions | LF |
| Vision glass by makeup | SF and lite count |
| Spandrel glass or panels | SF |
| Entrance doors, singles and pairs | EA |
| Door hardware sets, if in your scope | EA |
| Operable vents and windows | EA |
| Perimeter sealant | LF |
| Sill flashing and subsill | LF |
| Anchors and embeds, from typical details | EA |
Lites are counted by size and glass type, because tempered, laminated and insulating units are priced and ordered per piece.
How does a glazing estimator build the number?
A glazing estimator works from the exterior elevations and opening schedules.
- Tag every opening by system, size and glass type.
- Measure frame area and mullion lengths by elevation.
- Count lites by size and glass makeup, including safety glazing locations.
- Count doors, hardware sets, vents and accessories.
- Measure perimeter sealant, sill flashing and transitions to adjacent walls.
- Price material, fabrication, install and equipment at your rates, with freight and hoisting.
Your team reviews the numbers, sets markup and submits the glazing bid.
Which plan and spec conflicts change a glazing estimate?
Glazing information is split across elevations, plans, details, schedules and the specification. These conflicts are common:
- Opening sizes on the elevations differ from the floor plans or the opening schedule.
- Glass types are not tagged at every lite, or safety glazing locations are unclear.
- The specified thermal performance does not match the system depth shown.
- Curtain wall is delegated design, but structural loads or deflection limits are missing.
- Door hardware is listed in both the storefront section and the door hardware section.
- Sill heights or head conditions differ between sections and elevations.
- Impact-resistant glazing is required by the specification but not shown in the schedule.
Each conflict is logged with the elevation, sheet and openings it affects.
Which glazing scope gaps lose bids?
Glazing sits inside the building envelope and touches several trades. We flag the splits your team needs to assign:
- Perimeter sealant: glazing scope or the joint sealant contractor.
- Air barrier tie-in: who laps and seals the transition at the frame.
- Steel support: curtain wall anchors and supports by steel or by glazing.
- Blocking and rough openings: framing or masonry scope.
- Automatic operators and access control: glazing, door hardware or electrical.
- Engineering and shop drawings: delegated design by your engineer after award. Bidmere estimates the work but does not produce shop drawings or engineering.
- Final cleaning and protection: glazing or the general contractor.
For steel supports, see structural steel estimating. For doors and hardware, see doors, frames and hardware estimating.
What drives curtain wall and glazing cost per square foot?
Frame area sets the scale, but these drivers decide most glazing bids:
- System type: stick-built storefront, stick curtain wall and unitized systems price very differently.
- Glass makeup: triple glazing, laminated and specialty coatings raise material cost.
- Lite size: oversized lites need special handling and equipment.
- Height and access: lifts, swing stages or cranes for upper floors.
- Engineering: delegated design and testing requirements.
- Hardware: automatic entrances and access control.
- Lead times: long glass and frame lead times can affect schedule pricing.
These drivers are written into the assumptions so you can see what the price depends on.
Have plans for this scope? Send them over. Fixed quote within 2 business hours. Plan review is free, and you pay only after you accept.
Get a fixed quoteNeed a window installation estimate for a house?
Homeowners replacing a few windows need quotes from local installers who can measure on site. Bidmere does not visit sites or install windows.
Commercial glazing bids are different. They need every elevation, lite and door counted from the plans and priced at the glazier’s rates. That is where Bidmere’s glazing takeoff and estimating services fit.
What should you send for a glazing estimate?
- Exterior elevations, floor plans and building sections
- Opening schedules, glazing schedules and window types
- Head, jamb and sill details
- Division 08 specification sections, including glass and hardware
- Addenda, your bid form and your material, fabrication and install rates
Start with a short description on the quote form. We arrange document sharing after confirming the work.
You receive an Excel estimate with live formulas, color-coded marked-up PDF plans, and a written list of assumptions, exclusions and open questions: frame area, mullions, glass and doors by elevation, a cost summary at your rates, and the open questions behind the number.
Curtain wall cost per square foot: why one number misleads a bid
Curtain wall cost per square foot is only useful once you know which area it divides by and what it includes. Bidmere does not publish a figure, because the spread between jobs is wide.
Which square foot. Glazing contractors usually price per square foot of curtain wall area on the elevations. Owners often talk about cost per square foot of building floor area. The two can differ by a large factor on the same job, so always ask which one a number uses.
What it may or may not include:
- Delegated engineering, calculations and mockup testing.
- Perimeter sealant, flashing and transitions to adjacent walls.
- Hoisting, lifts or swing stages for upper floors.
- Doors, hardware and operable vents.
- Freight, storage and field testing.
A per-square-foot number that leaves out any of these will not hold at bid time.
Using it well. A unit price is fine for an early budget or a check on your own total. For a bid, price from a measured takeoff of frame area, mullion length, lite count and perimeter. If you price in a spreadsheet, the free construction estimate template works for glazing. Use SF for frame area, LF for mullions and sealant, and EA for lites, doors and hardware sets. For whole-building budgets, see construction cost per square foot.
Bidmere measures the elevations and prices storefront and curtain wall at your rates. If you are weighing software against outsourcing, see estimating software vs service.
Sample takeoff
What a takeoff looks like
| Item | Quantity | Unit | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Storefront, 4.5 in. thermally broken | 1,860 | SF | Ground floor, all elevations |
| Curtain wall, 7.5 in. stick system | 4,320 | SF | Floors 2 and 3 |
| Curtain wall vertical mullions | 1,140 | LF | Elevations A-301 to A-304 |
| Curtain wall horizontal mullions | 980 | LF | Includes slab edge covers |
| 1 in. insulating vision glass | 4,950 | SF | Low-e, per glazing schedule |
| Spandrel glass | 820 | SF | At slab edges |
| Tempered lites at safety locations | 38 | EA | Adjacent to doors |
| Entrance doors, pairs | 4 | EA | Hardware by others: open question |
| Entrance doors, singles | 6 | EA | Includes 2 vestibule doors |
| Perimeter sealant | 1,420 | LF | Scope split to confirm |
Fictional example: glazing takeoff for a three-story office with storefront at grade and curtain wall above. Not a customer project or pricing recommendation.
Before you send plans
Common questions about handing off the work
Do you produce shop drawings or engineering?
No. We estimate before award. Shop drawings and delegated design come after.
Will you use my supplier pricing?
Yes. Frame, glass and hardware are priced at the rates you provide.
Will I lose control of my number?
No. You approve the rates, set markup and decide the final bid.
Who submits the glazing bid?
Your company. Your team reviews, signs and submits. Bidmere never signs or submits.
Glazing takeoff and estimate pricing
Glazing takeoffs from Bidmere start at $149, and single-trade glazing estimates at $195. The fixed quote for your job usually lands in these ranges:
| Job size | Takeoff only (quantities) | Single-trade estimate (quantities and pricing) |
|---|---|---|
| Small job: up to 10,000 SF | $149 to $295 | $195 to $395 |
| Mid-size job: 10,000 to 50,000 SF | $295 to $695 | $395 to $895 |
| Large job: over 50,000 SF, or several buildings | From $695 | From $895 |
Single-trade estimates are ready in 48 hours. Rush (24 hours) adds 30%. 25% off your first estimate. Every job gets a fixed quote within 2 business hours, and you pay only after you accept. Every estimate is delivered as an Excel estimate with live formulas, color-coded marked-up PDF plans, and a written list of assumptions, exclusions and open questions. See pricing for the full price list and scope conditions.
Monthly estimating plans
Bid glazing every week? Put estimating on a monthly plan
A monthly plan suits contractors who price glazing work every week. It gives you a steady estimating desk without a new hire. Starter is $1,395 per month for up to 6 bids. Pro is $2,595 per month for up to 12 bids. Scale is $4,795 per month for up to 25 bids. Each bid follows the same process as a single order: your documents, your rates, your review and your final number. Ask about monthly estimating plans to compare the tiers.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
How much do glazing estimating services cost?
Single-trade glazing estimates are from $195, with 25% off your first estimate. Large curtain wall projects, unitized systems and combined glazing and door packages are quoted to scope. You get a fixed price and delivery date within 2 business hours, plan review is free, and you pay only after you accept. See pricing.
Do you offer curtain wall estimating services?
Yes. Curtain wall is measured by frame area and mullion length by elevation, with glass counted by lite and makeup. Spandrel, slab edge covers, anchors and perimeter conditions are listed from the details. Delegated design requirements are flagged so your team can carry engineering in the bid.
Can I order a glazing takeoff without pricing?
Yes. A glazing takeoff lists frame area, mullions, lites, doors and accessories by elevation and sheet. Your team applies its own material and labor rates. Open questions, such as missing glass tags or unclear hardware scope, are still listed. See quantity takeoff services.
Do you estimate storefront and entrances?
Yes. Storefront is measured by system and frame area, and entrances are counted as singles and pairs with their hardware sets if hardware is in your scope. Where hardware appears in both the storefront and door hardware sections, it goes on the open questions list so it is not priced twice.
Is glazing estimating software better than a service?
Software suits a glazing contractor with an estimator who bids every week. It still needs someone to tag every lite and read the details. A service fits when bid volume swings or your estimator also manages projects. Many glazing contractors use both.
How fast can I get a glazing estimate?
Qualifying single-trade estimates are ready in 48 hours from your accepted quote and complete documents. Larger projects get a delivery date in the fixed quote. Tell us your bid date in the request, and rush work is quoted when capacity allows.
How do you handle addenda that change openings?
Send the revised sheets and tell us what changed. We review the effect as an agreed revision and update the affected elevations, lites and doors. The revision behind each quantity is recorded, so an older elevation is never shown as current.
How much does curtain wall cost per square foot?
There is no reliable single number. Curtain wall cost per square foot depends on the system, glass makeup, lite size, height, engineering and what the figure includes, such as perimeter sealant or hoisting. Check whether it divides by wall area or floor area. Bidmere does not publish a figure. Send the elevations and we measure the work and price it at your rates.
Get a fixed quote
Share the project basics. You get a fixed price and delivery date within 2 business hours. Plan review is free, and you pay only after you accept.