Division 04: Masonry
Masonry estimating services for CMU, brick and stone
Bidmere’s masonry estimating services measure every wall by unit type, then count units, grout, reinforcing and accessories from the structural notes. Pricing uses your labor, material and equipment 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
- 8" CMU exterior walls1,950 SF
- Bond beams1Callout 1: Top two courses, grouted and reinforced364 LF
- Cell grout9 CY
- Vertical reinforcing2Callout 2: Bars at every jamb and cell70 EA
Quick answer
Masonry estimating services from Bidmere give masonry subcontractors and general contractors wall-by-wall takeoffs and priced estimates. We measure CMU, brick and stone by area, count units, and take off grout, bond beams, reinforcing, anchors and flashing from the documents. Single-trade estimates are from $195 and ready in 48 hours.
What do masonry estimating services cover?
A masonry estimate covers the unit masonry, mortar, grout, reinforcing and accessories in Division 04. Bidmere organizes it by CSI section and wall type.
- 04 05 13 Masonry Mortaring and 04 05 16 Masonry Grouting
- 04 05 19 Masonry Anchorage and Reinforcing: bars, joint reinforcing, veneer anchors
- 04 20 00 Unit Masonry, including 04 21 13 Brick Masonry and 04 22 00 Concrete Unit Masonry
- 04 40 00 Stone Assemblies when stone veneer or trim is in your scope
Order a takeoff only if you price by your own unit rates, or a full estimate with a cost summary.
What does a masonry takeoff measure, and in which units?
| Scope | Unit |
|---|---|
| Wall area by unit type, size and finish | SF |
| CMU, brick and stone units | EA |
| Bond beams and lintels | LF and EA |
| Grout for filled cells and bond beams | CY |
| Vertical and horizontal reinforcing | LF or LB |
| Horizontal joint reinforcing | LF |
| Veneer anchors and ties | EA |
| Through-wall flashing and weeps | LF and EA |
| Control and expansion joints | LF |
Unit counts come from wall area and the unit size. An 8 x 8 x 16 in. block works out to 1.125 units per square foot, and modular brick to about 6.75 per square foot with 3/8 in. joints. Openings are deducted by the rule you set.
How does a masonry estimator build the number?
A masonry estimator measures by wall, then layers on the structural requirements.
- Tag each wall by type: CMU size, veneer type, height and finish.
- Measure gross area from elevations and sections, then deduct openings by your rule.
- Convert area to units by size, and add your waste factor as a separate line.
- Read the structural notes for grouted cells, bar size and spacing, and bond beam locations.
- Take off lintels, anchors, flashing, weeps and joints from the details.
- Price labor by your production rates per unit or per square foot, plus scaffolding and equipment.
Your team checks the result, sets markup and submits the masonry bid.
Which masonry plan and spec conflicts change the estimate?
Masonry drawings split information between architectural and structural sheets. Conflicts between them are common, and each one moves grout or labor.
- Grouted cell spacing differs between the structural notes and the wall sections.
- Some openings have no lintel scheduled, or the lintel type differs by sheet.
- Veneer anchor spacing or type is missing at a wall type.
- Through-wall flashing and weeps are shown on one section but not others.
- CMU top-of-wall elevation differs between elevations and the structural plan.
- Specified unit size or finish does not match the elevation callouts.
- Cold weather requirements in the specification are not reflected in the schedule.
Which masonry scope gaps lose bids?
Masonry touches steel, concrete, insulation and sealants. We flag the splits your team needs to assign:
- Embedded items: bearing plates, anchor bolts and frames supplied by others, set by masonry.
- Cavity insulation and air barrier: Division 07 work that often sits inside the masonry cavity.
- Joint sealants: usually Division 07, but sometimes listed in masonry sections.
- Steel lintels and shelf angles: supplied by the steel fabricator or by masonry.
- Scaffolding and hoisting: your cost unless the general contractor provides it.
- Testing and inspection: prism tests and special inspection, usually by the owner.
- Cleaning and water repellents: final cleaning and coatings in or out of your scope.
See structural steel estimating for lintels and shelf angles carried by the steel package.
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 quoteWhat drives masonry cost per square foot?
Masonry cost per square foot swings with labor production more than material. The main drivers are:
- Grouting and reinforcing: fully grouted walls take far more grout and labor than partially grouted walls.
- Wall height: tall walls need more scaffolding moves and lifts.
- Unit type and pattern: split-face, ground-face and patterned bonds lay slower.
- Openings and corners: many small openings cut production.
- Weather protection: cold weather heating and enclosures in winter.
- Access: tight sites limit forklift and scaffold placement.
These drivers are written into the assumptions so you can see what the price depends on.
What should you send for a masonry estimate?
- Architectural plans, elevations and wall sections
- Structural masonry plans, schedules and general notes
- Masonry and related Division 07 specification sections
- Lintel, flashing and anchor details
- Addenda, your bid form and the labor, material and equipment rates you want applied
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: area and unit counts by wall, grout and reinforcing quantities, a cost summary at your rates, and the open questions behind the number.
Masonry takeoff software and what it still leaves to the estimator
Masonry takeoff software measures wall area and counts openings faster, but it does not read the structural notes. General takeoff tools such as PlanSwift list masonry among their trades. The vendor did not list prices on the page we checked in November 2026.
What software does not do:
- Tag each wall by unit size, veneer type and finish from the sections.
- Read grouting, bar size and spacing, and bond beam locations from the structural notes.
- Count lintels, control joints, flashing and anchors from the details.
- Decide who carries scaffolding, cold weather protection and cleaning.
- Write the question log, assumptions and exclusions.
Templates. For quantities, start with the free material takeoff template. To price them, the free construction estimate template works for masonry. Use SF for wall area by type, EA for units and lintels, CY for grout, LB for reinforcing and LF for bond beams and joints.
When a service fits better. Masonry takeoff software pays off when an estimator on your team runs it every week. When bids stack up or your estimator is on site, Bidmere measures every wall from your plans and prices it at your production rates, from $195. See estimating software vs service.
Sample takeoff
What a takeoff looks like
| Item | Quantity | Unit | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 in. CMU, exterior backup | 6,240 | SF | Net of openings over 10 SF |
| 8 x 8 x 16 in. CMU units | 7,020 | EA | 1.125 per SF, before waste |
| Modular brick veneer | 3,180 | SF | Elevations A-201 to A-204 |
| Modular brick units | 21,465 | EA | 6.75 per SF, before waste |
| Bond beams, 8 in. | 1,160 | LF | At floor and roof lines |
| Horizontal joint reinforcing | 4,680 | LF | Every other course |
| Precast lintels | 14 | EA | Two openings unscheduled |
| Veneer anchors | 1,789 | EA | 16 x 16 in. spacing, rounded up |
| Through-wall flashing | 620 | LF | At lintels and base |
| Control joints | 360 | LF | Per elevations |
Fictional example: masonry takeoff for a two-story classroom addition. Anchor spacing of 16 x 16 in. is an assumed detail. Not a customer project or pricing recommendation.
Before you send plans
Common questions about handing off the work
Will you use my production rates?
Yes. Labor is priced by your rates per unit or per square foot.
How do you treat openings?
By your deduction rule, written into the assumptions.
Will I lose control of my number?
No. You approve the rates, set markup and decide the final bid.
Who submits the masonry bid?
Your company. Your team reviews, signs and submits. Bidmere never signs or submits.
Masonry takeoff and estimate pricing
Masonry takeoffs from Bidmere start at $149, and single-trade masonry 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 masonry every week? Put estimating on a monthly plan
A monthly plan suits contractors who price masonry 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 masonry estimating services cost?
Single-trade masonry estimates are from $195, with 25% off your first estimate. Large buildings, stone-heavy facades and combined masonry and concrete 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 count units or just measure wall area?
Both. Wall area is measured by unit type and size, then unit counts are derived from the unit dimensions shown. Your team can price by area or by unit. Waste is a separate line you set or approve, so the measured count and the ordered count both stay visible.
How are grout and reinforcing handled?
Grout and reinforcing come from the structural notes, schedules and sections, kept separate from wall area. Filled cells, bond beams and bar sizes are listed by wall. Where grout spacing or bar spacing conflicts between sheets, the estimate records the affected area and the question to resolve.
Can I order a masonry takeoff without pricing?
Yes. A takeoff-only order gives you area, units, grout, reinforcing and accessories by wall and sheet. Your team applies its own unit rates. Open questions, such as missing lintel types or grout spacing conflicts, are still listed by sheet. See quantity takeoff services for how takeoff-only orders work across trades.
Is masonry estimating software better than a service?
Software helps an estimator who runs takeoffs every week. It still needs someone to read the structural notes and tag every wall. A service does that work for the bids you send out. Many masonry contractors use software in-house and a service for overflow or tight bid dates.
Do you include scaffolding and cold weather costs?
Only as you direct. Scaffolding and winter protection depend on your equipment and methods, so we list them as lines you price or allowances you set. If the specification requires cold weather procedures, that requirement is flagged in the open questions.
How fast can I get a masonry 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.
What masonry takeoff software do contractors use?
Many use general takeoff tools such as PlanSwift, which lists masonry among its trades, alongside a spreadsheet for pricing. The software measures area and counts openings, but the estimator still tags each wall type and reads the grouting and reinforcing notes. If your estimator is short on hours, Bidmere does that work and prices it at your production 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.
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