Single-family, multifamily and remodel
Residential estimating services from your plans
Bidmere measures residential plan sets trade by trade and prices them at your rates. You get quantities, a cost estimate and the questions to settle before you sign a contract.
Fixed price in 2 business hours. Pay only after you accept.
- Fixed price agreed before any work starts
- Plan review is free
- You pay only after you accept the price and delivery date
- Single-trade estimates in 48 hours
- Your rates, your markup, your final number
Quick answer
Residential estimating services from Bidmere give home builders, remodelers and residential subcontractors measured takeoffs and cost estimates from their plans. We price quantities with your rates and list assumptions and exclusions. Single-trade estimates are from $195 and ready in 48 hours. Whole-house estimates are from $1,150 with a fixed quote.
Who uses residential estimating services?
Residential estimating services suit builders and trades who price from drawings and do not have time to measure every set. The common thread is a full plan set and a bid or contract price to set.
- Custom and spec home builders pricing a new plan before a contract with the owner
- Production builders checking quantities on a new model or elevation
- Remodelers and additions contractors with permit drawings
- Residential subcontractors in framing, drywall, roofing, siding, concrete, electrical, plumbing and HVAC
- Small multifamily builders working on townhomes, duplexes and garden apartments
If you price from a walk-through with no drawings, a remote residential estimator is not the right tool. We work only from documents.
What does a residential construction estimate measure?
For a quick check before a full estimate, try the free stud framing calculator.
A residential construction estimate measures each trade in the units that trade buys and installs. Whole-house estimates group them by phase or by CSI division, whichever you prefer.
| Scope | Typical units |
|---|---|
| Footings, slabs, foundation walls | CY, SF, LF |
| Wall framing, plates, headers | LF, EA, board feet |
| Floor and roof framing, trusses, sheathing | EA, SF |
| Roofing, underlayment, flashing | squares, LF |
| Siding, trim, soffit and fascia | SF, LF |
| Windows and exterior doors | EA by type |
| Insulation and air barrier | SF by R-value |
| Drywall, finishing and texture | SF, sheets |
| Interior doors, trim, cabinets | EA, LF |
| Flooring by type | SF, LF of base |
| Paint, interior and exterior | SF |
| Plumbing fixtures, electrical devices, HVAC equipment | EA, LF |
Quantities are tied to the sheet and revision you sent, so a change order can be traced back to the original count.
What does a residential takeoff look like?
Each line shows an item, its quantity, the unit and the basis. The sample below is fictional and shows the framing and envelope portion of a two-story home. Your estimate adds pricing at your rates and the assumptions behind each line.
What should you send for a residential estimate?
Send the complete plan set and anything that sets finish levels. Selections drive residential cost more than almost anything else.
- Architectural plans: floor plans, elevations, sections, roof plan
- Structural sheets or the truss and engineered lumber layout, if issued
- Window and door schedules
- Finish selections or allowance amounts, by room if possible
- MEP plans if the trades are in scope
- Site plan and grading for driveway, flatwork and utilities
- Your labor rates, material pricing, markup and standard exclusions
The first inquiry form takes text only. We set up document sharing after we confirm the work.
Which residential plan conflicts change the estimate?
Residential plan sets are often thinner than commercial sets. These are the conflicts and gaps we list as open questions most often:
- Plate heights on elevations that do not match the sections
- Window sizes on the schedule that differ from the elevations
- Roof pitch or overhang changing between the roof plan and the elevations
- Truss layout not yet issued, so framing is measured on an assumed layout
- Finish selections left as “TBD” with no allowance
- Retaining walls, driveways and utilities shown only on the site plan
- Garage slab, porch and patio thickness not called out
Each item is listed with the assumption used, so you can accept it or send an answer.
What residential scope gaps cost builders money?
Missed items, not wrong unit prices, are what usually cut residential margin. Our estimates show each of these as included, an allowance or excluded:
- Permit, impact and utility connection fees
- Temporary power, toilets, dumpsters and final cleaning
- Waste factors on framing, drywall, siding and flooring
- Blocking for cabinets, grab bars and wall-hung items
- Gutters, downspouts and splash blocks
- Appliance installation and owner-furnished items
- Landscaping, irrigation and final grading
A written exclusion list protects you when the owner asks why an item is extra.
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 quoteResidential construction estimating software or an estimating service?
Software helps you measure faster, but you still do the takeoff. An estimating service does the takeoff and pricing for you.
If you have an estimator with spare hours, software may be enough. If evenings and weekends are going into takeoffs, an outside residential estimator frees that time. Some builders use both: software for small jobs and a service for full plan sets. See estimating software vs service for a fuller comparison.
Residential construction bidding websites: where residential bids come from
Most residential construction bids do not come from a public bid board. They come from builder bid lists, referrals and homeowner lead sites. Commercial bid networks list little residential work.
Where residential construction bids usually come from:
- Builder bid lists. Production and custom builders invite trades they know. Ask to be added, and send your trade, area and capacity.
- Homeowner lead marketplaces. Thumbtack says it is free to join with no membership fees. Pros set a lead budget, and that budget decides how many leads they get. On most free residential construction bidding websites, listing is free and leads are not.
- Public owners. Some housing authorities and city housing programs post residential work on their own procurement pages. Those pages are usually free to view.
- Paid project data services. Most focus on commercial work. Check residential coverage in your area before you pay.
See construction bid sites for commercial and public sources compared.
Finding the job is half the work. The other half is a fast, checked number. Bidmere does not list projects or sell leads. Once you have drawings, Bidmere measures and prices them at your rates. Homeowner leads often come without drawings. Those jobs need a site visit, which Bidmere does not do.
Sample takeoff
What a takeoff looks like
| Item | Quantity | Unit | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exterior wall framing, 2x6 at 16 in. | 312 | LF | First and second floor, plate heights per sections |
| Interior wall framing, 2x4 | 486 | LF | Includes garage partition |
| Roof trusses | 38 | EA | Assumed layout, truss drawings not issued |
| Roof sheathing | 2,140 | SF | Before waste |
| Wall sheathing | 3,050 | SF | Openings deducted |
| Roofing shingles | 24 | squares | Before waste and starter |
| Lap siding | 2,620 | SF | Openings deducted |
| Windows | 19 | EA | Per window schedule, 4 sizes |
| Exterior doors | 3 | EA | Includes garage service door |
Fictional example: framing and envelope takeoff for a 2,400 SF two-story home. Not a customer project or pricing recommendation.
Before you send plans
Common questions about handing off the work
Will I lose control of my number?
No. Quantities are priced with your rates. You set markup and the final bid price.
My plans are thin. Can you still estimate?
Often yes. Gaps become written assumptions you can accept or correct before pricing to the owner.
Do you know local pricing?
We use your rates and material pricing, so the estimate reflects your market and your crews.
Who is responsible for the final bid?
Your company. Your team reviews, signs and submits. Bidmere never signs or submits a bid.
Monthly estimating plans
Bid residential every week? Use a monthly estimating plan
If residential bids land on your desk every week, a monthly plan works like an outsourced estimating department. 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 plan uses your rates and templates and runs on your bid calendar.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
How much do residential construction estimating services cost?
Single-trade residential estimates are from $195, and takeoff-only work is from $149. Whole-house, multi-trade estimates are from $1,150. You get a fixed price within 2 business hours after a free plan review, and you pay only after you accept the price and delivery date.
How long does a residential estimate take?
Single-trade estimates are ready in 48 hours from an accepted quote and complete documents. Whole-house estimates get a delivery date in the fixed quote, based on the size of the plan set and the number of trades. Tell us your contract or bid date when you ask for a quote.
What do I need to send for a residential construction estimate?
Floor plans, elevations, sections and the roof plan, plus window and door schedules and any structural or truss layout. Add finish selections or allowances, site plans if sitework is in scope, and your labor rates and material pricing. Missing items become written assumptions.
Who sets the prices in the estimate?
You do. We price measured quantities with your labor rates and material pricing, and carry your markup if you send it. You review every line and decide the contract or bid price. If you have no rate for an item, we list it as an open item.
Do you estimate single-family homes?
Yes. Single-family residential estimating is a common request, for new homes, additions and remodels with permit drawings. We also estimate townhomes and small multifamily buildings. We work only from documents and do not visit the site or meet with homeowners.
How are plan revisions handled?
Send the revised sheets as soon as they are issued. We update quantities for the changed areas and note what moved. The accepted quote explains how revisions are priced, so you know the cost before we start the update. Each update names the sheets and revision dates used.
Can you give a homeowner a construction cost estimate?
Bidmere works for contractors and builders. We prepare estimates priced at the contractor’s rates for the contractor to review. If you are a homeowner, ask your builder for a detailed estimate, or have a contractor send us your plans for pricing.
Are my plans and pricing confidential?
Yes. The first inquiry form takes text only, so do not paste private rates or homeowner details into it. After we confirm the work, we arrange secure document sharing. Your plans and rates are used only for your estimate and are not shared.
Are there free residential construction bidding websites?
Some are free to join, but leads usually are not. Thumbtack, for example, says joining is free and pros set a lead budget that decides how many leads they get. Public housing agencies post some residential work for free on their own sites. Once you have drawings, Bidmere prices the job at your rates, with a fixed quote within 2 business hours.
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.