Estimating by state
Construction estimating by state: public bid rules that change price
Remote takeoffs and estimates for contractors in any state, with the public bid rules for ten states checked against official sources.
Fixed price in 2 business hours. Pay only after you accept.
- Fixed price before any work starts
- Plan review and quotes are free
- You pay only after you accept the price and delivery date
- Single-trade estimates in 48 hours
- Your rates, your final number: your team signs and submits
Quick answer
Construction estimating by state from Bidmere means measured takeoffs and estimates priced at your rates and checked against each state’s prevailing wage, bond and DOT bidder rules. It serves US contractors remotely from plans and specifications. Single-trade estimates are priced from $195 and are ready in 48 hours, with a fixed quote in 2 business hours.
Construction estimating by state: the public bid rules compared
State rules decide three things in a public bid estimate: which wage rates price the labor, which bonds and bid security you carry, and whether you can bid as a prime at all. Each state page lists the rules with links to the official source.
| State | State prevailing wage law | Where state bids are posted | DOT bidder qualification |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | Yes, DIR, projects over $1,000 | Cal eProcure (CSCR) | DBE via CUCP; DIR registration for all public works |
| Florida | No (repealed 1979) | Vendor Bid System (MyFloridaMarketPlace) | FDOT certificate of qualification over $250,000 |
| Georgia | No | Georgia Procurement Registry | GDOT prequalification by work type |
| Illinois | Yes, Prevailing Wage Act | CDB bulletin and BidBuy | IDOT prequalification for primes |
| New York | Yes, Labor Law Article 8 | NYS Contract Reporter | NYSDOT post-qualifies the low bidder |
| North Carolina | No | electronic Vendor Portal (eVP) | NCDOT prequalification |
| Ohio | Yes, above ORC 4115 thresholds | OFCC project opportunities | ODOT prequalification |
| Pennsylvania | Yes, projects over $25,000 | PA eMarketplace (DGS) | PennDOT classification and capacity |
| Texas | Yes, Government Code Ch. 2258 | Electronic State Business Daily | TxDOT qualification, renewed yearly |
| Washington | Yes, RCW 39.12 | WEBS | WSDOT prequalification |
State facts were checked against official state pages on November 8, 2026. Rules change, so confirm each one against the solicitation you are pricing.
What changes in your estimate from state to state
The takeoff does not change by state. Quantities come from the drawings. What changes is the pricing layer on top of them.
- Labor rates. In states with a prevailing wage law, each classification is priced at the published rate for the locality. In states without one, your own rates apply unless federal Davis-Bacon rates come with federal funding.
- Bonds and bid security. Thresholds and percentages differ. Florida waives bonds on state contracts of $100,000 or less, while Pennsylvania requires them on public contracts over $10,000.
- Eligibility. Most state DOTs prequalify bidders before a letting. New York instead post-qualifies the apparent low bidder.
- Licensing. Some states license general contractors, others license only certain trades. Your license has to match the scope you price.
What every state estimate has in common
Whatever the state, a usable public bid estimate has the same backbone:
- Quantities measured from the current plans and every addendum, with the sheet reference for each line.
- Labor, material, equipment and subcontract costs on separate lines, priced at the rates your team approves.
- Bond premiums, bid security and permit costs carried as their own lines.
- Inclusions, exclusions and assumptions written down, so the scope is clear.
- A check of the bid form math before your team signs.
How Bidmere estimates projects in any state remotely
Bidmere works from documents, not site visits, so it serves contractors in any state, including states without a page here. You send the plans, specifications, addenda and bid form. Bidmere measures the quantities, prices them at your rates and returns an Excel estimate with live formulas, color-coded marked-up PDF plans, and a written list of assumptions, exclusions and open questions.
- Single-trade estimates from $195, ready in 48 hours.
- Multi-trade estimates from $1,150.
- Bid packages from $1,950, ready in 5 business days.
You get a fixed price and delivery date within 2 business hours. Plan review is free and you pay only after you accept. Your team reviews, signs and submits the bid; Bidmere does not submit bids or guarantee awards.
Have a bid coming up? Send the plans and specs. Fixed quote within 2 business hours. Plan review is free, and you pay only after you accept.
Get a fixed quoteBefore you send plans
Common questions about handing off the work
Will a remote estimator miss local rules?
Each estimate follows the wage, bond and form terms in your bid documents and flags gaps for your team.
Who owns the final number?
You do. Your team approves every rate, markup and the bid total.
Are my plans and pricing kept confidential?
Documents are shared only after scope review, and your rates are used only for your estimate.
Monthly estimating plans
Bidding every week? Ask about a monthly estimating plan
Steady bidders can use a monthly plan instead of quoting each job: $1,395 per month for up to 6 bids, $2,595 per month for up to 12 bids, or $4,795 per month for up to 25 bids. Every plan uses your rates, and your team still signs and submits each bid.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Can Bidmere estimate projects in a state not listed here?
Yes. Bidmere works remotely from plans and specifications, so it can estimate projects in any US state. The state pages cover the public bid rules for ten states. For other states, send the bid documents and the estimate follows the wage, bond and form requirements they contain.
Which states have no state prevailing wage law?
Of the states covered here, Florida, Georgia and North Carolina have no state prevailing wage law, according to the US Department of Labor and the North Carolina Department of Labor. Federal Davis-Bacon rates can still apply on federally funded projects in any state, so check the bid documents for a wage determination.
Do you need my labor rates, or do you use state averages?
Your rates. On prevailing wage work, the estimate uses the published rate for each classification in your bid documents. On other work, it uses the labor, material and equipment rates your team supplies. Bidmere does not substitute its own pricing database for your numbers.
How much does a state public bid estimate cost?
Single-trade estimates are priced from $195 and are ready in 48 hours. Multi-trade estimates are priced from $1,150, and full bid packages are priced from $1,950 in 5 business days. Every job gets a fixed price and delivery date within 2 business hours, and you pay only after you accept.
Does Bidmere check DOT prequalification for me?
No. Prequalification is your company’s status with the DOT, and only you can apply for it. Each state page explains the DOT’s rule and links to the official page. The estimate can flag a letting that requires a work class or capacity your team should confirm before bid day.
Who signs and submits the bid?
Your company. Bidmere prepares the takeoff and estimate at your rates, and can organize the bid form and requirement checklist for review. Your authorized signer sets the final number, signs and submits. Bidmere does not sign or submit bids and does not guarantee an award.
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.
Sources
- https://www.dir.ca.gov/dlse/FAQ_PrevailingWage.html
- https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/state/prevailing-wages
- https://www.labor.nc.gov/workplace-rights/employee-rights-regarding-time-worked-and-wages-earned/prevailing-wage-rates
- https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2025/255.05
- https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2025/337.14
- https://www.legis.state.pa.us/WU01/LI/LI/US/HTM/1961/0/0442..HTM?52=
- https://www.legis.state.pa.us/WU01/LI/LI/US/PDF/1967/0/0385..PDF
- https://www.dot.ny.gov/bids-and-lettings/construction-contractors/general-info
- https://comptroller.texas.gov/purchasing/contact/outreach.php
- https://www.atg.wa.gov/contracts