Estimating by state: NY
New York construction estimating services for NYC and statewide bids
Measured takeoffs and estimates for New York bids, priced at your rates and checked against Article 8 wages and state bond rules.
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
New York construction estimating from Bidmere gives general contractors and subcontractors measured takeoffs and cost estimates priced at their own rates, prepared remotely from plans and specifications. Single-trade estimates are priced from $195 and are ready in 48 hours. You get a fixed quote within 2 business hours and pay after you accept.
Where New York public construction work is advertised
The New York State Contract Reporter, run by the Office of General Services (OGS), is the state’s central source of bid opportunities, including construction services. It publishes individual opportunities valued at $50,000 or more from state agencies, public authorities and public benefit corporations, Monday through Friday.
- State buildings: OGS Design and Construction acts as New York State’s Architect and contracts most of its construction work to the private sector.
- Highways and bridges: NYSDOT posts highway lettings on its construction opportunities page.
- New York City, counties, towns and school districts: their own portals and bid documents.
NYC construction estimating for DDC, SCA and NYCHA bids
Most public construction in New York City is bid through a few City owners. Each has its own portal and its own qualification rules, so check that your firm can bid before you pay for an estimate.
- NYC Department of Design and Construction (DDC): the City’s primary capital construction project manager, building firehouses, libraries, police precincts and courthouses, plus roadway, sewer and water main work in all five boroughs (about DDC). DDC awards most construction contracts by competitive sealed bid and releases all construction solicitations through PASSPort. Some work is bid only by firms on its pre-qualified lists.
- NYC School Construction Authority (SCA): builds and renovates the City’s public schools. A prime contractor must be prequalified with the SCA at bid opening, and a qualification lasts three years.
- New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA): publishes its procurement notices in The City Record and uses pre-qualified lists for much of its contracting. Only firms admitted to a list can bid on those contracts.
- PASSPort: the City’s procurement platform. Anyone can browse open solicitations without an account; responding to one needs a PASSPort account.
Download the bid documents and addenda, then send them to Bidmere. The estimate is measured remotely and priced at your rates, from $195 for a single trade in 48 hours.
Does New York require prevailing wage on public work?
Yes. Labor Law Article 8 covers prevailing wages on public work, enforced by the NYS Department of Labor’s Bureau of Public Work and Prevailing Wage Enforcement.
The Bureau says that starting December 31, 2025, all contractors and subcontractors on Article 8 projects must submit certified payroll records electronically through the Certified Payroll portal on MPWR. Budget the administrative time for that reporting.
Where to check: the prevailing wage schedule attached to the bid documents, issued for the project’s locality.
Payment and performance bonds on New York public work
State Finance Law §137 lets officials require a bond guaranteeing prompt payment to everyone furnishing labor or materials on a public improvement contract. The agency head may waive performance and payment bonds where the aggregate contract amount is under $100,000.
Contractor licensing in New York is mostly local, so check the city or county where the work is located. Read the instructions to bidders for bid security, and carry each bond premium as its own estimate line.
NYSDOT post-qualification and DBE certification
Unlike many states, New York does not require firms to prequalify before bidding NYSDOT work. Instead, the apparent low bidder and its proposed subcontractors must post-qualify, showing they are responsible bidders after bid opening. That makes your financial and experience records part of bid readiness, not an afterthought.
DBE goals on federally funded work use firms in the New York State Unified Certification Program (NYSUCP) directory. Check certification before counting a quote toward a goal.
Bidding work in this state? 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 quoteCommon project types New York contractors estimate
New York public work includes OGS state facility projects, NYSDOT highway and bridge lettings, SUNY and CUNY construction, and city, county and school district work. Common requests: MEP packages at Article 8 rates, concrete and masonry, interior finishes for occupied renovations, and sitework on unit price forms.
How New York rules change the numbers in your estimate
Each rule lands in a specific estimate line.
- Price every classification at the Article 8 prevailing wage schedule for the project locality.
- Allow time for electronic certified payroll on MPWR.
- Check whether the agency waived bonds on a contract under $100,000; otherwise carry the premiums.
- Prepare your post-qualification records before bidding NYSDOT work as the apparent low bidder.
- Check NYSUCP certification for DBE subcontractors you carry.
- Log every addendum and acknowledge it as the bid form requires.
New York construction estimating done remotely, at your rates
Bidmere estimates New York projects remotely from the plans, specifications and addenda you send. You set the rates, wage schedule and markups; Bidmere measures, prices 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.
On Article 8 work, labor hours and wage classifications stay on separate lines so your reviewer can check each rate against the project schedule.
- Single-trade estimates from $195 in 48 hours; multi-trade from $1,150.
- Bid packages from $1,950 in 5 business days.
Fixed price within 2 business hours, free plan review, pay only after you accept. Bidmere does not visit sites, sign or submit bids, or guarantee awards.
Before you send plans
Common questions about handing off the work
Will I lose control of my number?
No. Every rate and markup comes from your team, and you approve the estimate.
Can a remote estimator handle New York rules?
The estimate follows the wage and bond terms in your bid documents and flags any gap.
What if an addendum lands after the estimate is done?
Send it. Affected quantities are updated and the changes listed.
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
Do you need to be in New York to estimate New York projects?
No. Bidmere works remotely from the plans, specifications and addenda you send, so location does not limit the work. Bidmere does not visit sites. Share photos or pre-bid notes, and the estimate lists every assumption made where the documents are silent.
Does New York require prevailing wage on public work?
Yes. Labor Law Article 8 requires prevailing wages on covered public work, enforced by the NYS Department of Labor. Starting December 31, 2025, contractors and subcontractors on Article 8 projects must submit certified payroll electronically through MPWR. Use the wage schedule attached to the bid documents when pricing labor.
What should I send for a New York public bid estimate?
Send the plans, specifications, every issued addendum, the bid form and any wage determination. Tell us the trades, the bid due date and the labor rates, markups and supplier pricing to use. You can start with project basics; document sharing is arranged after scope review.
How much does a New York construction estimate cost, and how fast is it?
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. You get a fixed price and delivery date within 2 business hours and pay only after you accept them.
Does NYSDOT require prequalification before I bid?
No. NYSDOT says New York does not require firms to prequalify before submitting bids. Instead, the apparent low bidder and proposed subcontractors must post-qualify as responsible after bid opening. Keep your financial statements, experience records and safety information current so post-qualification does not delay an award.
Who is responsible for the final New York bid?
Your company. Bidmere measures quantities and prices them at the rates you approve, then hands the estimate to your team for review. Your authorized signer sets the final number, signs the bid form and submits it. 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://ogs.ny.gov/procurement/contract-reporter-advertising-thresholds-and-notice-requirements-0
- https://ogs.ny.gov/design-construction
- https://www.dot.ny.gov/doing-business/opportunities/const-highway
- https://dol.ny.gov/bureau-public-work-and-prevailing-wage-enforcement
- https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/STF/137
- https://www.dot.ny.gov/bids-and-lettings/construction-contractors/general-info
- https://nysucp.newnycontracts.com/
- https://www.nyc.gov/site/ddc/contracts/construction-contracts.page
- https://www.nycsca.org/Doing-Business/Prequalification-Process
- https://www.nyc.gov/site/nycha/business/procurement-opportunities.page
- https://www.nyc.gov/site/mocs/passport/about-passport.page