How to bid plumbing jobs: the steps
- Read the drawings, the specification sections and the bid instructions for your scope.
- Count fixtures and equipment by type from the plans and the fixture schedule.
- Measure piping by system (waste, vent, domestic water, gas), size and material.
- Count fittings, valves, cleanouts and hangers along each run.
- Price material from current supplier quotes and labor from your own production rates and wages.
- Add equipment, overhead and profit, then write inclusions, exclusions and open questions.
- Fill in the bid form or proposal and acknowledge every addendum.
What to measure for a plumbing bid
| Item | Unit |
|---|---|
| Fixtures and equipment | EA by type |
| Piping by system, size and material | LF |
| Fittings and valves | EA by size |
| Insulation on piping | LF |
| Excavation and backfill for underground piping | LF or CY |
Short on time? Send the plans and specs and we do this for you. Fixed quote within 2 business hours. Plan review is free, and you pay only after you accept.
Get a fixed quoteLabor from your own units
Plumbing labor is usually priced as installed units times hours per unit: per fixture, per foot of pipe by size and per fitting. Use your own job history. We do not print labor units: material, building type and method change them.
Commercial and public plumbing bids
- Division 22 sections name piping materials, testing, disinfection and insulation.
- Underground work, utility connections and fees often sit with the site contractor; confirm who carries them.
- On federally funded or assisted construction contracts over $2,000, the US Department of Labor says the Davis-Bacon and Related Acts require locally prevailing wages and fringe benefits; many states have their own prevailing wage laws for public work. Check the bid documents before you price labor.
Where plumbing bids go wrong
- Underground piping, excavation and backfill missed
- Testing, disinfection and permits not priced
- Equipment furnished by others but set and connected by you
- Pipe insulation assumed by the insulation sub without saying so
Tools and templates for the bid
Use the construction estimate template, the bid sheet template to lay out the numbers, and the contractor markup calculator for overhead and profit. For a measured takeoff from your plans, see plumbing estimating.
Frequently asked questions
How do plumbers estimate jobs?
They count fixtures and equipment, measure piping by system and size, apply their own labor units and wages, price material from quotes and add overhead and profit.
What is a piping takeoff?
A list of pipe by system, size and material in linear feet, with fittings, valves and hangers counted, measured from the plumbing or mechanical drawings.
Can Bidmere do my plumbing takeoff?
Yes. Single-trade estimates are from $195 and takeoff-only work from $149, ready in 48 hours after you accept a fixed quote, which you get within 2 business hours.