Estimating & bidding
Everything we have written on estimating & bidding — the process, the paperwork and what it costs when it goes wrong.
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Construction Cost Codes: Design Them for the Coder
Most cost code lists are built for the accountant and then abandoned by the person who has to code the invoices, so build yours for that person instead.
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Construction Takeoff Process: Scope Hides Between Sheets
Missed scope rarely lives on one sheet—it lives where drawings, specs and the estimator's unspoken guesses fail to meet.
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Bid Leveling: The Low Quote Has the Most Exclusions
A working method for turning three sub quotes that cover different scopes into three numbers you can actually choose between.
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Markup vs Margin in Construction: 20% Isn't 20%
Markup and margin divide the same dollars by different numbers, and the difference comes out of net profit on every job.
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Construction Estimate vs Quote vs Bid: Who Pays Overruns
Crews swap the three words freely on site, but in a dispute the document you handed over decides who absorbs the overrun.