By the MassBid Estimation team · Published · Updated
In short
An outsourced construction estimate for a single trade typically costs $100 to $250, and a larger or multi-trade project typically costs $200 to $500. At MassBid Estimation a single project starts at $199, and a monthly plan for 10 to 15 projects starts at $1,499. A full-time in-house estimator costs a median of $78,740 a year in wages alone.
- Simple single-trade scope
- $100 to $250
- Single project
- From $199
- Larger or multi-trade project
- Typically $200 to $500
- Monthly plan
- From $1,499 for 10 to 15 projects
- In-house estimator
- $78,740 a year median wage (May 2025)
- Quote
- Free, usually within about 20 minutes
What a construction estimate costs
Most estimating services charge in one of three ways: a price for each project, an hourly rate, or a share of the construction cost. A price per project is the simplest to budget, because you know the figure before any work starts.
These are our prices, quoted per project and before work begins:
| What you need | Typical price |
|---|---|
| Simple single-trade takeoff or estimate | $100 to $250 |
| Single project | From $199 |
| Larger building or several trades | Typically $200 to $500 |
| Large, complex or multi-building project | Quoted from the drawings |
| Monthly plan, 10 to 15 projects | From $1,499 a month |
| Dedicated estimator | Priced on request |
What moves the price
The fee follows the amount of work in the drawings, not the value of the building. Four things set it:
- The number of trades. One trade touches one division. A general contractor package touches every division on the drawings.
- The size and quality of the drawings. A clean 40-sheet set takes less time than a 120-sheet set with missing details.
- How complex the building is. Repeating apartment units go quickly. Healthcare, industrial and heavy renovation work does not.
- Takeoff only, or priced. Quantities alone cost less than quantities priced with material, labor and equipment.
Where the project is built does not change the fee. It changes the estimate itself, because material and labor are priced to the project's ZIP code.
Outsourcing compared with an in-house estimator
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a median annual wage of $78,740 for cost estimators in May 2025. That is wages only, before benefits, software, training and time off.
| In-house estimator | Monthly plan | Per project | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost | $78,740 a year median wage, before benefits | From $1,499 a month, about $18,000 a year | From $199 a project |
| Commitment | A full-time salary | Month to month | None |
| Trades covered | The trades one person knows well | Every trade, each done by a specialist | Every trade, each done by a specialist |
| Checked by | Usually the person who built it | A separate QA team, twice | A separate QA team, twice |
A rule of thumb: if you bid a few jobs a month, pay per project. If you bid every week, a monthly plan costs less per project, about $100 to $150 each. An in-house estimator makes sense once you bid enough for the salary to work out below those figures, and want someone in the office who knows your crews.
What the price should include
A low fee is not a saving if the estimate has to be redone. Before you compare prices, check that each of these is included:
- Quantities measured from the drawings, with marked-up plans showing where each was measured.
- Material and labor priced for the project's own ZIP code, not a national average.
- A review by someone other than the person who built the estimate.
- An editable spreadsheet with the formulas in it, so you can change markups yourself.
- Revisions and addenda at no extra charge.
Ours includes all five. Every job is checked twice by a separate QA team, the estimate arrives as an editable Excel workbook, and revisions are free with no limit. You can see finished examples on the samples page.
How to get an exact price
Send the drawings and, if you have one, the scope of work. A quote comes back with the price, the scope and the delivery time, usually within about 20 minutes during working hours. The quote is free, and nothing is charged until you approve it. Payment details come with the quote.
Common questions
A single-trade estimate typically costs $100 to $250, and a larger or multi-trade project typically costs $200 to $500. At MassBid Estimation a single project starts at $199. Large or complex projects are quoted from the drawings, and the quote is free.
A takeoff without pricing costs less than a full estimate, because material, labor and equipment are not priced. Small single-trade takeoffs typically run $100 to $250.
Both exist. Some charge hourly or as a share of construction cost. We charge by the project, so you have one price before work starts, covering the takeoff, pricing, two QA reviews and every revision.
For most small and mid-sized contractors, outsourcing costs less. The median wage for a cost estimator was $78,740 a year in May 2025 according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, before benefits. A monthly plan for 10 to 15 projects starts at $1,499, about $18,000 a year.
A contractor's bid to an owner is usually free. A detailed estimate or takeoff prepared for a contractor is a paid service. Our quote for that service is free and carries no obligation.
Most of ours are delivered in 24 to 48 hours, depending on the size, scope and complexity of the job. The quote states the exact delivery time.