Pricing
Construction estimating prices, from $199 a project
Priced by the project, not by the hour. Send your plans for a free quote, usually back in about 20 minutes.
In short
MassBid Estimation charges by the project, not by the hour. A single construction estimate or takeoff starts at $199. Simple single-trade scopes typically cost $100 to $250, and larger projects typically cost $200 to $500. A monthly plan for contractors who bid every week starts at $1,499 for 10 to 15 projects.
Every price includes two QA reviews, an editable Excel workbook and free, unlimited revisions. The quote is free and states the exact price before any work starts.
Get a free quote- Single project
- From $199
- Simple single-trade scope
- $100 to $250
- Larger project
- Typically $200 to $500
- Monthly plan
- From $1,499 for 10 to 15 projects
- Dedicated estimator
- Priced on request
- Quote
- Free, in about 20 minutes
- Revisions
- Free, unlimited, no time limit
- Payment
- Details come with your quote
Price list
What construction estimating services cost
These are typical prices. Your quote states the exact price for your drawings, and it is free.
| What you need | Typical price | What that covers |
|---|---|---|
| Simple single-trade takeoff or estimateA small scope in one trade, such as paint, flooring or a storefront package on a small building. | $100 to $250 | A small scope in one trade, such as paint, flooring or a storefront package on a small building. |
| Single projectOne project, taken off and priced, for a subcontractor, general contractor or supplier. | From $199 | One project, taken off and priced, for a subcontractor, general contractor or supplier. |
| Larger building or several tradesMore sheets, more trades or more detail to measure and price. | Typically $200 to $500 | More sheets, more trades or more detail to measure and price. |
| Large, complex or multi-building projectFull general contractor packages, industrial work and campuses are priced once we have seen the set. | Quoted from the drawings | Full general contractor packages, industrial work and campuses are priced once we have seen the set. |
| Monthly plan10 to 15 projects a month, which works out to about $100 to $150 a project. | From $1,499 a month | 10 to 15 projects a month, which works out to about $100 to $150 a project. |
| Dedicated estimatorOne estimator assigned to your company, working as part of your team. | Priced on request | One estimator assigned to your company, working as part of your team. |
Prices are in US dollars and apply in all 50 states. Payment details come with your quote.
Plans
Three ways to buy estimating
Pay for one project, take a monthly plan, or have an estimator assigned to you. The estimators, the QA reviews and the deliverable are the same in all three.
- Pay as you go
Single project
Starting from
$199per project
For contractors and suppliers who bid now and then, or who want to try us on one job first.
- Any trade, any building type, any US state
- Takeoff only, or a full priced estimate
- Priced to the project's ZIP code
- Two QA reviews by a separate team
- Editable Excel workbook with formulas
- Free revisions with no limit
- Typically delivered in 24 to 48 hours
- For weekly bidders
Monthly plan
Starting from
$1,499per month
For contractors who bid every week and want a set monthly cost for estimating.
- 10 to 15 projects a month
- About $100 to $150 a project
- Takeoffs and cost management
- Bid filing and consultation
- Everything in a single project
- Free revisions with no limit
- Typically delivered in 24 to 48 hours
- Full time
Dedicated estimator
Price
On request
For firms that want one estimator assigned to them, without hiring one.
- One estimator assigned to your company
- Takeoffs and cost management
- Feasibility studies and early budgets
- Bid filing and bidding-network profile management
- Project scheduling
- Preconstruction and change orders
- Everything in a single project
Included
What every price includes
There are no add-ons. Whether the job is $150 or part of a monthly plan, you get all of this.
An estimator who works in that trade
Concrete is measured by someone who measures concrete every day. The team is more than 20 in-house estimators, typically with seven to ten years in their trade.
Prices for the project's own ZIP code
Material prices come from our own database, built with local vendors across the United States and updated by them as prices change.
The right labor rates
Union, open shop or Davis-Bacon prevailing wage with fringes, whichever the job calls for.
Two QA reviews
A separate team checks the quantities against the drawings, then checks the priced estimate line by line.
An editable Excel workbook
Formulas are built in. Change a quantity, a rate or your overhead and profit and every total updates.
Marked-up plans
You can see where each quantity was measured, so any line can be checked against the drawings.
Your format
Your scope, your template, your bid form and your markups. Matching your spreadsheet costs nothing extra.
Free revisions and addenda
As many as you need, with no time limit, handled on priority and typically back within an hour to a few hours.
Read more about where the prices in an estimate come from and how the work is checked.
What moves the price
Four things that set your fee
We quote by the project because these four things vary far more than a page count suggests.
How many trades
A single-trade takeoff touches one division. A full general contractor package touches every division on the drawings.
Size and quality of the drawings
A clean, fully dimensioned 40-sheet set takes less time than a 120-sheet set with missing details that have to be worked around and noted.
How complex the building is
Repeating apartment units go quickly. Healthcare, industrial and heavy renovation work has more systems, phasing and conditions to price.
Takeoff only, or priced
Quantities alone cost less than a full estimate with material, labor and equipment priced for the project's ZIP code.
Where the project is built does not change our fee. It changes the estimate, because every job is priced to its own ZIP code.
Compared
An in-house estimator, the monthly plan, or pay per project
Outsourcing estimating is mostly a question of how often you bid.
| In-house estimator | Monthly plan | Per project | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost | $78,740 a year median wage, before benefits, software and training | From $1,499 a month, about $18,000 a year | From $199 a project |
| Commitment | A full-time salary, whether or not you are bidding | Month to month | None. Pay for the jobs you send |
| Trades covered | The trades that one person knows well | Every trade, each done by a specialist | Every trade, each done by a specialist |
| Checked by | Usually the same person who built it | A separate QA team, twice | A separate QA team, twice |
| Busy weeks | One person, one job at a time | Several estimators can work in parallel | Several estimators can work in parallel |
The wage figure is the median annual wage for cost estimators in May 2025, from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. As a rule of thumb: a few bids a month, pay per project. A bid or more every week, take the monthly plan.
How it works
From your plans to an exact price
Send the plans
Use the contact form, email the drawings, or share a Dropbox, Google Drive or OneDrive link. Add the scope of work if you have one.
Get a free quote
Usually in about 20 minutes during working hours. It states the price, the scope and the delivery timeline. There is no charge and no obligation.
Approve it
Nothing is charged until you approve the quote. Payment details come with it.
Receive the estimate
Typically in 24 to 48 hours, depending on the size, scope and complexity of the job. The quote states the exact timeline.
Revise for free
Addenda, scope changes and pricing updates are free, however many times you come back, with no time limit.
After delivery
An editable Excel workbook and free revisions
- Formulas built in
An Excel workbook you can change yourself
The estimate arrives as an editable Excel workbook with the formulas built in. Change a quantity, a rate or a markup and every total follows. Move overhead and profit from 25% to 30% and the whole bid recalculates on the spot.
- No waiting
Adjust your bid at the last minute
If something changes just before the deadline, you do not have to send the estimate back and wait. Open the workbook, change the number and submit. The control stays with you.
- Priority turnaround
Free revisions, with no limit
Addenda, scope changes and pricing updates are all free, however many times you come back, and there is no time limit. Revisions are handled on priority and typically come back within an hour to a few hours.
The work
See what you are paying for
37 finished estimates and takeoffs are on the samples page. Each was built to that client's own specification, so the wage rates, prices and markups are theirs. Ask us for a current sample in your trade.
Questions
Pricing questions
At MassBid Estimation a single project starts at $199. Simple single-trade scopes typically run $100 to $250, and larger buildings typically run $200 to $500. Large, complex or multi-building projects are quoted from the drawings. The quote is free and usually comes back in about 20 minutes.
A takeoff without pricing costs less than a full estimate, because the material, labor and equipment are not priced. Small single-trade takeoffs typically run $100 to $250. Send the drawings and the quote will state the exact price for your scope.
By the project. You get one price for the whole job before any work starts, covering the takeoff, the pricing, the two QA reviews and every revision. There is no hourly meter and no per-sheet fee.
The monthly plan starts at $1,499 and covers 10 to 15 projects a month, which works out to about $100 to $150 a project. It includes takeoffs, cost management, bid filing and consultation, with the same two QA reviews, Excel workbook and free revisions as a single project.
For a contractor who bids every week, yes. At 10 to 15 projects a month the cost per project is about $100 to $150, below the $199 starting price of a single project. If you bid only a few jobs a month, paying per project usually costs less.
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics puts the median annual wage for cost estimators at $78,740 (May 2025), before benefits, software and training. The monthly plan starts at $1,499, about $18,000 a year, and it runs month to month. An in-house estimator also covers the trades that one person knows; we assign each trade to a specialist.
Yes. Send the plans and you get a quote with the price, the scope and the delivery timeline, usually in about 20 minutes during working hours. There is no charge for the quote and no obligation to go ahead.
No. The quote states the price for the job, and that is the price. Revisions, addenda and matching your own template are included. If you need the work faster than usual, tell us when you send the plans and the quote will state the timeline we can meet.
Payment details come with your quote. Nothing is charged until you approve the quote, and work starts once you do.
The fee is based on the work in the drawings: the number of trades, the size of the set and how complex the building is. Location does not change our fee. It does change the estimate itself, because every project is priced to its own ZIP code.
Yes. 37 finished estimates and takeoffs are on the samples page, one or more for every CSI division, and you can open each one full screen. You can also ask for a current sample in your own trade.
Yes. The estimate is delivered as an editable Excel workbook with the formulas built in. Change any quantity, rate or markup and the whole estimate recalculates. If overhead and profit was set at 25% and you want 30%, change that one cell and every total updates, so you can adjust your number minutes before the bid is due without sending it back to us.
As many as you need. Every revision is free, including addenda, scope changes and pricing updates, however many times you come back, and there is no time limit. Revisions are handled on priority and are typically returned within an hour to a few hours, depending on the size of the change.
More answers are on the FAQ page.
Get the exact price for your project
Send the drawings for a free quote, usually back in about 20 minutes. No charge and no obligation.