It is not right for every contractor or every bid. Here is an honest look at when it works, when it doesn't, and how to choose a good service.
In-house vs outsourced: the trade-off
| In-house estimator | Outsourced service | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost structure | Fixed salary, benefits, software, office | Pay per estimate |
| Capacity | Limited to one person's hours | Scales up in busy bid seasons |
| Knowledge of your crews | Strong | Needs your productivity and markups |
| Trades outside your own | Often limited | Covers many trades |
| Control and review | Direct | Through the Excel file and marked-up plans |
When outsourcing makes sense
- You are turning down bids because there is no time to price them.
- Your estimator is overloaded during peak season.
- You bid outside your main trade, such as a GC pricing MEP or a concrete sub adding sitework.
- You are growing and want to test a new market before hiring.
- You need a second check on a large or high-risk bid.
When it may not
- Very small jobs you can price from experience in an hour
- Design-build work where the estimate is part of design meetings every day
- Bids where the documents are incomplete and pricing depends on site knowledge only you have
8 questions to ask any estimating service
- Do I get an editable Excel file, organized by CSI division?
- Will you send marked-up plans showing every quantity?
- Are waste factors shown separately?
- Do you price labor and material for my location, or use national averages?
- Who does the work, and do they know my trade?
- Will you sign an NDA?
- What is the turnaround, and is it confirmed before I pay?
- How are revisions and addenda handled?
How to get the most from an estimating service
- Send the complete set: drawings, specs and every addendum.
- Share your crew productivity, labor rates and markups if you want a number you can submit as is.
- Review the marked-up plans, not just the total.
- Build a relationship. A service that prices your work every week learns how you bid.
Work with Premium Estimating
We prepare estimates for general contractors and subcontractors across the USA, Canada, the UK and Australia. Every estimate comes in Excel by CSI division, with marked-up plans and written assumptions. Single-trade estimates start from $300. Send us your plans for a quote.
Need a number you can bid from? Send us your plans for a quote, or see our pricing.