01
How much material moves - cut, fill, import, export and haul distance.
Estimating Buddies delivers sitework estimating services covering earthwork, grading, underground utilities, drainage, paving and landscaping - built from your civil drawings into a bid-ready cost estimate with quantities, labor, equipment and material pricing your team can defend at the bid table.
Site Plan
Sample layout · figures populated per project
Scope
Sitework quantity takeoff
Earthwork
- cy
Utilities
Per plans
Paving
Per spec
Turnaround
24-72h
As fast as 24-72 hrs
Turnaround
USA & Canada
Coverage
Excel, PDF & marked-up plans
Format
Any scope, any division
Project size
Sitework Service Overview
A sitework estimate has to hold up across trades - earthwork, utilities, paving and landscaping all draw from the same drawing set but price out differently. Our site work estimating services break the project into the same scope order a superintendent would walk the job in, so quantities, assumptions and pricing line up with how the work actually gets built and billed.
Whether you're bidding a subdivision, a retail pad site, an industrial yard or a municipal roadway package, we work from your civil drawings, specifications and geotechnical reports to produce a sitework cost estimate that your estimating team can hand off to procurement, or that a solo estimator can use to submit a competitive bid without redoing the math. Flatwork on the same site can also use concrete estimating services.
01
How much material moves - cut, fill, import, export and haul distance.
02
What goes underground - pipe, structures, bedding and trench backfill by utility type.
03
What covers the surface - paving sections, curb, sidewalk and site concrete.
04
What finishes the site - drainage structures, erosion control and landscaping.
05
What it costs to build - labor hours, equipment time and subcontractor scope.
Scope Coverage
Every sitework quantity takeoff we produce is organized by scope so it can be priced, reviewed and handed to subcontractors without reformatting.
Tree and brush clearing, grubbing, pavement removal, structure demolition and debris haul-off, quantified for disposal planning.
Earthwork quantities from surface-to-surface comparison, including cut, fill, import/export balance and topsoil handling.
Rough and finish grading quantities, subgrade preparation and soil compaction requirements tied to geotechnical recommendations.
Silt fence, inlet protection, erosion control blankets and construction entrances sized to the SWPPP or permit set.
Storm sewer pipe, structures, detention/retention basins and drainage swales measured off grading and utility plans.
Water, sanitary sewer, gas and electrical duct bank quantities including trench length, bedding and structure counts.
Trench excavation, pipe bedding material, backfill and compaction quantities calculated by utility depth and pipe class.
Asphalt paving sections, concrete paving, curb and gutter, sidewalks and pavement markings measured by area and linear footage.
Segmental and cast-in-place retaining walls, dumpster pads, equipment pads and other exterior concrete flatwork.
Seeding, sod, planting, irrigation, fencing and site furnishings quantified from landscape plans for final site stabilization.
Material hauling and disposal allowances, equipment hours by task and labor crews sized to the schedule and site access.
Scope-specific quantity packages formatted for utility, paving and landscaping subcontractors to price independently.
Who We Serve
Our sitework estimator supports every role that touches the civil scope of a project, from the first bid invitation through subcontractor buyout.
Project Types
From subdivision grading to municipal roadway packages, the takeoff is organized around the civil scope actually shown on your drawings.
Single-family lots, subdivisions and multifamily communities, from rough grading through final utility connections.
Retail pads, office parks, hotels and restaurants where parking, drainage and utility tie-ins drive the sitework budget.
Warehouses, distribution centers and manufacturing sites with heavy paving sections and large-scale earthwork.
Roadway, utility replacement and public facility projects estimated to municipal specifications and unit-price bid formats.
Schools, healthcare campuses and government facilities with phased sitework tied to occupancy and safety requirements.
Roadway corridors, utility infrastructure and heavy civil scopes requiring detailed earthwork and drainage takeoffs.
What's Included
Every sitework cost estimating engagement is scoped to your project, but a typical estimate covers the following.
Trade-wise quantity takeoff for every division of sitework
Cut-and-fill volume calculation from grading plans
Material quantities for aggregate, pipe, concrete and asphalt
Labor hours and crew sizing by scope of work
Equipment hours and rental or ownership cost allowances
Hauling and disposal allowances based on haul distance
Local material and labor pricing where available
Subcontractor scope packages for utility and paving trades
Marked-up civil drawings showing takeoff areas
Bid summary organized by CSI division or your preferred format
Documented assumptions, exclusions and clarification notes
Revision support for addenda and plan changes
Deliverables
Every sitework estimating engagement ends with a documented package, not just a total.
Trade-wise sitework quantity takeoff with units, formulas and reference sheet numbers.
Editable Excel workbook with material, labor, equipment and subcontractor line items.
Color-coded PDF takeoff sheets showing exactly where each quantity was measured.
A one-page rollup by CSI division ready to attach to your proposal or bid form.
Written notes covering what's included, what's excluded and any clarifications for the GC.
Trip counts and disposal cost allowances based on stated or assumed haul distances.
Trade-split quantity packages formatted for utility, paving and landscaping sub-bids.
A tracked record of changes made across addenda so nothing gets double-counted or missed.
Sample Sitework Estimate
A simplified excerpt from a commercial pad-site sitework estimate, shown for illustration. Actual quantities, units and pricing vary by project - figures below are placeholders, not a quote.
Sample Project - 3.2-Acre Commercial Pad Site
Illustrative only
Scope Item
Quantity
Unit
Notes
Clearing & grubbing
3.2
AC
Includes tree removal per plan
Cut / fill (net export)
2,450 / 1,180
CY
Export balance ~1,270 CY
Storm sewer pipe (15"-24")
640
LF
RCP, per grading & utility plan
Sanitary sewer main
310
LF
PVC SDR-35, avg. 8 ft depth
Water main & services
420
LF
Includes fire line tie-in
Asphalt paving (parking & drive)
38,500
SF
3" surface / 6" base per detail
Concrete curb & gutter
1,180
LF
Standard 6" curb, per detail
Sidewalk & ADA ramps
2,900
SF
Includes 4 accessible ramps
Erosion control (silt fence)
960
LF
Per SWPPP layout
Seeding & landscaping
1.4
AC
Disturbed area restoration
This excerpt represents one section of a full sitework estimate. A complete deliverable also includes labor hours, equipment allowances, hauling costs, subcontractor pricing and a written assumptions log.
Our Process
The same six-step process behind every sitework cost estimate we deliver, from drawing intake through a bid-ready package.
01
Upload civil drawings, grading plans, utility plans, specifications and any geotechnical reports through our secure intake, along with your bid date and turnaround needs.
02
Our team reviews the drawing set for completeness, notes any missing details or conflicting information, and confirms the scope of the estimate with you before takeoff begins.
03
Quantities are measured directly from the digital drawings - earthwork surfaces, utility runs, paving areas and landscape zones - using on-screen takeoff and civil design software.
04
Material, labor and equipment costs are applied using current local pricing, published cost data and, where provided, your own historical unit costs.
05
A second estimator cross-checks quantities against the drawings, verifies formulas and confirms the estimate is complete before it's finalized.
06
You receive the estimate, marked-up drawings and bid summary, plus a call or written walkthrough of assumptions, exclusions and anything that needs your input.
Software & Pricing Sources
We measure quantities digitally and apply pricing from a mix of published data and current market sources so figures reflect real conditions, not generic averages.
PlanSwift, Bluebeam Revu and On-Screen Takeoff for digital quantity measurement
AutoCAD Civil 3D and Trimble Business Center for surface and earthwork analysis
RSMeans cost data as a pricing reference, adjusted for local conditions
Local supplier and vendor quotations for aggregate, pipe, concrete and asphalt
Excel-based cost breakdowns that stay fully editable after delivery
Digital terrain modeling for cut-and-fill and earthwork volume calculations
Cross-referencing civil drawings, specifications and geotechnical reports
PDF, DWG and IFC drawing formats accepted for takeoff
Accuracy & Quality Assurance
Every sitework estimate is reviewed against the drawings, specifications and geotechnical data before it leaves our desk.
01
Every estimate is checked by a second estimator before delivery to catch missed scope, formula errors or misread drawings.
02
Quantities are verified against both the drawings and the written specifications so scope isn't taken from one source alone.
03
Anywhere a drawing is unclear or incomplete, we log the assumption in writing rather than guessing silently.
04
When plans are revised, we track what changed and update only the affected quantities to avoid double-counting.
05
Material and labor rates are checked against current regional data rather than reused from older estimates.
06
If a question comes up while you're finalizing your bid, you can reach the estimator who built the takeoff directly.
Why Estimating Buddies
Sitework estimating is a specialized civil scope. These are the reasons contractors hand that number to a sitework-focused team instead of folding it into a general takeoff.
We estimate sitework exclusively across earthwork, utilities, paving and landscaping - not as one line item inside a general building estimate.
Standard and expedited turnaround options so a tight bid schedule doesn't force you to skip a proper takeoff.
Every quantity traces back to a marked-up drawing and a documented assumption, so you can answer questions at the bid table.
Deliverables arrive in editable formats that plug into your existing bid forms, spreadsheets and subcontractor workflows.
Familiarity with regional pricing variation and common specification formats used across both countries.
Questions go to the person who built the estimate, not a general support queue.
Pricing Factors
Sitework costs vary widely by project, and no two sites price out the same way. These are the factors that most often shift a sitework cost estimate.
Factor
Why it matters
Project Size
Larger sites generally lower the per-unit cost of mobilization but increase total earthwork and utility footage.
Site Conditions
Existing slopes, vegetation, obstructions and access constraints affect clearing and equipment productivity.
Soil & Geotechnical Reports
Soil type, groundwater and bearing capacity influence compaction requirements, dewatering and import/export volumes.
Grading Complexity
Tight cut-and-fill balances, retaining structures and steep grade changes add labor and equipment time.
Utility Depth & Routing
Deeper trenches, rock excavation and utility conflicts increase trenching, shoring and dewatering costs.
Material Prices
Aggregate, pipe, concrete and asphalt pricing fluctuate by region, supplier and market conditions.
Labor Rates
Prevailing wage requirements and local labor market conditions vary significantly by state, province and project type.
Equipment Requirements
Specialized equipment for rock excavation, dewatering or shoring adds mobilization and rental costs.
Hauling Distances
Distance to disposal sites or import material sources directly affects trucking and disposal allowances.
Drawing Completeness
Incomplete or preliminary drawings require more assumptions, which widens the estimate's margin for change.
Turnaround Required
Expedited timelines may limit the depth of quantity verification possible before your bid deadline.
Permit & Jurisdiction Requirements
Local stormwater, erosion control and inspection requirements can add scope not shown directly on the drawings.
Ready to Bid?
Upload your site plans and get a bid-ready sitework cost estimate - earthwork, utilities, paving and landscaping, checked before it reaches your bid.
Sitework estimating services, answered directly
Sitework estimating services measure and price the civil work required to prepare a site for construction - earthwork, grading, underground utilities, drainage, paving, and landscaping - so contractors can submit a bid-ready sitework cost estimate built from civil drawings. Related scope on the same drawings can move through our MEP estimating services.
A typical sitework estimate includes trade-wise quantity takeoff, cut-and-fill volumes, material quantities for aggregate, pipe, concrete and asphalt, labor hours and crew sizing, equipment hours, hauling and disposal allowances, marked-up civil drawings, a bid summary, and documented assumptions and exclusions. Matching trade quantities are covered by our rebar estimating services.