Architects
Early client budgets and feasibility numbers.
Architectural cost estimating, quantity takeoff, and preconstruction budgeting for Alabama architects, contractors, and developers - from a Mobile Bay build to a Birmingham historic renovation.
Estimate ledger
CAST No. 114
Foundation
Poured
Structure
Framed
Envelope
Finishes
Stage
DD Set
Takeoff
Digital
Status
Budget Set
2–4 days
typical turnaround
±5–8%
schematic-stage accuracy
67
counties served
12+
trades covered
Who we serve
Architects, contractors, developers, subcontractors, and public agencies each hand an estimate to a different desk. The package is built for that handoff.
Early client budgets and feasibility numbers.
Bid-day pricing and subcontractor comparison.
Pro forma-ready project cost projections.
Trade-specific takeoffs for a single scope.
Independent estimates for competitive bid review.
Four Alabama markets
Alabama's construction economy runs on four very different engines. We estimate for architects and contractors bidding across all of them, priced to what each market actually pays for labor and material.
The state's largest commercial, healthcare, and higher-ed market, with a strong base of historic renovation and adaptive reuse work downtown.
Aerospace, defense, and advanced-manufacturing demand around Redstone Arsenal, driving fast-growing commercial and institutional construction.
Port, industrial, and coastal residential work where wind rating and hurricane exposure shape every estimate.
Montgomery, Tuscaloosa, and Auburn's mix of government, university, and steady residential construction.
Core services
Each service works as a standalone deliverable or bundles into a full estimate package, sized to whatever stage your drawings are at.
01
Full project cost estimates built from your drawings, covering every trade from sitework through finishes, at whatever level of detail your project stage needs.
02
Line-by-line counts of materials and assemblies measured directly off your plans and elevations, ready to hand to suppliers for pricing.
03
Detailed material lists by trade and specification, built for procurement as much as for budgeting.
04
Early conceptual numbers from schematic drawings or a project narrative, so owners and design teams know what a project will cost before it's fully designed.
05
Bid-day pricing turned around to your deadline, giving contractors a competitive, defensible number without pulling estimators off active jobs.
06
Cost estimates for renovation, restoration, and adaptive reuse projects, priced to account for existing-condition unknowns and preservation-grade materials.
07
Trade-by-trade cost comparisons across material and system alternatives, so design decisions get made with real numbers instead of guesswork.
08
Post-bid or mid-project cost reviews that flag where a budget is drifting and why, with change order pricing when scope shifts.
Trades covered
Quantities and pricing run by CSI division, from sitework and structure through finishes, MEP, and general conditions.
03
Foundations, slabs, and flatwork.
04
Brick, block, and stone veneer.
05
Steel framing and structural connections.
06
Wood framing, sheathing, and rough carpentry.
07
Roofing, waterproofing, and wind-rated envelope.
08
Openings, glazing, and storefront systems.
09
Drywall, flooring, painting, and millwork.
31
Grading, utilities, and site concrete.
21–23
Heating, cooling, and ventilation systems.
22
Fixtures, piping, and rough-in.
26
Power, lighting, and low voltage.
GC
Supervision, temp facilities, and overhead.
Project types
Commercial, residential, historic, institutional, industrial, and public work - each estimated around the trades and conditions that show up on that type of Alabama job.
Office, retail, and other commercial work across Birmingham, Huntsville, the Gulf Coast, and the River Region.
Custom home or single residential projects, estimated with a standard trade set.
Multifamily scopes with full trade coverage, priced to the region the project sits in.
Renovation, restoration, and adaptive reuse, including preservation-grade materials and existing-condition unknowns.
Healthcare and higher-ed work, including Birmingham’s institutional market and university projects in Montgomery, Tuscaloosa, and Auburn.
Public-agency estimates structured to support Alabama’s competitive bid process.
Port, industrial, and advanced-manufacturing construction, including Huntsville and Mobile Bay.
Hospitality projects estimated with full trade coverage, from schematic budgets through bid-day pricing.
Alabama considerations
Alabama's local code adoption, coastal exposure, and historic building stock all change how a project should be priced. We build these into the estimate instead of leaving them for you to catch after bid day.
Code
Alabama doesn't apply a single mandatory statewide building code - estimates reflect whichever code edition and local amendments the project's municipality has adopted.
Coastal
Mobile Bay and Baldwin County scopes are priced with wind-rated envelope assemblies, impact-resistant glazing, and elevated construction where required.
Historic
Renovation and adaptive reuse estimates for listed or historic-district buildings reflect Alabama Historical Commission review requirements and preservation-grade materials.
Public work
Government and public-agency estimates are structured to support Alabama's competitive bid process, with a cost breakdown ready for public review.
How it works
Six steps from the plans you send to a priced estimate ready for a client, a bank, or the bid desk.
01
Upload plans, elevations, or a project narrative - any stage from schematic design to issued for construction.
02
We confirm project size, trades involved, and your deadline, then send a fixed price and turnaround before starting.
03
Every wall, assembly, and finish is measured and counted directly off your drawings.
04
Quantities are priced against current material, equipment, and labor data specific to your project's region.
05
A second estimator checks the takeoff and pricing against the drawings before anything is sent back to you.
06
You get the full estimate package, plus a revision window if scope or drawings change before your deadline.
What's included
A complete package ready to hand to a client, a bank, or the bid desk - no reformatting needed on your end.
Full quantity takeoff by trade and CSI division
Unit and total pricing against current Alabama material and labor rates
Cost breakdown formatted for client budgets or bid submission
Scope clarifications and inclusions/exclusions list
Editable spreadsheet and summary PDF
One round of revisions if drawings or scope change before your deadline
Sample estimate
Excerpt - Birmingham historic warehouse adaptive reuse, structural and envelope scope.
Birmingham historic warehouse adaptive reuse
STRUCTURAL & ENVELOPE SCOPE
Item
Qty
Unit
Est. Cost
Structural steel reinforcement & repair
1
LS
$142,000
Masonry facade restoration, brick & mortar match
4,600
SF
$96,600
Historic window restoration & storm glazing
68
EA
$81,600
Roof replacement, membrane & insulation
12,200
SF
$134,200
Fire-rated egress & life-safety upgrades
1
LS
$58,400
Preservation consultant review & documentation
1
LS
$14,500
Structural & envelope subtotal
$527,300
Software & pricing sources
Quantities are measured in takeoff software and priced against cost data and live supplier quotes, then delivered in an editable spreadsheet and summary PDF.
Bluebeam
Digital takeoff & markup
PlanSwift
Quantity takeoff
On-Screen Takeoff
Quantity takeoff
Revit Quantity Takeoff
Model quantities
RSMeans Data
Cost data
Live Supplier Quotes
Material pricing
Service areas
Statewide coverage, with the deepest project volume in these four regions.
Birmingham Metro
Huntsville & TN Valley
Gulf Coast
River Region & East AL
Why firms use us
Regional rates, historic-project fluency, and a second estimator on every package - sized to a one-off bid or a standing pipeline.
01
Labor and material rates set by region, not a national average, so numbers hold up against local competition.
02
Estimators who can price a preservation-grade restoration as confidently as a ground-up commercial build.
03
Every estimate is checked by a second estimator before it reaches you - no single-point errors on bid day.
04
One-off estimates or a standing arrangement that covers your whole project pipeline - you set the pace.
05
Quoted deadlines that hold, so a tight client timeline never becomes your problem.
06
Estimates delivered in an editable format that drops straight into your existing workflow.
Pricing
Project size, scope, drawing completeness, turnaround, and region set the fee. The package itself is quoted before takeoff starts.
01
Larger projects take longer to take off and typically cost more to estimate, though the cost per square foot drops.
02
Historic restoration, structural steel, and multi-trade coordination take more estimator hours than a standard framed build.
03
Schematic or design-development drawings need more assumptions and judgment than issued-for-construction sets.
04
A standard 2–4 day turnaround is included in base pricing; rush requests inside 48 hours carry a premium.
05
Birmingham and Huntsville carry different labor and material costs than the Gulf Coast or River Region.
Residential
Commercial
Historic & Complex
Get a sample estimate
Upload plans, elevations, or a project narrative - any stage from schematic design to issued for construction. We'll confirm scope, region, and your deadline before takeoff starts.
FAQ
A full quantity takeoff by trade and CSI division, unit and total pricing against current Alabama material and labor rates, a cost breakdown formatted for client budgets or bid submission, scope clarifications with an inclusions and exclusions list, an editable spreadsheet and summary PDF, and one round of revisions if drawings or scope change before your deadline. You can start from the home page to see the complete estimating lineup.
Yes. Renovation, restoration, and adaptive reuse estimates are priced for existing-condition unknowns and preservation-grade materials. Listed or historic-district buildings also reflect Alabama Historical Commission review requirements. Related scope on the same drawings can move through our BIM estimating services.