I.
Cost Estimating
Full project cost estimates covering material, labor, equipment and overhead, scaled to your project size.
Cost estimating, quantity takeoff, bid preparation and bid leveling for general contractors, subcontractors, architects and developers building across Washington State, from Seattle and the Puget Sound to Spokane and the Cascades.
TL-04 · Estimate Snapshot
Sample quantities from a Washington multi-division takeoff
Dimensional Lumber Framing
142 MBF
Site Earthwork & Grading
9,400 CY
TPO Roofing Membrane
38,000 SF
Rough Electrical Labor
710 HR
Cast-in-Place Concrete
1,360 CY
Every Trade
Single-division or full multi-trade estimates
Statewide
Puget Sound to Eastern Washington
24–48 Hr
Typical turnaround on standard scopes
TL-01 · Core Estimating Services
Whatever stage your Washington project is at, our estimating desk plugs into your workflow instead of asking you to adapt to ours.
I.
Full project cost estimates covering material, labor, equipment and overhead, scaled to your project size.
II.
Every quantity measured directly off drawings, organized by trade and ready for pricing or procurement.
III.
Bid-ready packages formatted to drop straight into your proposal, with quantities you can defend line by line.
IV.
Subcontractor bids compared against a common scope so you can evaluate pricing on an apples-to-apples basis.
V.
Conceptual and schematic-phase budgets that give ownership a realistic number before design is finished.
VI.
Fast-turn pricing on scope changes and field conditions so change orders don't stall a live project.
VII.
Cost comparisons across material and system alternatives to help bring a budget back in line.
VIII.
Labor hours applied using trade productivity data, adjusted for Washington market conditions and project type.
TL-02 · Trades We Estimate
Then rolled together into a single estimate when your project calls for it.
03 30 00
Foundations, slabs, flatwork
04 20 00
CMU, brick, stone veneer
05 12 00
Framing, connections, decking
06 10 00
Dimensional lumber, engineered wood
07 30 00
Low-slope & steep-slope systems
08 00 00
Storefront, curtainwall, openings
09 20 00
Framing, board, finish
09 60 00
Tile, resilient, carpet
09 90 00
Interior & exterior finishes
26 00 00
Power, lighting, low voltage
22 00 00
Domestic water, sanitary, gas
23 00 00
Equipment, ductwork, controls
21/22/23/26
Coordinated multi-trade estimate
31 00 00
Excavation, grading, paving, utilities
TL-03 · Who We Serve
Our Washington estimating desk works alongside teams at every stage of the project delivery chain.
TL-05 · Project Types
From a custom home in the foothills to a mass timber office building downtown, our estimators scale the deliverable to match the project.
TL-06 · What's Included In Every Estimate
Ready for your buyer, your project manager, or your bid coordinator.
Materials and quantities organized by trade and CSI division, traceable back to the drawings.
Current Washington regional material costs paired with labor hours based on trade productivity standards.
Color-coded takeoff markups so your team can verify every quantity against the source sheet.
A clean, division-formatted summary ready to drop straight into your proposal package.
Subcontractor quotes lined up side by side against a common scope for a quick, clear comparison.
Delivered as a working Excel workbook, a formatted PDF, or both, matched to your workflow.
TL-07 · Sample Washington Estimate
Shown to illustrate the level of detail in a typical deliverable.
TL-07 · Sample Multi-Division Estimate — Tacoma, WA Multifamily
| CSI Div. | Description | Qty | Unit | Est. Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 03 30 00 | Cast-in-place concrete podium & footings | 1,360 | CY | $217,600 |
| 06 10 00 | Dimensional lumber framing, upper floors | 142 | MBF | $497,000 |
| 07 30 00 | Steep-slope composite roofing | 38,000 | SF | $266,000 |
| 08 40 00 | Vinyl windows & entry systems | 210 | EA | $252,000 |
| 09 20 00 | Metal stud framing & drywall, units | 96,000 | SF | $672,000 |
| 22 00 00 | Domestic water & sanitary plumbing | 1 | LS | $518,000 |
| 26 00 00 | Electrical distribution & lighting | 1 | LS | $486,000 |
| 31 00 00 | Site grading, drainage & utilities | 9,400 | CY | $188,000 |
| Estimated Subtotal (excerpt) | $3,096,600 | |||
TL-08 · Our Estimating Process
So you always know what to expect and when.
1
We review drawings, specifications and addenda to scope the estimate and flag anything unclear before takeoff begins.
2
Materials and quantities are measured directly off the drawings in Bluebeam, PlanSwift, STACK or On-Screen Takeoff.
3
Quantities are priced against current supplier costs and regional Washington market data.
4
Labor hours are applied using trade productivity standards, adjusted for project type and local labor conditions.
5
A second estimator checks quantities, pricing and formatting against the original drawings before release.
6
The final estimate, cost breakdown and marked-up drawings are delivered in your preferred format, on schedule.
TL-09 · Software & Pricing Sources
So the output drops straight into your existing bid process.
✓
Every estimate passes through an independent second review, checking quantities against the drawings, unit pricing against current sources, and totals against comparable historical Washington projects.
✓
Standard single-trade scopes typically return in 24 to 48 hours; larger multi-division projects are scheduled up front so you know your delivery date before you commit to bidding.
TL-10 · Washington-Specific Estimating Factors
Washington's building environment has a distinct set of rules and conditions that change how a cost estimate should be built, and our estimators account for them from the start.
Washington adopts a statewide building code through the State Building Code Council, amended by the International codes and administered under the Washington Administrative Code, so requirements are more consistent across jurisdictions than in states without a statewide code.
Contractors performing work in Washington must be registered through the Department of Labor and Industries, which affects how scope is divided and bid across trades and subcontractors.
Washington applies state prevailing wage rates to public works projects under RCW 39.12, administered by L&I, which we factor into labor pricing for any publicly funded scope.
Much of Washington sits within an active seismic zone influenced by the Cascadia subduction zone, which can add structural, connection and foundation costs that a generic national estimate would miss.
Western Washington's high rainfall drives additional building envelope, drainage and moisture-management detailing, which we build into material and labor quantities for affected assemblies.
Washington has adopted code provisions supporting tall mass timber construction, an area where the state has been an early adopter, which we account for on qualifying wood-innovation projects.
Cities and counties issue their own permits under the state's Growth Management Act framework, so local jurisdiction requirements are confirmed before an estimate is finalized.
Accessible route, clearance and fixture requirements are reflected in quantities for applicable commercial and multifamily project types.
TL-11 · Washington Service Areas
We estimate construction projects across the Puget Sound region, Eastern Washington and everywhere in between.
...and the rest of Washington.
Pricing
Every project is priced on its own scope, but these are the factors that move an estimate the most.
Client Notes
“The lumber and framing quantities matched our own numbers almost exactly, which isn't something we're used to seeing from an outside estimator.”
Project Manager, General Contractor — Tacoma, WA
“Bid leveling on our last multifamily job took a fraction of the time it used to, and the comparison sheet made the decision easy.”
Chief Estimator, Commercial Contractor — Seattle, WA
“They flagged prevailing wage requirements on a public job before we submitted, which saved us from a bid that would have come in short.”
Preconstruction Manager, Developer — Spokane, WA
Washington Estimating Desk
Send drawings and a short scope so we can return a sample-level estimate for your Washington project. Accepts PDF, DWG, ZIP, XLSX · Max 25MB per file.
Common questions about construction estimating in Washington
A construction estimating service measures every quantity of material and labor shown on a project's drawings and specifications, then prices that scope so a contractor can submit an accurate bid or set a realistic budget. Deliverables typically include a quantity takeoff, a cost breakdown, marked-up drawings and a bid summary. Related scope on the same drawings can move through our BIM estimating services.
Yes. We estimate projects throughout Washington, including Seattle, Spokane, Tacoma, Vancouver WA, Bellevue, Everett, Kent, Renton, Olympia, Bellingham and surrounding communities on both sides of the Cascades. Matching trade quantities are covered by our HVAC estimating services.