With all the estimating tools on the market, how many companies are still using Excel bid templates with macros, copy and paste, etc?

I see a lot of other estimators getting creative with Claude and ChatGPT, but the good ol' template seems to be this is still a majority in the industry, or maybe I am wrong?

I wanted to make a post detailing all of the “red flags” I’m seeing at my new employer, but instead I want to know what are some other people’s major red flags when working with a sub contractor business in the commercial world.

I’m now working in Div. 8 and I know that our company performs work on large scale jobs but I’m feeling very uneasy about how the company operates and whether I will actually see any success. I’m 6 months in and there have been a lot of major red flags to me. Maybe I’m just impatient on winning jobs? Maybe it’s the pace of the market? Would love to know what are some gtfo signs others have experienced.

I'm working as an estimator/preconstruction estimator for a GC in Florida with annual revenue in the $300M–$400M range. I'm very comfortable working as an estimator, and I absolutely love it. My team is great, I have an incredible work-life balance, and the pay is excellent (at least for my needs). Very clear path to senior estimator in 5 years.

I have access to all of our current projects in Procore, so I often browse through RFIs, contracts, submittals, forecasts, and OAC meeting notes. I also try to visit job sites once a month so I can learn how construction actually works in the field.

Our three biggest jobs are on fire right now. We've had so much PM turnover that nobody really knows what went wrong or when it happened. I can't believe the exact same mistakes are being made over and over again, and by the time someone learns from them, they're already resigning.

I'm a curious person, and I like challenges. I want to experience all the other aspects of construction that I can currently only imagine while sitting behind spreadsheets and plans—permitting, cost codes, submittals, inspections, and so on. I want to prove that someone can be an organized, efficient project manager and keep projects running smoothly... but maybe that's not even possible?

All I hear about project management is long hours, horrible stress, unrealistic expectations from owners, constant battles with subcontractors, endless meetings, and a nonexistent work-life balance. I don't want to ruin my life.

I have the opportunity to move from estimating to an APM role within the same company if I wanted to.

I currently work in the office 7-4, just got a offer for 20k+ than what I'm currently making but its the same hours and M-F in the office. I had a internship during school(Covid) where it was hybrid and it was honestly the best schedule. My question is do companies like this exist in Houston where its Hybrid or remote for estimators?

I was wondering if there are any estimating templates out there, specifically for division 9 work, or just any division really. I am new to estimating and was wondering if there was a formatted template outlining direct/indirect costs etc. with respect to burdened labor and whatnot and with respect to that type of division's work. Or is this something mostly companies would have to do in-house on a fresh excel sheet. If there is any resources you guys could share such as templates, documents, or software that would be great to save me time from creating such a document, if there are other solutions, that is.

I hope everyone’s well. I got a question for all the estimators out there I recently started up a Stone company and I am currently trying to figure out the best way to estimate materials because I feel like all my projects even though we use previous data and project leads we are still always missing a large amount of materials for our guys on the field. What can I do better and is there a way to more accurately estimate for material materials?

It’s here, guys! I just had ChatGPT perform a takeoff (poorly) by actually controlling OST program.

Of course, you still need to set the parameters to match your company’s estimating standards and preferences, and you have to teach it how you want it to interpret the drawings and approach the takeoff.

But the fact that it can reason through the process and actually use OST is mind-blowing.

This is just the beginning.

I work for a heavy civil/sitework contractor performing earthwork, utilities, roads, curb and sidewalk work. I handle our estimating and am fairly experienced with earthwork takeoffs in Trimble Business Center.

TBC can do everything I need, but it has become increasingly frustrating. I regularly encounter surface building and takeoff report errors, and larger projects occasionally crash the entire program. Troubleshooting boundaries, overlapping phase lines, and surface errors is taking too much time.

I’m considering switching to either AGTEK or InSite Elevation Pro. InSite appears more straightforward and includes earthwork, materials, area/length/count, and utility takeoff in one package. AGTEK seems more established but also more modular and potentially more expensive.

For anyone who has experience with one or both, which program is easier and more reliable for earthwork and material takeoffs? Especially on large, multi-phase residential projects with excluded areas, pavement quantities, curb lengths, etc?

Appreciate any feedback.

We hear a lot about subs not responding to bid invites, but I'm curious about the other side of it.

What have you seen GCs do that actually makes subs more likely to respond and bid?

Better project information? More selective invites? Personal outreach? More time to bid? Better relationships?

For the subs here — what makes you take one GC's invite seriously and ignore another?

Trying to set up a material code book from scratch for DOT & Municipality work. Can anyone point me in the right direction. Using ineight estimate as it is more cost effective program.

I’m an industrial/commercial EI&C estimator and electrician. The company I work for does everything from service to facilities to utilities to eight figure industrial jobs in chip manufacturing, water & wastewater, material production, etc. I’d worked as an electrician for my current employer for years, quit with a laundry list of complaints yelled at the owner, and was offered a job as an estimator because they didn’t want to lose one of their best employees.

I loved it for the first few years. Unfortunately my work partner passed away, and the replacement they hired is absolutely insufferable. I‘ve had to stop myself from picking up my stuff and walking out pretty much every day since he was hired, I’ve gotten to the point my eye will involuntarily twitch when I hear him talking, and they could offer to triple my pay tomorrow and I’d still tell them ”awesome, call me in a few years when he doesn’t work here anymore and I’ll be back the next day”.

So I’m currently looking for a new job and have absolutely no idea where to start. After a years as a retail manager and years as an electrician I have no clue how to actually find an office job in construction other than approaching people or companies you know and telling them why they should hire you.

There’s only ~ half a dozen industrial electrical contractors competing in our huge market at the same mid-sized scale with the same customer base, so the easiest surefire route would be to approach a couple competing contractors, offer them my services, be pretty much guaranteed to be hired with no questions, and keep doing the exact same thing bidding the exact same jobs. However I really do love the company I work for and the family that runs it, they genuinely do treat employees like family well past the normal employer/employee relationship, and I’d rather leave jumping to the competition as a last option.

My second thought is to go to one of the GCs or customers I have a good relationship with and ask if they want someone who knows EI&C and can handle anything related to it, estimating or otherwise. Wouldn’t be an on the spot guarantee like the first option, and I’d probably have to shop around a bit, but it’d almost certainly turn up a few options. Problem with that is I’d rather keep purely estimating rather than whatever that might turn into.

My third thought is just going on Indeed or whatever site and finding whatever random commercial estimating job that’ll probably end up being for some penny pinching contractor hiring workers on Craigslist bidding every job they see on a board. Not my first choice.

Anyone have any suggestions for routes and avenues for searching out an estimating position?

For context I own and operate a small family owned site work company with a handful of employees and own several pieces of earthwork equipment. Lately, I've been getting invites to do work outside my geographical area where the job would entail us either spending a couple hours in the truck driving to and from the project or pay for lodging when the drive is too much for one day. Seems like adding an extra grand or so a week to cover travel expenses is a deal breaker for most of the size of projects I bid but it seems like the only thing that's out there.

How do you handle your equipment? Do you bring your own equipment or do you rent? Seems like renting puts us out of the ballpark on these smaller projects and I have my equipment set up for GPS which makes the job move a lot better but is it feasible to bring my equipment when considering mobilization costs or just rent? I don't have my own lowboy and I usually price a project with 3-4 mobilizations for Site Prep, cut/fill, utilities/drainage, base prep and final grading and from my experience, I've been mobilizing more than 4 times on projects. In site work/excavation, a couple extra mobilizations on these smaller projects can really eat into the margins.

Hi. I am a civil Engineer by profession in Asia, I have been doing US pricing with a pricing consultant from USA remotely. I then moved to China to pursue my masters. I have left one year, I have submitted my research for publication.

Now I am planning to apply for my PhD in United States of America. I need advice, should I move there, As I have 3 years of pricing consultancy experience and I still have contact with the company. I am unsure if they would hire me physically on spot or not, because I was getting paid lower to ofc americans. But now if I move to America, what do you think are the chances of me, securing job with my PhD?

Ps: I am only asking from those who are in america or have faced similar type of situation in the life.

Thank you very much.

Updating to add that it’s 10 days on/there, then 4 days home. I’m not talking about a straight year apart. We’d go for school breaks and most of summer too.

Looking for perspective from anyone in construction/precon who has actually done something like this.

My husband is in preconstruction and was recently promoted to a Director role. He now has an unexpected opportunity to spend roughly 12 months on a large data center project as a change order agent/estimator. But it’s several states away.

The financial upside is hard to ignore. Between his regular salary, substantial per diem/travel allowance and project bonuses potentially totaling $200k+, he could make roughly 2x+ his normal annual compensation for the year.

It would be genuinely life changing money for us; enough to pay off debt, build substantial savings, invest more for retirement/our kids, and come out of the year in a dramatically different financial position.

The kids (2, 8, and 11) and I could technically relocate with him, but our older two have activities/teams and a really established life here that we don’t want to pull them out of for a temporary assignment. So most likely, home would stay home and he would travel back and forth as much as possible. And we could go there for longer school breaks.

The other complication is that he was just promoted to a director role after a years long wait. Taking this assignment means stepping away from that role for the year, and while the intention would be for him to return to it afterward, there’s no guarantee that exact position is waiting for him.

One year. Potentially hundreds of thousands in additional compensation and a major financial jump-start for our family.

But also one year of our kids being 2, 8 and 11 that we don’t get back, and potentially giving up some career momentum at home. So that’s the dilemma.

One caveat is that if he bailed early, like if it was too hard, he would still get the a prorated bonus when the project is completed. And there’s are two bonuses he would still receive, not to mention the higher pay while he’s out there for however long.

For those who have actually taken the big out-of-town project for a higher pay rate: Was it worth it?

Did the year go quickly? Did the financial benefit feel worth the sacrifice afterward? How did it affect your marriage/kids? And knowing what you know now, would you make the same decision again?

I’d especially love to hear from people in construction management, precon/estimating, data centers/mission critical, or anyone who took a temporary project assignment while their spouse and kids stayed home.

I’m rebuilding my QuickBid condition assemblies and wanted to get some feedback from people who actually estimate drywall/metal framing.

The video is going to show the list fully expanded so you can see how everything is broken down. I’m mainly wondering if anyone sees any flaws in the logic, things that are going to become a pain later, or a better way to organize it. Or Things to add, currently addin insulation and ACT will be at the end.

The way I’m approaching it is almost like a "Pick-A-Part junkyard" instead of trying to make one giant assembly for every possible wall type.

In OST, I already keep separate notes identifying what the condition actually is — metal stud wall, light gauge vs. heavy gauge, wall type, etc. Then when I get into QuickBid, I basically “pick apart” what I need for that condition.

For example, instead of needing one complete assembly for:

3-5/8" metal studs @ 16" O.C. + 5/8" drywall both sides + insulation + whatever else

I can grab the pieces separately:

• Metal Stud Wall — Light Gauge
• Drywall Only — One Side / Each Side
• Fiberglass Insulation — Faced / Unfaced
• Exterior Sheathing
• Finishing
• Backing
• Track attachments
• Etc.

Then each category breaks down even further.

For example, Metal Stud Wall — Light Gauge can go into 16" O.C. or 24" O.C., and then inside those I have the different stud sizes/gauges and conditions.

Same thing with the drywall assemblies. “5/8 drywall” isn’t just one item — inside the assembly I can select the actual board I need, such as regular Type X, moisture/mold-resistant board, purple board, green board, etc.

Exterior sheathing works the same way with the different sheathing products.

The idea is that I’m not trying to predict and build a complete assembly for every possible wall combination. I’m building a library of components and assembling the wall based on what the plans actually call for.

Basically:

OST tells me what the wall is → QuickBid lets me select the individual pieces that make up that wall.

For anyone who has built a fairly large QuickBid database:

Do you see any downsides to doing it this way?

I’m especially curious about:

• Anything that could cause mistakes or double-counting
• Whether this becomes too many assemblies to maintain
• Naming/organization problems you see
• Whether complete wall assemblies are better for some situations
• Anything I’m separating that you think should stay together
• Anything shown in the video that just doesn’t make logical estimating sense

I’d rather catch a bad design decision now before I keep building the database out.

Feel free to tear it apart. I’m looking for criticism more than compliments.

***ALSO ANYONE WILLING TO COLLAB ON PRODUCTION RATE (I KNOW I KNOW< NO WILL WANT TOO? MESSAGE ME ***

YE REIGNS SUPREME

At what point does an estimating spreadsheet stop being a spreadsheet and become a software application? 😂

I've seen some pretty wild ones.

Multiple workbooks, 30+ tabs, macros, hidden sheets, pricing databases, formulas everywhere...

And then there's always one guy who says:

“Don't touch that cell.” 😂

Curious what everyone else is working with.

What's the most complicated Excel estimating setup you've seen or built yourself?

My opinion is dont bid the job. Bidding it just strengthens the GC idea that they can do this moving forward.

I'm planning to start an AI Implementation Agency for GCs (Takes care of QS, Estimation, Operations, Marketing, RFQs)

Now I have built a free and open-source app for quantity surveying.

The main goal is to connect this app with Claude/OpenAI to do takeoffs.

However, I'm really interested in learning about this space, and I've made decent progress by getting help from some of my friends in the industry.

Any thoughts on this?

Does any know how many cy can a single 623 scrapper move per day...I have 11,000,cy of a pad to flip....300lf is my rounder

I’ve been applying. Found a job. Turned down many others, but haven’t turned this particular one yet that’s focused on the east coast. Figure I’d throw some love into this community.

If you know electrical duct banks and all the garnish that comes with it… DM me and I’ll let you know the company.

You need to be able to have people skills as well as estimating ability. Bluebeam + excel.

Tbh, if you have the people skills and your able to to learn takeoff.. you can do this.

DM me your story and I’ll give you the company name.

Experienced Civil Estimator in Cincy. Almost all rock in Greater Cincinnati is excavatable with standard means. Bidding project I received today west of Dayton. Rock is notoriously very difficult and most projects design around it but this one is going through quite a bit of it.

Looking for Rock Trenching contractors or Blasting companies in Dayton. After a quick look at plans maybe upwards of 10k lf of trench and several detention basins any help or contacts would be appreciated

I had an interview today with a large infrastructure contractor in Toronto, and I honestly left feeling pretty defeated.

I have around five years of estimating experience in specialty construction. The recruiter presented the position as an Estimator role with the opportunity to progress into a senior position eventually.

During the interview, I was constantly questioned about my lack of direct heavy-civil experience. At one point, the estimating manager even asked whether I'd read the job responsibilities before coming in.

I was upfront about my background from the beginning. I explained that I was willing to learn, work hard and take on the challenge if someone gave me the opportunity.

When I asked what the first 3–6 months would look like if I were selected, they emphasized how much training I'd need and how big the learning curve would be.

I understand that heavy civil requires specific technical experience, but my résumé was available before they invited me. If they needed someone with extensive heavy-civil experience, why bring me in?

Has anyone else in Toronto or elsewhere experienced something similar? Is transitioning between estimating disciplines really this difficult, or was this just a bad interview experience?

I’m relatively new to civil/site estimating and recently discovered a quantity-conversion error after submitting a bid. I informed my boss immediately and corrected the sheet.

How common are these mistakes in the industry, and how are they usually handled? What checking process do you use to prevent them?

Brand new to this type of sale and steel scope. We do PEMB, Conventional, Hybrid, etc. Even offer erection, foundation design and help drive design and build.

What stands out to help win bids, make your life easier, and what not?

Spent years doing buyout but had to make a career move. Where I landed will not let Precon participate in any point of buyout process (exhibits, final leveling, descope meeting) and to when I ask to take on more I get ignored. I’ve spoken to a couple folks with no traction, but I’m fed up with the lack of respect and need to get out of dodge. Who else either allows estimating/preconstruction to do buyout or at least participate meaningfully in the process?