About JLG Estimating
Dedicated commercial MEP cost engineering and quantity takeoff consulting. We deliver accurate, trade-specific estimating packages designed for commercial subcontractors and general contractors across the United States.
Commercial MEP Estimating at the Core
JLG Estimating is an independent commercial preconstruction cost consulting practice serving contractors nationwide across all 50 U.S. states. Mechanical, electrical, and plumbing estimating are the core focus; our published service list also includes additional estimating scopes. JLG Estimating is not affiliated with JLG Industries, Inc. or its access equipment business.
Our estimating team understands that mechanical and plumbing systems represent some of the highest-risk, highest-value packages on any commercial project. An overlooked riser, uncounted pipe fittings, or uncoordinated duct transitions can quickly eliminate contractor margins. We apply rigorous digital takeoff workflows to eliminate scope ambiguity.
How We Support Contractor Success
Our practice is guided by transparency, technical precision, and a commitment to protecting our clients' bid margins.
Verifiable Digital Quantification
We believe that every line item in an estimate should be traceable directly back to the project drawings. We do not provide mystery lump sums; we provide color-coded blueprint drawings that your project team can audit sheet by sheet.
Client Ownership of Data
When an editable workbook is included in the agreed scope, its format and included fields are identified in the project proposal. Any labor or pricing inputs requested for the estimate should be supplied during scope review.
Scope Clarifications & Discrepancies
Contractor profit is frequently lost in the fine print. We review drawing notes, schedules, and specifications to identify missing details, cross-discipline clashes, and ambiguous requirements, detailing them in a formal scope letter for bid submission.
How JLG Estimating Integrates With Your Preconstruction Team
Commercial trade contractors face intense bidding cycles where multiple large tenders close in the same week. Adding permanent in-house estimating overhead can strain operating cash flow during slower quarters. JLG Estimating acts as a seamless extension of your estimating department:
1. Rapid Plan Ingestion & Scope Boundary Definition
Upon receiving your contract set, we perform an immediate scope intake. We confirm sheet counts, review project specifications (Divisions 01, 22, 23, 26), isolate addenda, and verify exactly which system packages you are bidding to avoid unneeded takeoff effort.
2. Multi-Stage Takeoff Quality Control
Useful review questions can include reconciling floor plans with riser diagrams, comparing equipment schedules with specifications, and identifying quantities or scope boundaries that need clarification. Review steps included for a project depend on its agreed scope.
3. Project Information Handling
JLG Estimating provides independent cost consulting and quantity takeoff services. See our privacy policy for the company's published practices for project information and bid documents.
Why True MEP Estimating Requires Deep Trade Focus
Estimating commercial mechanical, plumbing, and electrical systems is fundamentally different from estimating dry architectural finishes or site excavation:
Three-Dimensional System Routing
Piping and ductwork traverse congested plenum corridors, vertical utility shafts, and tight mechanical rooms. Our estimators visualize ceiling interstitial space, structural steel elevations, and gravity slopes so vertical riser drops and fitting transitions are counted accurately.
Material & Specification Variance
A commercial plumbing job may specify Type L copper with wrought fittings, PEX distribution with multi-port manifolds, Schedule 40 PVC DWV, or service-weight No-Hub cast iron with heavy-duty shielded couplings. We price systems to the exact written specification, not generic commodity averages.
Transparent, Contractor-Owned Workbooks
We never lock you into proprietary black-box estimating software. Our workbooks open in Microsoft Excel, Google Sheets, or any spreadsheet editor, giving your chief estimator full control over formulas, margins, and final bid-day adjustments.
MasterFormat Classification & Estimating Architecture
Our takeoffs follow standard CSI MasterFormat conventions so your project managers, purchasing agents, and field superintendents can immediately cross-reference project cost codes.
CSI Division 22 — Plumbing
Complete sanitary waste, vent piping, storm drainage, domestic cold/hot water distribution, natural gas systems, backflow prevention assemblies, and commercial plumbing fixtures.
Plumbing Estimating Scope →CSI Division 23 — HVAC
Commercial rooftop units, air handlers, chillers, boilers, hydronic distribution piping, SMACNA sheet metal duct poundage, terminal air devices, and variable refrigerant flow systems.
HVAC Estimating Scope →CSI Division 26 — Electrical
Service entrance switchgear, distribution panelboards, feeder and branch conduit raceways, commercial lighting fixtures, lighting control relays, and mechanical equipment hookups.
Electrical Estimating Scope →Serving Contractors Across the United States
Preconstruction estimating is inherently digital. With cloud plan rooms and electronic plan distribution, our estimators support contractors bidding commercial projects in every U.S. region across all 50 states, providing seamless nationwide estimating support.
We calibrate each estimate to the specific geographic conditions of the project site:
- Localized Labor Burden: Factoring local union collective bargaining wage scales or open-shop regional hourly rates.
- Regional Material Pricing: Applying geographic cost indexes to reflect market supplier rates and freight factors.
- Project Criteria: Identify code and standard references in the supplied project documents; applicability and compliance remain with the design team and authority having jurisdiction.
Our preconstruction estimators operate with industry-standard digital takeoff workflows, performing high-precision on-screen measurement to quantify pipe linear footage, sheet metal poundage, and electrical branch circuitry. Whether your contract documents originate from commercial online plan rooms or private client portals, we deliver clear, unlocked workbooks ready for your team's bid-day review.
By establishing clear drawing boundaries, verifying scope demarcation across architectural and engineering sheets, and documenting all estimating assumptions directly within the workbook, we help commercial contractors submit competitive, defensible proposals without burdening in-house estimating personnel.
Start a Project Discussion →Who We Partner With
Clear Scope Before Work Starts
Review our estimating fee and scope guide to compare quantity-only and priced packages, clarify revision requirements, and identify the deliverables needed for your bid.