Quantity takeoff
Measured quantities organized by the agreed trade and system. Your team supplies or confirms pricing, production rates and final markups. Specify any drawing markups and workbook format you need.
Review quantity takeoff scope →Subcontractor Bid Estimating Services
Turnkey bid estimates, scope reviews, addenda tracking, and bid-day recaps designed to help commercial subcontractors bid with confidence.
Project-based estimating fees. Confirm scope, fee and delivery after document review.
Send your bid documents
Request a bid estimate
Tell us the project location, trade scope and whether you need quantities only or a priced estimate. Add your bid deadline if you have one.
Useful documents for a scope review
- Current drawings, specifications and issued bid addenda
- Trade scope, bid instructions, alternates and exclusions
- Supplier quotes and your preferred labor, overhead and markup inputs
Upload the available set, or include a shared drawings link in your message. Note missing documents and any items you want excluded.
What happens next?
We review the available documents and clarify the requested package. The proposal establishes deliverables, fee, revision scope and delivery milestones before estimating work starts.
Review estimating fees and scope questions or call (317) 751-5969.
Tender & Proposal Readiness
Transforming Drawing Sets into Competitive, Defensible Bids
Winning commercial mechanical, plumbing, and HVAC projects requires far more than rough square-foot allowances or basic material takeoffs. A winning bid demands rigorous document review, complete trade scope isolation, and clear contractual qualifications.
JLG Estimating provides specialized commercial bid estimating services designed to support mechanical contractors during competitive bidding seasons. We dissect contract drawings, review front-end project manuals, integrate your company's specific crew labor productivity, and deliver a comprehensive bid recap ready for executive sign-off.
Built for Demanding Bid Deadlines
Whether bidding as a prime mechanical contractor or submitting a specialized sub-tier bid for plumbing, sheet metal, or piping, our scope checklist and open-item register help the contractor review the agreed package before bid submission.
Review our preconstruction estimating methodology or inspect our sample deliverable package architecture.
Full-Scope Tender Preparation
What Our Commercial Bid Estimating Package Covers
From initial plan discovery through final bid recap, we handle each analytical phase of the estimating cycle.
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1. Plans & Specs Review
Deep-dive audit of architectural, structural, civil, and MEP drawings alongside Division 20–23 specifications.
- ✓ General conditions & schedule constraints
- ✓ Trade jurisdictional boundary review
- ✓ Phasing and sequence requirements
- ✓ Pre-bid RFI submission recommendations
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2. Detailed Quantity Takeoffs
Meticulous measurement of all piping, ductwork, fittings, fixtures, and terminal devices across all drawing sheets.
- ✓ Plan-verified linear footages & counts
- ✓ Color-coded PDF markups for verification
- ✓ Bill of Materials (BOM) Excel export
- ✓ Explore Takeoff Methodology →
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3. Labor Hour Quantification
Realistic field and shop labor hour modeling reflecting job conditions, elevation heights, and crew sizes.
- ✓ Difficulty factors (elevated, retrofit, tight chases)
- ✓ Shop fabrication vs. field erection split
- ✓ Union or open-shop wage structure alignment
- ✓ Non-working foreman & safety allocations
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4. Vendor & Sub Quote Tabulation
Structured comparison sheets organizing major vendor proposals for mechanical equipment and specialty sub-tiers.
- ✓ RTU, chiller, boiler, and pump schedule quotes
- ✓ Insulation, insulation jacketing & firestopping
- ✓ Test and balance (TAB) & commissioning
- ✓ Temperature controls / BMS quote evaluation
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5. Scope Letter Qualifications
Drafting explicit contractual qualifications and scope boundaries to safeguard your company from unexpected change orders.
- ✓ Detailed list of included systems & equipment
- ✓ Clear exclusion of cross-trade scope (power, roofing)
- ✓ Specific project document & addenda references
- ✓ Price escalation and validity period parameters
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6. Executive Bid Recap Summary
A consolidated executive workbook that lets your executive management test markups, contingencies, and profit targets.
- ✓ Direct material, labor, sub, and equipment totals
- ✓ Adjustable overhead, insurance, and bond cells
- ✓ Margin sensitivity and final bid number calculation
- ✓ Bid-day phone alignment consultation
Risk Protection
Eliminating Common MEP Bidding Blindspots
Commercial bidding failures rarely come from arithmetic errors—they come from overlooked scope grey areas between trades.
| Scope Boundary Item | Typical Risk in Commercial Bids | How JLG Estimating Resolves It |
|---|---|---|
| HVAC Equipment Starters & Disconnects | Mechanical contractor assumes Electrical provides; Electrical assumes Mechanical provides. | We review Electrical Division 26 and Mechanical Division 23 specs to verify who supplies and installs disconnect switches and VFDs, noting exact assignments in your bid letter. |
| Condensate Drain Lines & Traps | HVAC assumes Plumbing runs the drain; Plumbing assumes HVAC pipes to the nearest hub drain. | We trace and quantify condensate lines through terminal floor sinks, clarifying in the scope sheet where mechanical scope ends and plumbing begins. |
| Roof Curbs, Flashings & Penetrations | Roofer assumes mechanical sets curbs; mechanical assumes roofer flashes penetrations. | We itemize factory curbs and call out flashing requirements as an explicit inclusion or GC/Roofing exclusion. |
| BMS / Temperature Controls Wiring | Controls quotes exclude line-voltage power wiring, causing unexpected field change orders. | We separate low-voltage DDC controls from 120V power circuits and clearly tabulate BMS vendor scope versus in-house wiring. |
| Seismic Restraints & Hanger Engineering | Contractors overlook mandatory seismic bracing calculations required by local building codes. | We flag seismic requirements identified in structural and MEP general notes, ensuring engineered hanger packages are budgeted. |
Have an Important Commercial Bid on Your Calendar?
Send us your bid package documents. We will evaluate drawing complexity and provide a transparent, flat-fee estimating quote to support your bid submission.
Bid-Day Partnership
How We Support You Through Bid Day
A successful bid requires active coordination up until the submission bell.
Step 1
Pre-Bid Package Delivery
Preliminary takeoff and draft workbook milestones are agreed at project kickoff based on drawing volume, trade complexity, and your bid deadline.
Step 2
Addenda Reconciliation
When architects issue last-minute revisions, we isolate scope deltas and adjust workbooks immediately so you don't bid outdated drawings.
Step 3
Vendor Quote Integration
When bid-day support is included in the agreed schedule, supplier quotes are entered in the recap with visible inclusions, exclusions and unresolved specification questions for contractor review.
Step 4
Final Recap Review
We join your lead estimator for a final phone review, confirming margin markups, bond rates, and scope letter qualifications before submission.
Bid With Confidence
Ready to Prepare Your Next Commercial Bid?
Get structured bid documents, defensible labor modeling, and disciplined scope clarity. Submit your project documents today for a confidential proposal.
Tender Closing Strategy
Bid-Day Closing Support & Deliverables Architecture
Closing a competitive commercial tender requires structured subcontractor quote leveling, precise general conditions factoring, and defensible scope clarification letters.
Bid-Day Closing Workflow
- ✓Subcontractor & Vendor Quote Leveling: We review competing sub-tier bids side by side, identifying hidden exclusions (e.g. freight, hoisting, factory startup) to avoid costly omissions.
- ✓General Conditions & Project Overhead: Detailed calculations for project supervision, temporary power/water, safety equipment, mobilization, and bond fees.
- ✓Formal Scope Clarifications Proposal Letter: A customized tender proposal letter itemizing incorporated addenda, qualified assumptions, and explicit scope exclusions to attach to your GC bid form.
- ✓Unit Price & Alternate Structuring: We organize mandatory deductive and additive alternates and unit price schedules required by the owner's bid form.
Deliverable Package Architecture
Delivered in unlocked Microsoft Excel workbooks and color-coded Bluebeam Revu markups. Review our Estimating Methodology and Sample Deliverables Guide:
- Tab 1 — Executive Bid Recap: Master bid summary, prime subcontractor scopes, general conditions, overhead, and profit.
- Tab 2 — Vendor Quote Leveling Sheet: Side-by-side comparison of supplier quotes with highlighted scope discrepancies.
- Tab 3 — General Conditions Worksheet: Itemized supervision, temporary utilities, insurances, and permit allowances.
- Tab 4 — Trade-by-Trade Cost Rollup: CSI MasterFormat breakdown with customizable crew labor rates and burden percentages.
- Tab 5 — Alternates & Unit Prices: Formatted line items ready for direct transfer onto the owner's bid form.
- Scope Clarifications Proposal Letter: Professional bid letter protecting your firm against post-award scope disputes.
Trade Interconnects
Related Preconstruction & Estimating Solutions
Connect bid closing support with raw takeoffs, conceptual modeling, and MEP trade disciplines:
Quantity Takeoffs
Itemized material surveys, Bluebeam plan markups, and clean Excel bills of quantities.
Design-Build
Schematic 10/50/100 milestone budget modeling and value engineering comparisons.
Commercial HVAC
Equipment schedules, vendor quote leveling, air distribution, and central plants.
Electrical Estimating
Switchgear leveling, service feeders, branch power, and NECA labor factoring.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions regarding our subcontractor bid estimating & bid-day support.
Choose your estimating scope
Quantity Takeoff or Priced Estimate?
The right package depends on who will price the quantities and prepare the final bid. Confirm the included work in your project proposal.
Define the bid package before closing
- Identify the bid form, drawing issue, addenda and requested alternates or unit-price schedules.
- Provide supplier quotations and the wage, burden, tax and markup assumptions your team wants considered.
- Agree on the scope of quote comparison, clarifications and revisions; retain responsibility for the final tender submission.
Need to review the output first? See the takeoff workbook fields and deliverables and estimating methodology, then send your project details.