Commercial Construction Estimating Services for Offices, Retail, Self-Storage and Mixed-Use
Full-scope takeoff and cost estimates for offices, retail, self-storage, hospitality and mixed-use buildings.
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Commercial Construction Estimating covers the takeoff and pricing of commercial buildings — offices, retail centers, self-storage, restaurants, hotels and mixed-use developments — across every CSI division.
Commercial projects combine multiple systems, tight schedules and many subcontract scopes. We prepare estimates organized by CSI division so general contractors can compare subcontractor numbers and subcontractors can price their trade accurately.
Typical commercial estimates include sitework and utilities, foundations and structure (concrete, masonry or steel), building envelope, interior build-out, MEP systems, finishes and specialties, plus general conditions and markups.
Commercial building types
- Office buildings and tenant improvements
- Retail centers, restaurants and shell buildings
- Self-storage and warehouse-style commercial
- Hotels and hospitality
- Mixed-use projects with retail and residential
What makes commercial estimating different
Commercial documents carry more specification sections, alternates and coordination requirements. Division 01 general requirements, phasing, working-hour restrictions, bonding and insurance have a large effect on cost. Tenant-improvement work adds demolition, existing-condition risk and landlord requirements.
What you receive
- Estimate by CSI division and trade package
- Quantity takeoff with marked-up plans
- Alternates, allowances and unit-price schedules
- Scope sheets and bid-leveling support
- Budget handoff to project management
Technical scope and terminology we work with
- Shell and core, tenant improvement and build-to-suit
- CSI divisions 01–33, alternates and allowances
- General conditions, bonds, insurance and phasing
- Design-bid-build, CM at-risk and design-build
- Bid leveling, buyout and schedule of values
Who this service is for
General contractors, construction managers, developers and subcontractors pursuing commercial work.
How it works
- Upload plans, specifications and addenda with the bid date.
- We confirm scope, firm price and turnaround.
- We take off, price and review the estimate.
- We support addenda, bid leveling and post-bid clarifications.
Software, standards and file formats
We take off in PlanSwift and Bluebeam Revu, price in Excel with RSMeans-style cost data, schedule in Oracle Primavera P6 or Microsoft Project, and deliver Excel, PDF and DWG, organized by CSI MasterFormat divisions 01–33.
When to use this service
Use commercial construction estimating when a bid date is close, when your team is stretched across projects, when you need an independent check of your own numbers or drawings, or when you want consistent deliverables in the same format every time. Tell us the due date when you request a quote so the schedule can be planned around it.
Engagement options
- One project: order commercial construction estimating for a single bid or job and receive a firm price and turnaround before we start.
- Several trades or divisions: combine this service with related scopes so quantities, drawings and pricing agree.
- Bid-season capacity: send multiple projects with their due dates and we schedule the work to hit each one.
- Ongoing support: repeat-volume contractors can agree standard formats, cost codes and turnaround so every delivery drops straight into their process.
Quality control, confidentiality and communication
Every deliverable is reviewed by a second team member before it reaches you, and assumptions, inclusions and exclusions are written down so they can be checked. If information is missing we send a short list of questions rather than guessing, and we tell you which assumption we used when a question cannot be answered in time. Your plans, specifications and files are used only to prepare your project work and are not shared publicly; see our privacy policy.
Related services, guides and pages
Frequently asked questions
Can you estimate a complete commercial building?
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Yes — every CSI division from general requirements through utilities, with alternates, allowances and markups.
Do you estimate tenant improvements?
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Yes, including demolition, existing-condition allowances, finishes and MEP modifications.
Can you level subcontractor bids on a commercial job?
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Yes. We prepare scope sheets and leveling sheets by trade.
What turnaround should I expect?
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Typically about 48 hours for many projects; larger projects are scheduled and confirmed in the quote.
Bid Sharp at a glance: 3 steps, 50 states
Bid Sharp prepares construction estimates, takeoffs, shop drawings, structural and permit drawings and schedules for contractors and homeowners in all 50 states, on public and private projects. Typical turnaround is about 48 hours; the turnaround and a firm price are confirmed before any work starts.
- 1. Upload plans. Send PDF, DWG or a plan-room link with your bid due date.
- 2. Get a firm quote. Scope, price and turnaround in writing, with no obligation.
- 3. Receive deliverables. Excel and PDF files, plus DWG for drawings, checked by 2 team members.
Standards and official sources
Rules, wage rates, codes and procurement procedures change and differ by agency. Confirm the requirements that apply to your project with these primary sources and with the solicitation itself.
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Last updated by the Bid Sharp estimating team.