Wood Framing, Rough Carpentry and Millwork Estimating Services

Wood Framing and Carpentry Estimating (Division 06) is measuring and pricing lumber framing, sheathing, engineered wood, trusses, finish carpentry and architectural woodwork from the framing plans, sections and millwork details.

We build the lumber package by wall, floor and roof system, count studs, plates, headers, joists, rafters and blocking, add engineered members and trusses, and price sheathing, hardware and labor. Millwork and casework are taken off from elevations and schedules.

What we measure and price

Specifications and CSI MasterFormat references

Division 06 includes 06 10 00 Rough Carpentry, 06 17 00 Shop-Fabricated Structural Wood, 06 20 00 Finish Carpentry and 06 40 00 Architectural Woodwork, with grade, species, treatment and fire-retardant requirements. We read the specification section alongside the drawings so that products, performance requirements, testing, warranties and allowances are priced the way the solicitation intends — not just what appears on the plan sheets.

Pre-bid review: what we check before pricing

• Scope definition: what is in your trade and what belongs to others, with inclusions and exclusions written down.
• Addenda and bulletins: every addendum is logged and its effect on quantities, alternates and unit prices is carried into the estimate.
• Requests for information (RFIs): conflicts between drawings and specifications are listed so they can be submitted before the question deadline.
• Alternates, allowances and unit prices: priced separately and tied to the bid form so the proposal is complete and responsive.
• Bid form and qualifications: required line items, bond and insurance requirements, prevailing-wage or Davis-Bacon language and any bid-day instructions are flagged.

Pricing considerations that move the number

• Lumber price volatility between bid and purchase.
• Wall height, framing layout and engineered members change labor.
• Hardware, shear walls and holdowns required by the engineer.
• Finish grade, species and architectural woodwork standards.

Submittals and shop drawings for this scope

Wood framing and millwork submittals are shop-drawing heavy.

• Truss and engineered-lumber layout drawings
• Architectural woodwork shop drawings and finish samples
• Product data for treated and fire-retardant lumber
• Connector and hardware schedules

We prepare shop drawings and submittal packages for many of these scopes, and we can resubmit after architect or engineer comments.

Common estimating mistakes we help you avoid

• Counting studs by length only without corners, openings and blocking
• Missing hardware, hold-downs and engineered members
• Ignoring waste for sheathing and lumber cut-offs
• Leaving out millwork finishing and installation

What you get

• Marked-up plans showing every count and measurement
• Quantity takeoff organized by area, system and CSI section
• Material, labor, equipment and subcontract pricing (or takeoff only)
• Clear assumptions, inclusions, exclusions, alternates and unit prices
• Excel and PDF files ready to drop into your bid or post-bid scope sheets
• Support on addenda, clarifications and bid leveling after delivery

Who this is for

Framing contractors, carpenters, builders and general contractors, including residential and multifamily projects.

How it works

1. Upload your plans, specifications and addenda, or paste a plan-room link, with your bid due date.
2. We confirm scope, price and turnaround before any work starts.
3. Our estimators complete the takeoff and pricing and a second estimator reviews it.
4. You receive the files and we stay available for addenda, RFIs and post-bid clarifications.

Software and standards

We take off in digital takeoff tools such as PlanSwift and Bluebeam Revu, price with RSMeans-style cost data and your own unit prices where you provide them, schedule in Oracle Primavera P6 or Microsoft Project when needed, and organize quantities by CSI MasterFormat (Division 06). Estimating is done remotely from your drawings, so we support public and private projects in every state.

Why contractors outsource wood framing and carpentry estimating

Bid season compresses the time estimators have for each solicitation. Outsourcing the wood framing and carpentry takeoff and pricing lets your team cover more bids, respond to addenda quickly and keep an independent check on subcontractor and supplier numbers. You keep control of the bid: you review the quantities, adjust unit costs and decide the final price.

Public, private and prevailing-wage projects

We price this scope on public solicitations (IFB, ITB and RFP responses) and private open-shop projects alike. When the solicitation includes a prevailing-wage or Davis-Bacon wage determination, we apply the stated rates and fringe benefits to the labor in each line item and allow for certified payroll administration. See public bid estimating and our prevailing wage guide.

Related services and pages

Combine this scope with quantity takeoff, bid leveling and proposal support, pre-bid and post-bid support, shop drawings and CPM scheduling. Browse every CSI division page, read the CSI MasterFormat guide or check the bidding glossary.