Estimating & bidding · Plumbing & HVAC
Bid every job without burying your estimators.
Plan sets land faster than estimators can count fixtures and size equipment off the M/P sheets. Good bids go out late, marginal ones never.
The reality
Bidding is a takeoff problem.
Every invitation means opening the M and P sheets, counting fixtures off the plumbing plans against the fixture schedule, sizing RTUs and VAV boxes off the mechanical equipment schedules, then chasing sub pricing and current copper and sheet-metal numbers before the bid clock runs out. Miss a roof drain or under-size the tonnage and the margin is gone before the job starts.
The operator runs the whole takeoff. It reads the drawing set, quantifies fixtures off the plumbing plans and equipment off the schedules, applies live material and labor unit costs, pulls sub quotes, and assembles the bid in the estimating system — so every invitation gets a real number on time, not just the ones an estimator could reach.
How the operator runs estimating & bidding
Bid PB-2207 · Takeoff
counting- Plumbing fixtures — 84 against schedule
- RTU schedule — 6 units sized
- VAV boxes — counting off mech plan
01Take off the set
Reads the M and P sheets, counts fixtures off the plans against the fixture schedule, and quantifies pipe and duct runs.
Bid PB-2207 · Pricing
pricing- Copper & PVC at today's unit cost
- RTU equipment quote — vendor confirmed
- Controls sub — leveling two quotes
02Price material & subs
Applies current copper, sheet-metal, and equipment unit costs, then pulls and levels sub quotes.
Bid PB-2207 · Submission
submitting- Labor hours and markup applied
- Bid sheet reviewed for scope gaps
- Uploading to GC bid portal
03Assemble & submit
Builds the bid sheet with labor hours and markup, then submits before the deadline.
The outcome
2.5× bid volume without adding estimators
Accurate bids out the door on every opportunity.
- Every invitation gets a real bid, not just the ones an estimator could reach
- Fixtures counted off the plans against the schedule, equipment sized off the mechanical schedules — not eyeballed
- Material and labor priced at today's cost, so margin survives the job
Common questions
Estimating & bidding
- What does the Estimating & bidding operator do?
- The operator runs the whole takeoff. It reads the drawing set, quantifies fixtures off the plumbing plans and equipment off the schedules, applies live material and labor unit costs, pulls sub quotes, and assembles the bid in the estimating system — so every invitation gets a real number on time, not just the ones an estimator could reach.
- What impact does the Estimating & bidding operator have?
- 2.5× bid volume without adding estimators. Accurate bids out the door on every opportunity.
- How does the Estimating & bidding operator work?
- Reads the M and P sheets, counts fixtures off the plans against the fixture schedule, and quantifies pipe and duct runs. Applies current copper, sheet-metal, and equipment unit costs, then pulls and levels sub quotes. Builds the bid sheet with labor hours and markup, then submits before the deadline.
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