No black box. You always know where your package is.
Five steps from a drawing set to a number you can submit. Each one has a defined output, so at any point you can tell what has been done, what is being worked on, and what is coming back to you.
Send the drawings Day 0
Email the set or share a link. PDF, DWG, RVT, scans or a Drive folder all work. Tell us the trades you want, the bid date, and whether you have a template to populate.
If the set is incomplete, send it anyway and say what is missing. We price what exists and write down the rest.
Fixed fee and written scope back Usually same day
An estimator reviews the set and returns a fixed fee, a firm delivery date, and a written list of what is in and what is out. Fee comes from sheet count, scope density and turnaround. Never an hourly meter.
Nothing starts until you accept both. First engagement is 35% upfront instead of the usual 50%.
Takeoff and colour markup Bulk of the work
Your package goes to an estimator who has priced that discipline. Measurement happens in Planswift, and every item is covered in its own colour on the sheet as it is counted, with the running total carried into a legend on the drawing.
Anything ambiguous goes on a scope-gap log as it is found, not remembered at the end.
Pricing and second review 24–72 hrs on single trades
Labour is built from a production rate in hours per unit, multiplied out and priced at the crew wage for your market. Material carries its own rate against the quantity including wastage. The two never merge into one number.
A second estimator reviews before release. Then the workbook, the marked set and the assumptions list go out together.
Revisions until the bid goes out Unlimited in scope
An addendum lands two days before submission. The architect moves the canopy. Send it and we re-measure. Revisions inside the quoted scope are part of the fee.
That is deliberate. Billable revisions make contractors hesitate to ask, and hesitation is how a wrong number gets submitted.
How long things actually take.
Honest ranges rather than a marketing number. Your quote carries a firm date, and if we cannot meet the date you need we will say so before you commit rather than after.
| Package type | Typical turnaround | What drives it | Rush available |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single-trade takeoffelectrical, concrete, framing | 24–48 hours | Sheet count and scope density | Same-day possible |
| Multi-trade packagetwo to four divisions | 2–4 working days | Divisions and coordination between them | Yes |
| Full project estimateall active divisions | 3–7 working days | Size, drawing quality, spec depth | Case by case |
| Budget estimateschematic or concept | 1–3 working days | How much design exists | Yes |
| Addendum re-measure | Same or next day | Extent of the change | No rush fee |
| Sample estimatematched to your scope | Within 24 hours | Finding the closest comparable | Already fastest |
Time zones work in your favour: packages sent at the end of your working day are measured while you are offline, which is what makes 24-hour single-trade turnaround realistic rather than aspirational.
Four checks that run on every package.
Accuracy is not a promise you make in a proposal. It is a set of steps that either happen or do not.
Discipline match
The package goes to an estimator who has priced that trade before.
Rate verification
Wages and material rates checked against the project’s region and current market.
Second review
An independent pass before release, focused on high-value packages and anything flagged.
Scope-gap sign-off
Nothing ships until every logged ambiguity is resolved, assumed in writing, or excluded.
What to send, and what to do if you do not have it.
The ideal package is a complete construction document set with specifications and all addenda. Most enquiries are not that, and that is fine.
If the set is partial, send it anyway and tell us what is missing. We will price what exists, state in writing what we assumed for the rest, and flag anything that genuinely needs an RFI before it can be priced honestly. That is a far better position than a number that looks complete and quietly is not.
Send if you have it
Files up to 20 MB can be attached to the enquiry form directly. For a full plan set, a Dropbox, Drive or WeTransfer link is easier for everyone.
Start the clock.
Send the set today and you will typically have a fee, a date and a written scope back the same working day.