Professional Construction Cost Estimation Services for Contractors Across the USA
American Estimation delivers accurate construction cost estimates for residential, commercial, and industrial projects. Our certified estimators cover all 16 CSI MasterFormat divisions using PlanSwift, Bluebeam, RSMeans, and Xactimate. Most estimates are delivered in 24 to 48 hours.
24 to 48 hrs
Estimate turnaround, guaranteed
±5%
Accuracy on every estimate
92%
Bid-win ratio, based on client data
What Is Construction Cost Estimation?
Construction cost estimation is the process of forecasting the total expense of a construction project before work begins. It accounts for materials, labor, equipment, overhead, and contractor markup, giving owners, developers, and contractors a financially sound starting point before committing to a project.
Accurate cost estimates serve three critical functions: they help project owners assess feasibility and secure financing, they help contractors prepare competitive bids, and they help project managers monitor and control spending throughout the build. Without a reliable estimate, projects risk budget overruns, failed bids, and costly delays.
Related reading: the construction cost estimating guide, what a quantity takeoff is and how RSMeans pricing works.
Why it matters
10% off on a $2M project
An inaccurate estimate by even 10% on a $2 million project means $200,000 in unplanned costs. Contractors who rely on rough mental calculations consistently underbid or overbid, and both outcomes cost real money. A professionally prepared estimate, backed by RSMeans cost data and CSI division knowledge, removes that guesswork.
Types of Construction Cost Estimates
Estimates fall into three categories based on the project phase they support. Each serves a distinct purpose in the construction lifecycle.
Phase 1: Planning
Design Estimates
Screening (order of magnitude), preliminary (conceptual), detailed (definitive) and engineer’s estimates, based on specifications and architectural plans. They run parallel with planning and design, and help owners and developers evaluate feasibility and secure financing before construction begins.
Phase 2: Bidding
Bid Estimates
Submitted to project owners for competitive bidding or direct negotiation. They include direct construction costs (materials, labor, subcontractor quotes, equipment) plus general overhead and contractor profit. Ours are built from full quantity takeoffs, so they are accurate, defensible and competitive.
Phase 3: Construction
Control Estimates
Used during construction to monitor and manage costs: the initial budget for financing, the adjusted budget before work begins, and updated cost-to-complete projections as the project progresses. Essential for project managers and lenders tracking draw schedules.
Our Cost Estimating Services
Comprehensive estimating for all project types and all CSI MasterFormat divisions. Whether you are a general contractor preparing a bid, a developer testing feasibility, or a subcontractor pricing selected trades, we have you covered.
Residential Cost Estimation
New builds, renovations and additions.
Commercial Building Cost Estimation
Offices, retail and hospitality.
Quantity and Material Takeoffs
Measured quantities that every accurate estimate starts from.
Bid Preparation for GCs and Subcontractors
Complete, defensible bid numbers built from full takeoffs, ready to submit.
Trade-Specific Estimation
Concrete, MEP, electrical, drywall, roofing, lumber, masonry, sitework, metals, flooring, glass, thermal protection, openings and paint.
Explore trade-specific estimating
Industries we support
Our cost estimating services support contractors and owners across all major construction sectors.
How It Works
From drawings to a finished estimate in three steps.
- Submit your drawings. Send your drawings and specifications. We prepare a quote with the invoice, turnaround time and delivery date of your estimate.
- Get a quote. After we review the plan documents, you receive your quote within minutes. Once it is accepted, you pay the invoice by ACH and our team starts on your project.
- Receive your estimate. You get all material and labor quantities with pricing. We deliver the estimate and takeoff sheet in Excel, in our template, or in your template.
Tools We Use
Industry-standard takeoff, pricing and design software on every project.
Why Contractors Choose American Estimation
Affordable & Transparent Pricing
Custom quotes per project. No hidden fees, no contracts. See pricing →
Zip-Code Based Pricing
RSMeans and Craftsman data. Locally accurate costs, not national averages.
All 16 CSI MasterFormat Divisions
Concrete, MEP, electrical, drywall, roofing, masonry. Every trade covered.
Certified
Industry-standard compliance. Professional certified estimators on every project.
Experienced Estimators
Specialists per trade. PlanSwift, Bluebeam and RSMeans experts on your project.
24/7 Customer Support
Response within minutes. Dedicated support for every project, from quote to delivery.
Request a Free Estimate
Tell us about your project and upload your plans. Our estimators will review them and reply within one business day.