Construction estimating glossary

Terms

Takeoff

The list of every item and quantity a job needs, measured or counted off the construction drawings: wall lengths, floor areas, door counts, fixture counts and so on.

Quantity takeoff

Another name for a takeoff, used to stress that it records quantities only. Pricing those quantities is a separate step that turns the takeoff into an estimate.

Estimate

A takeoff with prices attached: each quantity multiplied by a material and labor rate, plus markup, giving the cost to build the scope.

Linear foot (LF)

A length measurement used for items priced by the run, such as walls, base, trim, pipe, conduit and curb.

Square foot (SF)

An area measurement used for floors, ceilings, roofing, paint and drywall. Drywall area is wall length times the height the board actually goes up, counted per side.

Wall type

A tag on the floor plan, keyed to a legend or schedule, that says how a partition is built: stud size and spacing, layers of board, insulation and how high each layer runs.

Full-height partition

A wall whose studs and board run to the underside of the structure above, not just to the ceiling. Measuring it at ceiling height under-counts the board.

Vector PDF

A drawing exported from CAD or BIM software where the lines are stored as geometry. Lengths can be read exactly instead of estimated from pixels.

Raster or scanned plan

A drawing stored as an image, often a scan of paper. There is no geometry to read, so walls and items have to be found in the picture.

Scale calibration

Setting how many real feet one unit on the sheet represents, from the printed scale or a known dimension. Every measurement on that sheet depends on it.

Plan set

The full package of drawings for a project, usually split by discipline: architectural, structural, mechanical, electrical, plumbing and civil.

Sheet index

The list of sheets in a plan set, normally on the cover sheet, giving each sheet's number and title. It is the map for finding the sheets a trade needs.

Addendum

A change to the bid documents issued before bids are due: revised sheets, new specifications or answers to questions. Every bidder is expected to price it.

Bid board

A platform where general contractors and owners post projects and invite subcontractors to bid, such as BuildingConnected, PlanHub or Merx.

Bid invitation

The notice a general contractor sends asking you to bid a project, with the due date, scope and a link to the plans.

Unit price

The cost for one unit of an item, such as dollars per square foot of board or per fixture installed. Quantity times unit price gives the line total.

Assembly

A group of items priced together as one unit, such as a wall type that includes studs, track, insulation, board and finishing per linear foot of wall.

Labor rate

What an hour of a trade's work costs, including wages and burden. Rates vary by region, so an estimate should use rates for the project's location.

Markup

The percentage added on top of cost to cover overhead and profit.

Proposal

The document you send the client or general contractor: your price, the scope it covers, what it excludes and the terms, ready to sign.

Change order

A signed change to the contract once work has started, adjusting scope, price or schedule.

RFI (request for information)

A formal question to the designer about something unclear or conflicting in the documents. Answers often come back as an addendum.

CSI division (MasterFormat)

The standard numbering that sorts construction work into divisions, such as 03 Concrete, 09 Finishes, 22 Plumbing and 26 Electrical. Takeoffs and estimates are usually organized by it.