Winning work is not only about the lowest number. A bid that is low because it missed scope is a problem you have agreed to pay for. Good bid preparation produces a price you can build to, with clear inclusions and exclusions, submitted on time and on the right forms.
This guide follows a hard-bid process for a general contractor or specialty subcontractor, with a worked bid recap at the end.
Step 1: Bid/No-Bid Decision
Estimating time is limited. Before starting, check:
- Fit: project type, size and delivery method compared with work you have done well before
- Owner and design team: payment history, how they handle changes, drawing quality on past jobs
- Bonding and capacity: bid, performance and payment bond requirements against your available surety capacity
- Schedule and manpower: whether your supervision and crews are available for the contract duration
- Competition and bid list: how many bidders, and whether you have enough subcontractor coverage to price the job
- Contract terms: liquidated damages, retainage, payment terms, indemnity and warranty
If several of these are unfavorable, a no-bid is often the right call.
Step 2: Collect and Control the Documents
Assemble a complete, dated set:
- Drawings for every discipline: civil, architectural, structural, MEP, fire protection, low voltage
- Project manual: bidding requirements and contract forms (Division 00), Division 01 General Requirements, and all technical sections
- All addenda, logged by number and date, with the changes incorporated into the takeoff
- Geotechnical report and any existing-conditions surveys
- Wage determinations for public or prevailing wage work
- Owner-specific forms: bid form, alternates, unit prices, allowances, MBE/WBE forms
Keep a drawing log. Many bid errors come from pricing a superseded sheet.
Step 3: Quantity Takeoff
Take off every item organized by CSI MasterFormat division, for example 03 Concrete, 05 Metals, 09 Finishes. Digital tools such as Bluebeam Revu or PlanSwift make the takeoff faster to check, but accuracy comes from process: consistent units, clear layer or color conventions, and a second review of large quantities. Apply waste factors by material and state them in the estimate. Our quantity takeoff services follow this structure.
Step 4: Price Labor, Material and Equipment
- Labor: productivity rates from your historical data, or published sources such as RSMeans (Gordian) and trade association manuals, multiplied by a burdened labor rate for the project location. See how to calculate labor burden.
- Material: current supplier quotes where possible, with freight and sales tax, and escalation if the purchase will occur months after bid day.
- Equipment: owned-equipment rates or rental quotes, including fuel, delivery and operator where applicable.
Step 5: Solicit and Level Subcontractor Bids
Send scopes to subcontractors early, with the relevant drawings and specification sections. When quotes arrive, level them: put each bid on the same scope basis by adding a value for anything a sub excluded.
Example: leveling two drywall quotes
| Item | Sub A | Sub B |
|---|---|---|
| Base quote | $412,000 | $428,500 |
| Firestopping at rated walls (excluded by A) | $9,500 (plug) | Included |
| Lift equipment (excluded by A) | $6,000 (plug) | Included |
| Leveled total | $427,500 | $428,500 |
On raw quotes Sub A looks $16,500 lower. After leveling, the difference is $1,000. The plug values are the estimator’s own numbers for the excluded scope. For a fuller method, see our guide to subcontractor bid leveling.
Step 6: Build General Conditions
Price supervision, field office, temporary facilities, cleanup and closeout as a time-based schedule against a realistic duration. Our general conditions post walks through a full example.
Step 7: Assemble the Bid Recap
Once direct costs and GCs are in, apply markups in the order your company uses.
Worked example: bid recap
Example: a commercial project with the following costs. Markup rates are illustrative assumptions, not recommendations.
| Line | Calculation | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Self-performed labor (burdened) | $412,000.00 | |
| Materials (incl. tax and freight) | $538,000.00 | |
| Equipment | $64,000.00 | |
| Subcontractors (leveled) | $2,180,000.00 | |
| Direct cost | Sum | $3,194,000.00 |
| General conditions | Build-up | $286,000.00 |
| Subtotal | $3,480,000.00 | |
| Contingency, 3% | $3,480,000 x 0.03 | $104,400.00 |
| Subtotal | $3,584,400.00 | |
| Home office overhead, 4% | $3,584,400 x 0.04 | $143,376.00 |
| Subtotal | $3,727,776.00 | |
| Profit, 5% | $3,727,776 x 0.05 | $186,388.80 |
| Subtotal | $3,914,164.80 | |
| Bond, 1% (simplified) | $3,914,164.80 x 0.01 | $39,141.65 |
| Total | $3,953,306.45 | |
| Bid (rounded up) | $3,954,000 |
Notes on the example:
- Markups here are compounded, each applied to the running subtotal. Some companies apply them all to direct cost instead; either works if you are consistent.
- Real bond premiums use a tiered rate schedule from your surety, and the premium is calculated on the final contract amount. A flat 1% is used here only to keep the math readable.
- Markup is not margin. A 5% markup on cost is a 4.76% margin on the selling price (0.05 / 1.05 = 0.0476). Confuse the two and your reported profit will not match the bid.
Step 8: Review Before Submission
Before bid day, run a review that is independent of whoever did the takeoff:
- Compare cost per SF by division against similar past projects
- Confirm every addendum is acknowledged and priced
- Check alternates, unit prices and allowances are entered on the bid form exactly as requested
- Read the qualifications and exclusions against the scope of work
- Verify the bid bond, insurance certificates, license numbers and signatures
Step 9: Submit
Submit on time, in the format required (sealed envelope, online portal or email), and keep proof of delivery. Late bids are commonly rejected without being opened.
Bid Preparation Checklist
- Bid/no-bid criteria reviewed and documented
- Complete, current drawing and specification set logged
- All addenda received, logged and incorporated
- Takeoff organized by CSI division with waste factors stated
- Burdened labor rates for the project location
- Supplier quotes current, with tax and freight
- Sub bids leveled to a common scope
- GCs built from the schedule
- Markups applied in a consistent order
- Bid form, bond and required attachments checked by a second person
Common Mistakes
- Pricing from an outdated sheet because the drawing log was not maintained.
- Taking the lowest sub number without leveling exclusions.
- Missing Division 01 costs such as testing, mock-ups or commissioning support.
- Confusing markup and margin, which understates the price needed to hit a target margin.
- Running out of time for the final review, which is when many scope gaps are caught.
- Vague qualifications that the owner reads as including work you did not price.
How F&K Estimatings Can Help
We prepare CSI-organized takeoffs and estimates for GCs and subcontractors. Our construction estimating services explain the quantity-to-priced-bid workflow, package fees and a worked cost recap. We can also support bid-day work through our bid management service. See pricing for a quote on your bid documents.
When another document issue arrives before bid day, follow the takeoff revision and addendum workflow so additions, omissions and rate changes remain visible.