Estimating General Conditions: A Complete Guide for Contractors

By F&K Estimatings Team

General conditions (GCs) — also called jobsite overhead — are the indirect costs required to manage and support a construction project that cannot be attributed to a specific trade. Overlooking or underestimating GCs is one of the most common causes of profit erosion.

What Are General Conditions?

General conditions include all costs related to field management and site operations:

Project management — Project manager, superintendent, assistant superintendent salaries
Field office — Trailer rental, furniture, phones, internet, utilities
Temporary utilities — Power, water, toilets, heat for construction
Security and safety — Fencing, cameras, signage, PPE, safety meetings
Testing and inspections — Soil testing, concrete cylinder breaks, weld inspections
Permits and fees — Building permits, plan check fees, impact fees
Cleaning and waste — Daily cleaning, dumpsters, debris hauling
Closeout — Punchlist, commissioning, as-builts, warranty

How to Estimate General Conditions

1. Duration-Based Items

Staff salaries and temporary utilities are calculated by project duration:

Project manager: $45,000/month × 8 months = $360,000
Superintendent: $35,000/month × 8 months = $280,000
Trailer rental: $2,500/month × 8 months = $20,000

2. Lump Sum Items

Some GC items are fixed regardless of duration:

Building permits: negotiated with municipality
Bonds (bid, performance, payment): percentage of contract value
Submittal software: Bluebeam, Procore, or similar

3. Quantity-Based Items

Items that scale with project size:

Dumpster service: $1,500/month estimated
Safety supplies: $5,000 flat for medium project
Concrete testing: $100-$200 per cylinder set

GC Percentage Benchmarks

General conditions typically run 5-15% of the total project cost:

Project Type	Typical GC %
Small renovation	10-15%
Mid-size commercial	8-12%
Large industrial	5-8%
Infrastructure	6-10%

At F&K Estimatings, we include comprehensive general condition line items in every estimate. Get your next bid professionally prepared with full GC coverage.