From foundation to finish, our estimators quantify materials and labor for every major construction trade across Texas. Whether you’re a subcontractor bidding a single scope or a general contractor coordinating a full trade package, our trade-specific takeoffs are measured directly from your drawings and priced against current Texas material and labor costs.
Trade Estimating Services
- Concrete Estimating — takeoffs covering footings, slabs, foundation walls, columns, tilt-wall panels, and flatwork.
- Electrical Estimating — takeoffs covering service entrances, panels, conduit runs, wire, devices, lighting, and low-voltage systems.
- Mechanical & HVAC Estimating — takeoffs covering rooftop units, ductwork, piping, controls, and equipment sized for Texas heat load.
- Plumbing Estimating — takeoffs covering domestic water, sanitary and storm drainage, gas piping, and fixture packages.
- Roofing Estimating — takeoffs covering shingle, tile, metal, TPO, and built-up roofing systems, plus flashing, decking, and insulation.
- Framing Estimating — takeoffs covering wood and steel stud framing, headers, trusses, sheathing, and connection hardware.
- Lumber Takeoff — takeoffs covering dimensional lumber, engineered wood, sheathing, and trim packages for a full lumber order.
- Drywall Estimating — takeoffs covering gypsum board, metal stud framing, insulation, tape, texture, and fire-rated assemblies.
- Masonry Estimating — takeoffs covering brick, block, stone veneer, mortar, and reinforcement for load-bearing and veneer walls.
- Sitework & Excavation Estimating — takeoffs covering earthwork cut and fill, utilities, grading, paving, and erosion control.
Why Trade-Specific Estimating Beats General Square-Foot Pricing
A general square-foot number is useful for an early feasibility check, but it’s not accurate enough to bid, order material against, or hold a subcontractor to. Trade-specific takeoffs quantify the actual materials shown on the drawings — cubic yards of concrete, linear feet of conduit, tons of cooling capacity, roofing squares — so pricing reflects what the project actually requires rather than a statistical average. That precision matters most in a state like Texas, where material costs and labor availability can vary significantly between the Gulf Coast, the Metroplex, the Permian Basin, and West Texas.
Coordinated MEP and Full Material Takeoffs
Mechanical, electrical, and plumbing scopes rarely exist in isolation, which is why we also offer coordinated MEP estimating that accounts for how the three trades interact, along with complete material quantity takeoff packages that cover every division at once for teams that need a single, purchase-ready quantity schedule.
Built for Subcontractors and General Contractors Alike
Subcontractors use our trade estimating to bid more work without carrying a full-time estimator, while general contractors use it to build a complete, cross-checked budget before it goes out to their trade partners. Either way, every takeoff is measured with the same PlanSwift, Bluebeam Revu, On-Screen Takeoff, and STACK-based process and cross-referenced against AACE International and ASPE cost-estimating standards.
Explore Estimating by Project Stage
Trade takeoffs can be delivered at any project stage, from an early preliminary budget through a final bid package. See our full list of estimating services to match the right service to where your project stands today.
How We Keep Trade Takeoffs Accurate
Every trade takeoff follows the same disciplined process: drawings and specifications are reviewed sheet by sheet, quantities are measured digitally in PlanSwift, Bluebeam Revu, On-Screen Takeoff, and STACK, and every material and labor line is priced using current Texas rates referencing AACE International and ASPE cost-estimating standards. Because the same process applies across every trade, a general contractor stitching together a full budget from several trade estimates gets numbers that are internally consistent instead of pieced together from different methodologies.
Reducing Bid Risk on Trade-Specific Work
Subcontractors carry the most risk when a takeoff misses scope — an under-counted quantity comes straight out of the trade’s margin, not the general contractor’s. Our takeoffs are built to catch scope that’s easy to miss on a quick read-through: revisions buried in addenda, details called out only in a section cut, or quantities that change between architectural and structural sheets. That level of review is what separates a bid-ready trade takeoff from a rough approximation.
From Single Trade to Full Project Budget
Some clients come to us for one trade on one project; others send us every trade on every bid they chase. Both are handled the same way — each trade is measured on its own merits, then, when requested, rolled up into a single, cross-checked project budget. That flexibility means a plumbing subcontractor can get exactly the pricing they need without paying for scope outside their trade, while a general contractor can request every trade at once and receive numbers built to the same standard across the board.
Materials, Labor, and Local Market Conditions
Trade pricing in Texas is sensitive to more than material cost alone. Skilled labor availability tightens during peak building seasons in fast-growing metros, while material lead times can stretch during periods of high regional demand. We factor current local conditions into every trade estimate rather than relying on a static price book, so the numbers you receive reflect what a trade will actually cost to execute right now, not last quarter.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which trades do you cover?
We currently provide dedicated takeoffs for concrete, electrical, mechanical & HVAC, plumbing, roofing, framing, lumber, drywall, masonry, and sitework & excavation, plus coordinated MEP and full material quantity takeoffs.
Can you estimate multiple trades on the same project?
Yes. Many clients request a full material quantity takeoff or MEP estimate that bundles several trades into one coordinated deliverable.
Do trade estimates include labor as well as material?
Yes, each trade estimate includes both material quantities and labor-hour projections priced against current Texas rates.
How fast can a trade-specific takeoff be delivered?
Most trade takeoffs are delivered within 24-48 hours, depending on project size and how many trades are being estimated together.
Do you serve trades outside of major Texas metro areas?
Yes, all trade estimating services are available statewide. See our service areas page for the Texas markets we work in most.