Fixed fees. Agreed before anyone starts measuring.
We do not publish a rate card, because a rate card would either overcharge you for a simple package or leave us unable to do a complex one properly. What we do publish is exactly how the fee is calculated, what the terms are, and what you get for it.
Three ways contractors work with us.
All three are fixed-fee. The difference is scope, not billing model.
Single-trade takeoff
One discipline, one package
Quoted from the set. Driven by sheet count, scope density and turnaround.
- Quantities with wastage carried through
- Labour from production rates, material priced apart
- Colour-marked sheets with count legends
- Written assumptions and exclusions
- Typically 24–72 hours
Full project estimate
All active divisions, bid-ready
Occasionally a percentage of construction value on larger or phased programmes.
- Everything in a single-trade takeoff
- CSI MasterFormat workbook, fully editable
- Bid build-up pre-built: contingency, O&P, tax, bonds
- Unlimited revisions within the agreed scope
- Planswift source files on request
- Bid-day support until submission
Retained & overflow
Ongoing bid support
For contractors bidding continuously who want reserved capacity and a cost library.
- Reserved estimator capacity each month
- Cost library built to your rates and assemblies
- Bid validation and second-opinion reviews
- Priority turnaround on booked work
Six inputs. No hourly meter, no scope creep.
An estimator reviews your set and quotes against these six things. Once you accept, the fee does not move unless you add scope, and if you do, we quote the addition before starting it.
Sheet count
How many drawings carry scope. A 200-sheet set with 40 relevant sheets is priced on the 40.
Scope density
A warehouse slab and a lab fit-out of the same area are very different amounts of measurement.
Divisions involved
One trade or fifteen. More divisions also means coordination between them, which is real work.
Drawing quality
Coordinated construction documents measure faster than design-intent drawings or scanned markups.
Turnaround
Standard timing carries standard pricing. A genuine rush reorders other work and is priced for it.
Output format
Our workbook is included. Building into a complex bespoke template is a small addition.
Straightforward, and the same for everyone.
50% on acceptance of the quote, 50% before the final files are released. New clients pay 35% upfront on a first engagement, a deliberate choice, because the relationship matters more to us than the cash-flow on one job.
Larger or multi-phase programmes can be structured with milestone-based collection tied to deliverables rather than dates. Invoicing is available for both US and UK clients, in USD or GBP.
What we will not do is compete on fee alone. If the only question is who is cheapest, somebody will always undercut us, and the contractor usually pays for that difference twice. We would rather defend the value and let you decide.
50 / 50 standard
Half on acceptance of the fixed quote, half before the final files are released to you.
35% for new clients
A lower first-engagement deposit. We would rather earn the relationship than gate it.
Revisions included
Addenda, design changes and VE alternates inside the agreed scope carry no extra fee.
USD or GBP
Business invoicing for both markets, with milestone collection available on larger programmes.
What is never an extra
Colour-marked drawings, the assumptions and exclusions list, Planswift source files on request, questions during the takeoff, and revisions inside the agreed scope. These are part of the product, not upsells.
What the fee difference actually buys.
The gap between a cheap takeoff and ours is usually a few hundred dollars. Here is what sits inside that gap.
| QuantX Estimation | Lowest-cost estimator | Fully in-house | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Labour pricing | Production rate × wage, per line | One blended rate for the trade | Depends on your template |
| Wastage | Applied per item, shown as its own column | Usually a flat percentage at the end | Varies by estimator |
| Marked drawings | Colour bubbles and count legends as standard | Rare, or charged extra | Only if someone has time |
| Revisions | Unlimited within agreed scope | Billed per revision, or refused | Absorbed as overtime |
| Capacity at peak | Scales with your bid calendar | You queue behind cheaper work | Capped by headcount |
| Scope gaps | Written assumptions and exclusions | Usually silent | Strong, if the estimator is senior |
What a small estimating error costs against what an estimate costs.
Run your own numbers. The fee for a takeoff is almost never the largest figure in this calculation.
What an estimating error costs you
Adjust the three inputs. Everything recalculates instantly.
A 3% estimating error on $5,000,000 of annual bid volume consumes roughly 38% of the net profit those jobs were supposed to produce.
Simplified model for illustration only. It assumes errors run against you and does not account for recovery through change orders or claims.
Send the set. Get the number.
A fixed fee, a firm delivery date and a written scope statement, usually back the same working day, and always before you commit to anything.
Fixed project fees · 50/50 terms, 35% upfront for new clients · Unlimited revisions within the agreed scope