Construction Estimating and Bidding

Course Description

BCN4240 — Construction Estimating and Bidding is a senior-level (4xxx) college-credit course in Florida's Bachelor of Science in Building Construction programs. The course covers the principles and practice of construction cost estimating: quantity takeoff; pricing of labor, materials, equipment, and subcontracts; markup, overhead, and profit; bid strategy; competitive bidding processes; estimating software; risk and contingency in estimates. The course is typically a senior-level capstone or pre-capstone preparing students for entry-level estimator roles or project management roles requiring strong cost-estimating fundamentals.

Learning Outcomes

Required Outcomes

Upon successful completion of BCN4240, students will be able to:

• Perform quantity takeoff from construction documents: organize work by CSI MasterFormat divisions; quantify materials, labor, and equipment.
• Apply labor estimating: trade-specific productivity rates; labor burden (taxes, benefits, insurance); crew composition; regional wage rates.
• Apply material estimating: quantity calculation; waste factors; current pricing; supplier coordination; material lead time.
• Apply equipment estimating: equipment selection; cost per equipment hour; ownership vs. rental; mobilization/demobilization.
• Apply subcontractor estimating: subcontractor scope definition; bid solicitation; bid leveling; subcontractor management.
• Apply indirect costs and markup: general conditions (jobsite costs); home office overhead; bonds and insurance; profit margin; contingency.
• Apply bid strategy: competitive position analysis; risk assessment; bid/no-bid decision; bid pricing strategy; negotiated vs. competitive bidding.
• Use estimating software: industry-standard tools (Sage Estimating, ProEst, On-Screen Takeoff, Bluebeam, Excel-based estimating).
• Apply risk and contingency management: identify estimate risks; quantify contingency; risk register.

Optional Outcomes

• Apply introductory 5D BIM integration with estimating.
• Apply conceptual/parametric estimating for early design phases.

Major Topics

Required Topics

• Estimating Process: Estimate types (order-of-magnitude, conceptual, semi-detailed, definitive); estimate accuracy levels (AACE Class 1–5); estimating workflow.
• Quantity Takeoff: Plan reading; CSI MasterFormat organization; manual takeoff techniques; digital takeoff (On-Screen Takeoff, Bluebeam, PlanSwift).
• Labor Costs: Trade-specific productivity (RSMeans data); labor burden calculation (FICA, FUI/SUI, workers' comp, health insurance, paid time off); crew assembly; prevailing wage (Davis-Bacon for federal projects).
• Material Costs: Quantity calculation; waste/loss factors by material type; current pricing sources; supplier quotes; lead time considerations.
• Equipment Costs: Equipment hourly cost computation; ownership vs. rental analysis; mobilization/demobilization; equipment fuel and operating costs.
• Subcontractor Bidding: Subcontractor scope packages; bid solicitation; bid leveling (apples-to-apples comparison); subcontractor selection criteria; subcontractor management approach.
• Indirect Costs: General conditions (jobsite supervision, temp facilities, equipment, utilities); home office overhead allocation; bonds (bid, performance, payment); insurance (general liability, builder's risk, workers' comp).
• Markup and Profit: Markup calculation methods; profit margin determination; competitive position adjustments.
• Bid Strategy: Bid/no-bid analysis; competitive position; risk premium; relationship considerations; negotiated vs. hard-bid procurement.
• Estimating Software: Sage Estimating; ProEst; On-Screen Takeoff (OST); Bluebeam Revu; PlanSwift; Excel-based templates; integration with project management software.
• Risk and Contingency: Estimating risk identification; quantitative risk analysis; contingency calculation methods; risk register and management.

Resources & Tools

• RSMeans cost data (annual editions for residential, commercial, heavy construction)
• Frederick Gould Construction Project Management; Robert Peurifoy and Garold Oberlender Estimating Construction Costs
• AACE International (Association for the Advancement of Cost Engineering) standards
• Industry estimating software (Sage, ProEst, OST, Bluebeam, PlanSwift)
• Florida Department of Transportation cost data for civil/heavy work

Career Pathways

BCN4240 directly prepares students for entry-level construction estimator and senior project engineer roles:

• Construction Estimator at Florida general contractors and subcontractors — one of the most in-demand entry-level roles in the construction industry.
• Senior Project Engineer with cost-management responsibility.
• Project Manager tracks requiring strong estimating fundamentals.
• Construction Cost Analyst at developers and program management firms.
• Continuation toward graduate construction management programs and PMP certification.

Special Information

Course Format

Typically 3 credits, 45 contact hours (lecture).

Senior-Division Status

BCN4240 is senior-division (4xxx) and typically requires senior standing in a B.S. Building Construction or B.A.S. Construction Management program.

Industry Certifications

Coursework supports preparation for the AACE International Certified Estimating Professional (CEP) certification, an industry-standard credential for construction estimators.