What's Actually in the Estimate
No vague totals. Every system is broken into quantities you can trace back to a drawing.
- Mechanical - ductwork by size and gauge, piping by diameter, equipment by model and capacity
- Electrical - conduit and wiring by linear footage, panels by amperage, fixtures by type
- Plumbing - piping by diameter, fixtures by count, valves and fittings by size
- Controls - building automation points priced by system, not bundled in
Insulation, valves, and fittings get their own line too. They don't install at the same rate as the pipe or duct they attach to, so pricing them together hides the real labor cost.
Mechanical Estimation: Where the Money Actually Is
Mechanical equipment is usually the biggest single cost on an MEP bid. Get an air handler or a chiller spec wrong and it's not just a pricing error, it's a rejected submission weeks into the job. We price equipment by model and capacity, not tonnage guesses. Ductwork, piping, and insulation each get their own line, so a mechanical scope you can actually stand behind.
Why Contractors Outsource MEP Estimating Services
Carrying a full-time MEP estimating team across three disciplines means paying for three sets of software licenses, three specialties of training, and staff who sit idle between bid cycles. Choosing to outsource MEP estimating services lets a contractor scale up for a heavy bid month across all three trades at once, without carrying that overhead year-round.
Outsourcing MEP estimating services also means access to estimators who specialize in each discipline rather than a single generalist stretched across mechanical, electrical, and plumbing. That specialization shows up in the accuracy of equipment selections, fixture counts, and system sizing, details that are easy to get wrong without dedicated experience in each trade.
What Outsourcing MEP Services Actually Looks Like
Outsourcing our MEP services doesn't mean losing visibility into how a number was built. Every estimate comes with a documented breakdown by system, so your team can review mechanical, electrical, and plumbing quantities independently even though they were priced as one coordinated takeoff. Revisions are handled the same way, isolated to the system that changed rather than requiring a full re-price across all three trades.