What does an estimate review and second-opinion audit cover?
An estimate review and second-opinion audit re-checks an existing bid line by line: quantities against the drawings, unit costs against public wage and price data, and scope against the specifications and addenda. You get a marked-up drawing set, an Excel workbook and a PDF summary listing each discrepancy and its dollar effect.
Our Professional Estimate Review & Second-Opinion Audit
An estimate review and second-opinion audit starts with the bid package you already have: the drawing set, the specification sections, the revision log and the addenda. We re-take quantities from the drawings, re-price the line items against current unit costs, and mark every difference in red on the sheet you sent us. The output is a line-by-line reconciliation, not a lump-sum opinion.
Our construction estimate review service is built for the moment before you sign a subcontract or submit a bid, when one wrong allowance or a stale labor rate still costs nothing to fix. Each reviewed line carries its unit of measure, the measurement rule applied, the arithmetic, and the public data source behind the price. Where a line cannot be traced, we say so and flag it for the estimator of record. Pair the audit with our hard bid and bid day support when the reviewed numbers have to be turned around into a submitted bid.
| Line item | Unit | Bid quantity | Reviewed quantity | Bid unit cost | Reviewed unit cost | Variance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cast-in-place walls, 8 in. | SF of wall area | 4,200 | 4,340 | $18.50 | $18.50 | +$2,590 |
| Slab on grade, 5 in. | CY | 310 | 322 | $215.00 | $215.00 | +$2,580 |
| Reinforcing steel | Ton | 48 | 51 | $1,180.00 | $1,180.00 | +$3,540 |
| Formwork, wall contact area | SFCA | 8,400 | 8,680 | $9.25 | $9.25 | +$2,590 |
| Interior doors, hollow metal | Each | 64 | 64 | $410.00 | $435.00 | +$1,600 |
Re-measured quantities behind the bid
We re-measure the quantities behind the bid: square feet of floor and wall area, cubic yards of concrete, linear feet of pipe and conduit, tons of structural steel, and each count item such as doors, fixtures and equipment connections. Every takeoff line names its CSI MasterFormat division, its unit of measure and the drawing sheet and detail it came from. You receive a marked-up drawing set beside a takeoff sheet so the reviewer can trace any quantity back to the geometry. Waste factors are shown as a separate line at typical percentages for the material, never buried in the net quantity.
Rebuilt labor from crew logic
Labor is where most bid gaps hide, so we rebuild it from crew composition rather than accepting a percentage. Each activity is checked for crew rate, productivity in units per labor hour, and the burden applied on top of base wage. We compare the bid's rates against published wage data for the trades involved and against the crew logic in the schedule. Where a productivity figure looks optimistic for the site conditions described, we note the assumption and the exposure in dollars. See our labor cost estimating services for the method we apply.
Bid-ready pricing structure checked
On a bid-ready estimate we check the complete structure: general conditions, overhead and profit, bond and insurance, contingency, escalation and alternates, each as its own line. The review confirms that the bid form totals agree with the detailed sheet and that every addendum item is carried. We return a variance table showing your figure, our figure and the difference per line, sorted by dollar impact. Where a line is defensible at your number, we leave it and say why.
What Is Included in Our Estimate Review & Second-Opinion Audit Estimates?
A second opinion on construction estimate documents is only useful if it is specific enough to hand back to the preparer. Every review we return includes a scope-gap list, a quantity reconciliation, a pricing reconciliation and a written summary of the largest exposures. The findings are delivered as an Excel workbook, a PDF summary and marked-up drawing pages showing where each correction was found. We also record the AACE estimate class the document appears to sit in, because a Class 3 budget and a Class 5 concept carry different expected accuracy and should not be judged by the same tolerance. Where the reviewed estimate is a concept-level document, the findings cross-reference our preliminary and conceptual estimating benchmarks so the reviewer can see how far the numbers sit from a comparable basis. When the audit feeds a live procurement, the findings are timed to the bid schedule through our hard bid and bid day support.
Scope gaps, exclusions and alternates
We read the specification against the drawing set and list what the estimate omitted: divisions with no line, scope carried by another trade, and items shown on the drawings but excluded in the bid letter. Alternates and unit prices are checked for whether they are additive, deductive or both, and whether the base bid is clean without them. Each gap is stated with the CSI MasterFormat division, the drawing reference and an order-of-magnitude dollar range labeled illustrative until priced. Addenda are reconciled against the revision log so no reviewed line prices a superseded detail.
Quantities, units of measure and takeoff verification
Quantity takeoff verification re-measures the high-value lines and spot-checks the rest, with the sampling rule written into the summary. We confirm that each unit of measure matches the pricing basis: square feet of contact area for formwork, cubic yards in place for concrete, tons for reinforcing steel. A quantity carried in the wrong unit is a common and expensive error, so every unit is restated on the reviewed sheet. Waste factors are compared against typical ranges by material, and any line using a factor outside that range is flagged with the assumed value and the effect on the extended total.
Materials, labor, equipment and cost breakdowns
Each line item is split so the reviewer can see what drives it: material, labor hours at a stated crew rate, equipment, and the markup stack. Labor rates are compared against published wage data for the trade, and productivity assumptions are tested against the quantity they are applied to. Material pricing is checked against supplier quotes where the bid package includes them, and against published producer price movement where it does not. General conditions, overhead and profit, bond and insurance, contingency and escalation are each reviewed as separate lines rather than a single percentage, because a blended markup hides which component is out of line. The review closes with a bid leveling pass: every bidder's number is normalized to the same scope, unit basis and alternates so the comparison is like for like.
Who Needs Our Estimate Review & Second-Opinion Audit?
A bid estimate audit pays for itself when the number is large, the schedule is tight, or the estimate was prepared by someone who will not build the work. Each client group below uses the same reviewed workbook for a different decision, and each one starts from the same question: can every line be traced to a quantity, a unit cost and a source. That is the standard we hold every review to.
Specialty subcontractors
A subcontractor checking a bid before submission uses the review to confirm quantities and crew rates on the divisions they self-perform, and to see what the general contractor's bid leveling will expose. We flag lines where the bid sits below the published wage data for the trade, because that is where a competitor's number usually wins or where a mistake is hiding. The addenda log is checked line by line so nothing priced is missing from the final submission.
General contractors and home builders
A general contractor uses the review to level subcontractor bids on a common quantity basis before award. We normalize each bid to the same unit of measure, the same scope and the same alternates, then show the adjusted comparison. Builders comparing a production budget against a sold job use the same workbook to catch scope creep between the two.
Developers, architects and suppliers
Developers test a pro forma against a reviewed hard-cost number before committing to a project. Architects use the review to confirm that the design intent in the drawings is priced, including the details that estimators often miss. Suppliers and manufacturers use productivity and material pricing feedback to check whether their quoted packages are being carried correctly in contractor estimates, which is the supplier-side use of the same audit.
Types of Estimate Review & Second-Opinion Audit Projects We Estimate
The review method holds across project types, but what we sample and where errors concentrate changes with the building. We weight quantity takeoff verification toward the divisions that carry the most dollars in each type, and our quantity takeoff services supply the independent quantities the audit checks against.
| Project type | Highest-value review lines | Typical error found |
|---|---|---|
| Single-family residential | Framing lumber, windows, finishes | Allowance stated per unit but priced per square foot |
| Multifamily | Drywall, doors, fixtures, sitework | Unit counts taken from an outdated drawing revision |
| Commercial office | Structural steel, mechanical, electrical | Supplier quote dated before a steel price movement |
| Retail and shell | Concrete, masonry, storefront | Formwork priced on floor area instead of contact area |
| Industrial | Process equipment, piping, electrical | Long-lead item missing from the escalation basis |
| Heavy civil | Earthwork, paving, utilities | Quantity carried in the wrong unit of measure |
Residential projects
On single-family and multifamily work the review concentrates on framing quantities, window and door counts, and finish allowances, where a per-unit allowance can hide a wide range. We check the bid package for whether allowances are stated as dollars per unit or per square foot, and restate them on one basis. Our construction estimates for residential work follow the same traceable line structure.
Commercial buildings
Commercial reviews focus on the systems that drive cost: structural steel and concrete, mechanical and electrical distribution, and the general conditions tied to schedule duration. Material pricing on steel and copper products has moved sharply, so we check the date on every supplier quote against the bid date. Our construction cost estimating services describe how those prices are carried into a reviewed estimate.
Industrial and infrastructure projects
Industrial and infrastructure scopes carry process equipment, long-lead procurement and heavy civil quantities, so the review checks the procurement schedule against the construction schedule and confirms escalation is priced to the midpoint of installation. Unit-rate schedules and alternates are checked for whether the owner's estimated quantities match the drawings, which is where most of the recoverable error sits on these scopes.
Our Estimate Review & Second-Opinion Audit Estimating Process
Every estimate review and second-opinion audit follows the same three stages, and each stage produces a file you can open and check. We quote the fee per project after reading the plans and specs, so the first conversation is about scope, not price. The work below is a construction cost estimate review of the package you already have, not a fresh estimate written from scratch unless you ask for both.
Before we open a spreadsheet, we ask for the complete drawing set, the specification book, all addenda, and the bid form or estimate you want audited. Missing addenda are the most common reason a review starts late. Send the files through the quote request page and tell us which CSI MasterFormat divisions matter most to your decision. If you are still shaping the number rather than testing it, our budget estimates start from the same drawing set and carry the same measurement rules.
Submit drawings and specifications
You send the drawing set, specs, addenda, and the estimate or bid tabulation under review. We log the revision dates and confirm which sheets are current, because a review run against a superseded sheet wastes everyone's time. If a supplier quote or subcontractor proposal backs a line, include it so we can test the unit cost against the document rather than against a database average.
Plan review and digital takeoff
An estimator reads the drawings division by division and re-measures the quantities that carry the most money: concrete, structural steel, framing, drywall, roofing, mechanical piping, and electrical raceway. We record the unit of measure and the measurement rule on the takeoff sheet, so a reviewer can reproduce any number. Quantities that match your estimate are marked as verified; the rest are flagged with the sheet and detail where the difference originates. Where the audit turns on a full re-measure, our quantity takeoff work follows the same sheet format.
Cost calculation, quality checks and delivery
Flagged quantities are repriced with current material and labor inputs, then a second estimator checks the arithmetic, the waste factors, and the division totals against the summary. The deliverable is an Excel workbook and a PDF summary with marked-up drawing pages, so the findings sit next to the sheet they came from. Our construction estimating services page explains how the same sequence runs when we build an estimate instead of auditing one.
Sample Estimate Review & Second-Opinion Audit Estimate and Deliverables
The example below is illustrative and uses round assumptions, not a real project. Assume a single-story tenant fit-out of 4,000 sq ft, a 2x4 metal-stud partition layout of 320 linear feet at 9 ft height, and a submitted estimate that carries 2,880 sq ft of gypsum board on that partition. The reviewer's arithmetic: 320 lf x 9 ft = 2,880 sq ft per side, and two sides give 5,760 sq ft before openings. Deducting 240 sq ft of doors and windows leaves 5,520 sq ft. At a 10 percent typical waste factor, 5,520 x 1.10 = 6,072 sq ft. The submitted figure understates the board by 3,192 sq ft, which is the kind of scope gap an estimate review and second-opinion audit surfaces before the bid is signed.
The same pass checks general conditions, permits, bond and insurance, and overhead and profit as separate lines rather than a percentage buried in the total. When you check a contractor's estimate, ask for the drawing set and revision log the numbers were built from; an estimate priced off an older issue will not reconcile no matter how the math is checked. Use the construction estimate template to see the column structure we return from a review of your submitted numbers.
| Item | Qty | Unit | Unit cost range | Extended range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5/8 in. gypsum board, one side (320 lf x 9 ft) | 2,880 | sq ft | $0.95 – $1.25 | $2,736 – $3,600 |
| 5/8 in. gypsum board, second side | 2,880 | sq ft | $0.95 – $1.25 | $2,736 – $3,600 |
| Deduct openings (doors and windows) | (240) | sq ft | $0.95 – $1.25 | ($228) – ($300) |
| Waste factor, 10% typical | 576 | sq ft | $0.95 – $1.25 | $547 – $720 |
| Metal studs, 2x4 at 16 in. o.c. | 320 | lf | $3.10 – $4.20 | $992 – $1,344 |
| Joint compound and tape | 5,520 | sq ft | $0.18 – $0.26 | $994 – $1,435 |
| Labor, drywall hang and finish | 5,520 | sq ft | $1.40 – $1.90 | $7,728 – $10,488 |
| Reviewed partition total | — | — | — | $15,505 – $20,887 |
Excel quantity takeoff sheet
One tab per CSI division, with columns for item, quantity, unit of measure, measurement rule, source sheet, and a verified or flagged status. Formulas stay live so you can change a quantity and watch the extended cost move. Waste factors and rounding rules are stated on the sheet, not hidden in a cell.
Marked-up drawings
The drawing set comes back as a PDF with color-coded markup: quantities we confirmed, quantities we could not find, and dimensions that conflict between sheets. Each markup carries the takeoff line number so the two files cross-reference. Sheets missing from the set are listed by number so you can request them.
Itemized cost estimate
The cost summary restates your estimate line by line with our quantity, unit cost, and extended amount beside it, then subtotals by division. General conditions, contingency, escalation, and alternates appear as their own lines. A findings page lists the largest variances first, with the dollar effect of each.
Software and Pricing Data We Use
An estimate accuracy review depends on two things: the takeoff being reproducible and the pricing inputs being current. We keep the revision log open while we work, so a sheet issued after our start date is caught before the report goes out. Every line carries a source, whether that is a supplier quote, a published cost database, or a wage figure adjusted for the project's location.
Scope gaps usually hide in divisions nobody re-read: firestopping, roof drainage, temporary power, and testing and balancing. The review walks the specification sections against the takeoff to confirm each one has a priced line or a written exclusion.
Takeoff and estimating software
We work in three tool categories: PDF and on-screen takeoff for measuring from drawings, spreadsheet estimating for the line-item build and formulas, and subscription cost databases for baseline material and labor pricing. Quantities export to the workbook with the measurement rule attached. The chart below plots the Producer Price Index series for the materials in this scope, rebased to 100, so you can see which inputs moved most over the period shown.
Regional material and labor pricing method
National average unit costs are adjusted with published U.S. wage and price data, then reviewed by an estimator against the project's location, prevailing wage requirements, and site conditions. The wage table below lists the trades we price most often, and the chart below shows material price movement. Overhead and profit, bond and insurance, and contingency are applied as stated percentages, never folded silently into a unit cost. Our construction cost estimating services page describes the same pricing method in more detail.
Material price movement, Oct 2023 to Sep 2026
| Occupation | 25th percentile | Median | 75th percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Construction laborers | $18.57 | $22.66 | $28.72 |
| Carpenters | $23.32 | $29.12 | $36.94 |
| Electricians | $23.76 | $30.38 | $40.36 |
| Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters | $24.13 | $30.67 | $40.92 |
| Cement masons and concrete finishers | $22.60 | $27.41 | $32.15 |
| First-line supervisors, construction trades | $30.48 | $38.42 | $48.78 |
| Cost estimators | $29.40 | $37.86 | $48.97 |
Base wages before payroll taxes, insurance and benefits. Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, national, all industries.
Why Contractors Choose Our Estimating Services
A bid leveling review only works if the numbers can be traced back to a drawing and a rule. That is the standard we hold on every audit: each quantity shows its measurement rule, each unit cost shows its source, and each assumption is written where you can argue with it. Nothing is rounded into a lump sum without a note.
We do not publish client counts, ratings, or accuracy percentages, because a review's value is visible in the findings page, not in a claim. What we can describe is the method, and you can test it on the first project. Teams that also need a fresh takeoff before the audit often pair this with our professional bid estimating services.
Trade-specific expertise
Reviewers are assigned by division, so the concrete, steel, and mechanical quantities are checked by someone who prices those trades regularly. That matters most where scope creep hides: a wall type that changed on an architectural sheet but never reached the structural or fire-protection drawings. The takeoff sheet records which sheet and detail each quantity came from.
Quality control and clear assumptions
A second estimator re-adds the division totals and tests the summary against the detail before anything is released. Bond and insurance, permits, and general conditions are listed as separate lines so you can see what the percentage covers. Assumptions and exclusions sit on their own page, which is the first thing to read when a bid comes in low.
Turnaround, communication and revisions
Delivery dates are agreed in writing when the review starts, based on the drawing count and the number of divisions in scope. If an addendum lands mid-review, we tell you what it changes and whether the date moves. Revisions to the report follow the same rule: you send the updated sheet, and we return a marked revision log rather than a fresh document. Start with the professional construction estimating services overview or send your plans for a fee quote.
Estimate Review & Second-Opinion Audit Pricing
The fee for an estimate review and second-opinion audit is quoted per project after we read the drawing set, the specifications and the estimate being checked. We do not publish a rate card, because a two-sheet tenant fit-out and a forty-sheet school addition do not carry the same review burden. Send the plans and the estimate file through send your plans and the quote comes back with the scope of review written out line by line.
The quote names what is being checked: the quantity survey, the unit costs, the labor rate build-up, the general conditions, and whether the estimate sits at the right AACE class for its stage. A construction estimate error check on a bid-ready package costs more to perform than a sanity check on a schematic budget, and the quote reflects that difference rather than hiding it in a blended rate.
How quotes are calculated
We count the sheets, list the CSI MasterFormat divisions the estimate touches, and count the alternates and addenda that must be reconciled. Each division is priced as a review block: quantities re-taken or spot-checked, unit costs compared against current material pricing, and labor hours tested against crew rate and productivity assumptions. The blocks are added, and the total is the fixed fee.
The arithmetic is shown in the quote, so you can see which division drives the number. If a division is priced as a lump sum with no backup, we flag it as unverifiable rather than pricing a full re-takeoff for it. Reviewing an estimate produced from our own construction estimates is quoted the same way.
What affects price and delivery time
Sheet count, trade count, the number of alternates and the volume of addenda all move the fee. A package with three addenda and a revised structural set requires a revision log reconciliation before any number is trusted, and that work is quoted. Alternates and unit-price schedules add rows that must be checked for completeness against the bid form.
The date is confirmed with the quote and is driven by the same inputs: more sheets, more divisions and a live bid date compress what can be reviewed carefully. A review tied to a bid opening is scheduled against that date, and anything that cannot be verified in the window is listed as an open item rather than assumed.
The calculator below does not price the review. It takes your building area, your own base hard cost per sq ft, and your soft-cost, contingency and escalation percentages, then returns hard cost, soft costs, contingency, escalation, budget total and all-in cost per sq ft. Use it to see how a contingency percentage changes the budget total before you decide how much of the estimate needs auditing.
Square-foot budget calculator
- Hard cost
- $444,000
- Soft costs
- $53,280
- Contingency
- $49,728
- Escalation
- $21,880
- Budget total
- $568,888
- All-in per sq ft
- $237
Enter your own base rate from a recent bid, cost book or estimator. The default values are placeholders for the math, not market prices.
Estimate Review & Second-Opinion Audit Across the US
An estimate review and second-opinion audit tests labor rates against the market where the work is built, not where the estimate was written. The wage table below shows national medians by trade, and a review compares the estimate's loaded crew rate to those medians plus the local burden, fringe and prevailing wage requirements on public work. A public bid with a Davis-Bacon wage decision attached is checked against that decision, not the national median.
Material pricing is tested against supplier quotes and published price movement, because lumber, ready-mix, steel and copper wire do not move together. Where an estimate carries a bare unit cost with no escalation line on a project bought eighteen months out, we flag it. Waste factor assumptions are checked per CSI MasterFormat division, since typical allowances differ between drywall, masonry and structural steel, and a single blanket percentage across all divisions is a common scope gap.
KNR serves all states from one team, so the review method and the deliverable format stay the same from project to project. What changes is the input data: local wage levels, climate-driven envelope and frost-depth requirements, and the code edition enforced by the local building department. Confirm that edition with the authority having jurisdiction before pricing to it.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does an estimate review & Second-Opinion audit estimate cost?
The fee is quoted per project after we review the plans, so it depends on drawing count, CSI MasterFormat divisions covered, number of bid packages, and whether you want a full re-takeoff or a line-item check against your existing sheet. Send the drawing set, the estimate under review, and any addenda; we return a written quote that lists what the review covers before work starts.
How long does an estimate review & Second-Opinion audit takeoff take?
The delivery date is set by the size of the drawing set, the number of revisions and addenda, and how many line items need a fresh quantity takeoff verification. We confirm the date in the quote rather than quoting a standing turnaround. Reviews of a single bid package move faster than a full-building audit across all divisions.
Do you estimate labor and material costs?
Yes. Labor lines use crew rate and productivity assumptions stated on the sheet, and material lines carry a unit cost with the supplier quote or pricing basis noted. We adjust national average unit costs with published BLS wage and price data, then an estimator reviews the result. Every line shows its unit of measure and arithmetic so you can trace the number.
What drawings do you need?
Send the complete drawing set at the latest revision, the specification book, the revision log, and every addendum issued to bidders. If you are checking a contractor's estimate, include that estimate in its native file plus the bid tabulation. Incomplete sets are the main cause of scope gaps, so we flag missing sheets before pricing begins.
Can you use my estimate template?
Send your template with the plans and we confirm whether the estimate can be delivered in it. Standard output is an Excel workbook and PDF summary with marked-up drawing pages, so a client template works when its division and line-item structure maps cleanly to ours. We tell you before starting if a column or cost code cannot be carried through.
Do you sign NDAs?
Clients can request an NDA before sending drawings, and the terms are agreed before plan review begins. Send the draft with your request so both sides sign before any documents transfer. We do not describe a standard NDA policy beyond that; the agreement is handled case by case.
What is the difference between an estimate review and a second-opinion audit?
An estimate review checks the arithmetic, units, and pricing basis of an existing sheet. A second-opinion audit re-takes quantities on selected divisions and compares them to the submitted numbers, so you see where the two diverge. The estimate review and second-opinion audit are usually run together when a bid is close and the spread between bidders needs explaining.
Can you check a contractor's estimate before I sign a contract?
Yes. Send the contractor's estimate, the plans and specs it was priced from, and the bid form. We check quantity takeoff verification by division, confirm the unit of measure on each line, and flag missing general conditions, bond and insurance, and contingency. Findings arrive as a line-by-line comparison you can take into negotiation.
Do you perform bid leveling review across multiple bidders?
Yes. Bid leveling review puts each bidder on the same scope basis: alternates separated, allowances identified, addenda acknowledged, and qualifications listed. The output is a bid tabulation that shows which gaps are scope and which are pricing. That distinction matters more than the bottom-line spread when the low bid looks unusually low.
How do you handle escalation and allowances in a review?
Escalation is checked against the bid date and the pricing basis stated on the sheet, with material movement described in words from published index data rather than a guessed percentage. Allowances are listed separately with what they cover, so an owner can see which dollars are fixed and which are still open. Unexplained allowances are a common finding.
Which CSI MasterFormat divisions does the review cover?
Coverage follows the current 50-division format, 00 through 49, and is scoped in the quote. Most reviews concentrate on Divisions 03 concrete, 05 metals, 09 finishes, 22 plumbing, 23 HVAC, and 26 electrical, where quantity errors carry the most cost. Tell us which divisions to audit if you want a partial review.
What does the deliverable look like?
You receive an Excel workbook with the reviewed line items, a PDF summary of findings, and marked-up drawing pages showing where quantities were checked. Each finding names the line item, the unit, the rule applied, and the arithmetic. The summary separates errors, scope gaps, and items needing a supplier quote before they can be closed.
Can you review an estimate built in a different estimating tool?
Yes, if the file exports to a spreadsheet or a readable PDF with line items and quantities. We do not need access to the original software. Where only a PDF is available, quantities are re-keyed and checked against the drawing takeoff, and any line that cannot be verified is marked as such rather than assumed.