Menu
Construction Estimating Services
At Ark & Mason, we bring over 11 years of hands-on experience in design and construction, offering construction cost estimating services based on theoretical calculations and real-world expertise. We’ll help you accurately predict construction costs and minimize surprises. You’ll be able to make more informed decisions and reduce potential risks like cost overruns.
Commercial Construction Budgeting
We cover every aspect of financial planning for your construction projects.
Construction Cost Estimating
We work with various estimate types, from early-stage Class D budgeting, which includes a 21% to 30% design allowance, to pre-tender Class A estimates, where the design allowance is as low as 5% to 10%. We can cover the entire project or its parts, such as masonry, metalwork, electrical systems, plumbing, HVAC, roofing, insulation, and more. In all cases, we create estimates that are as close to reality as possible, accounting for direct costs, indirect costs, and profit and overhead.
Construction Budget Proposal
Our certified specialists will prepare a detailed construction budget proposal for your project. You can use this document when entering into contracts or approving funding. If necessary, we can break the process into stages and add payment schedules and deadlines for each phase.
Project Budget Analysis
Ensure your project budget is realistic, accurate, and aligned with your business goals. We’ll estimate costs and compare them against industry standards and regulations. Our report will include a risk analysis for potential budget overruns and provide recommendations to reducing costs without compromising quality. If you’re considering alternative materials or services, we’ll also include those options. The result is a clear, realistic financial overview of your project and a clear financial plan.
Who Can Benefit from Our Services?
Our estimating services are for professionals across various design, construction, and sales fields, including:
- Contractors
- Developers
- Designers
- Architects
- Engineering and design firms
- Home builders
- Real estate agents
We’re happy to collaborate with large organizations and independent professionals to create detailed construction takeoffs.
What Should Be Included in a Construction Budget?
A well-prepared budget ensures every essential element is accounted for. It reduces the risk of overruns, unexpected costs, and delays. Let’s take a closer look at what your estimate will include:
- Cost of Property: The price of the building or land where your project will be developed.
- Administrative Costs: Permit fees and project management expenses.
- Site Preparation: Tasks like demolishing old buildings, removing dead trees, and preparing the site.
- Materials: Every item needed for construction, from concrete and wood to nails and paint.
- Equipment and Tools: Renting (or buying) and operating equipment costs.
- Project Labour: Wages for on-site workers and indirect support staff (e.g., office personnel). We take into account the peculiarities of the labor market in your region.
- Liability Insurance: The required insurance coverage for the construction process.
- Risks: Any potential challenges you might face, such as weather delays or hard-access site location.
- Contractor Profit: Typically 10–30% of construction material costs, depending on the type of work.
To make your estimate realistic for your region, we use local prices for materials and wages.
What Does a Construction Estimator Do?
In most cases, you’ll have minimal interaction with a construction estimator. You’ll only need to provide all the construction documents, designs, and drawings you have, and we’ll handle the rest. However, in some cases, an estimator may need more data. Here’s what construction estimators might do:
- Communicate with architects and engineers: Sometimes, they’ll need to clarify project details, align on planned work, and figure out what equipment or machinery is needed.
- Visit the site: This will help determine whether your project needs additional equipment or adjustments due to things like terrain or weather.
- Talk with you, the customer: Sometimes, different approaches to construction are used. The estimator may contact you to discuss the most suitable or cost-effective methods for achieving your goals.
- Consult with suppliers: As a design firm, we often gain valuable insights from material suppliers. We can sometimes get a heads-up if the price of a certain type of brick is going to go up or if a tile with a certain pattern is going to be discontinued. This helps us provide the most accurate and useful estimates possible.
Our goal is to make the process effortless and time-efficient for you. You bring us the drawings and get your estimate promptly. Avoid extra hassle and benefit from an estimate that will make your project successful.
How Long Does It Take to Prepare an Estimate?
The timeframe for a construction estimate depends on the size of the project and the level of detail needed. For example, estimating a 500-square-metre office typically takes about two business days. Once we’ve reviewed your drawings, we’ll let you know precisely how long your estimate will take.
In What Format Will You Receive the Estimate?
You can request a cost estimation for the entire construction project or specific elements, such as engineering systems, roofing, or window and door installation.
We will deliver the estimate as a detailed document outlining cost items, the quantity of materials required, price per unit, related service costs, and more. This document serves as a financial roadmap for your construction project. Depending on the type of cost estimation, the deviation from the final cost typically ranges from 5% to 20%.
We can tailor the construction takeoff to meet your specific needs — for example, including a monthly breakdown of costs or a timeline showing the duration of various construction activities.
What Benefits Does Construction Budget Planning Offer?
An estimate acts as a financial roadmap for your construction project. It helps you:
- Take control of costs;
- Reduce and predict financial risks;
- Make informed financial decisions and avoid cost overruns.
If the cost estimation shows that the project needs to be updated to fit the budget, you’ll know what to fix. For contractors, an estimate helps calculate potential profits and decide whether a project is worth pursuing. In scenarios involving competitive bidding, an accurate cost estimation is absolutely essential.
Comprehensive Commercial Construction Budgeting
We cover every aspect of financial planning for your construction projects.
Construction Cost Estimating
We work with various estimate types, from early-stage Class D budgeting, which includes a 21% to 30% design allowance, to pre-tender Class A estimates, where the design allowance is as low as 5% to 10%. We can cover the entire project or its parts, such as masonry, metalwork, electrical systems, plumbing, HVAC, roofing, insulation, and more. In all cases, we create estimates that are as close to reality as possible, accounting for direct costs, indirect costs, and profit and overhead.
Construction Budget Proposal
Our certified specialists will prepare a detailed construction budget proposal for your project. You can use this document when entering into contracts or approving funding. If necessary, we can break the process into stages and add payment schedules and deadlines for each phase.
Project Budget Analysis
Ensure your project budget is realistic, accurate, and aligned with your business goals. We’ll estimate costs and compare them against industry standards and regulations. Our report will include a risk analysis for potential budget overruns and provide recommendations to reducing costs without compromising quality. If you’re considering alternative materials or services, we’ll also include those options. The result is a clear, realistic financial overview of your project and a clear financial plan.
Who Can Benefit from Our Construction Estimating Services?
Our estimating services are for professionals across various design, construction, and sales fields, including:
- Contractors
- Developers
- Designers
- Architects
- Engineering and design firms
- Home builders
- Real estate agents
We’re happy to collaborate with large organizations and independent professionals to create detailed construction takeoffs.
What Should Be Included in a Construction Budget?
A well-prepared budget ensures every essential element is accounted for. It reduces the risk of overruns, unexpected costs, and delays. Let’s take a closer look at what your estimate will include:
- Cost of Property: The price of the building or land where your project will be developed.
- Administrative Costs: Permit fees and project management expenses.
- Site Preparation: Tasks like demolishing old buildings, removing dead trees, and preparing the site.
- Materials: Every item needed for construction, from concrete and wood to nails and paint.
- Equipment and Tools: Renting (or buying) and operating equipment costs.
- Project Labour: Wages for on-site workers and indirect support staff (e.g., office personnel). We take into account the peculiarities of the labor market in your region.
- Liability Insurance: The required insurance coverage for the construction process.
- Risks: Any potential challenges you might face, such as weather delays or hard-access site location.
- Contractor Profit: Typically 10–30% of construction material costs, depending on the type of work.
To make your estimate realistic for your region, we use local prices for materials and wages.
What Does a Construction Estimator Do?
In most cases, you’ll have minimal interaction with a construction estimator. You’ll only need to provide all the construction documents, designs, and drawings you have, and we’ll handle the rest. However, in some cases, an estimator may need more data. Here’s what construction estimators might do:
- Communicate with architects and engineers: Sometimes, they’ll need to clarify project details, align on planned work, and figure out what equipment or machinery is needed.
- Visit the site: This will help determine whether your project needs additional equipment or adjustments due to things like terrain or weather.
- Talk with you, the customer: Sometimes, different approaches to construction are used. The estimator may contact you to discuss the most suitable or cost-effective methods for achieving your goals.
- Consult with suppliers: As a design firm, we often gain valuable insights from material suppliers. We can sometimes get a heads-up if the price of a certain type of brick is going to go up or if a tile with a certain pattern is going to be discontinued. This helps us provide the most accurate and useful estimates possible.
Our goal is to make the process effortless and time-efficient for you. You bring us the drawings and get your estimate promptly. Avoid extra hassle and benefit from an estimate that will make your project successful.
How Long Does It Take to Prepare an Estimate?
The timeframe for a construction estimate depends on the size of the project and the level of detail needed. For example, estimating a 500-square-metre office typically takes about two business days. Once we’ve reviewed your drawings, we’ll let you know precisely how long your estimate will take.
In What Format Will You Receive the Estimate?
You can request a cost estimation for the entire construction project or specific elements, such as engineering systems, roofing, or window and door installation.
We will deliver the estimate as a detailed document outlining cost items, the quantity of materials required, price per unit, related service costs, and more. This document serves as a financial roadmap for your construction project. Depending on the type of cost estimation, the deviation from the final cost typically ranges from 5% to 20%.
We can tailor the construction takeoff to meet your specific needs — for example, including a monthly breakdown of costs or a timeline showing the duration of various construction activities.
What Benefits Does Construction Budget Planning Offer?
An estimate acts as a financial roadmap for your construction project. It helps you:
- Take control of costs;
- Reduce and predict financial risks;
- Make informed financial decisions and avoid cost overruns.
If the cost estimation shows that the project needs to be updated to fit the budget, you’ll know what to fix. Here are some insights from our estimator, Diana, on how we’ve managed to fit into the budget on different projects.
“In my experience, smart budgeting can save anywhere from 10 to 20% of construction costs. We’ve had some really interesting cases at Ark & Mason. For example, while working with a restaurant developer, we saved 8% on equipment rentals just by planning for potential weather delays and tweaking the schedule. Another time, while budgeting for an office project, we used local alternatives to cut siding costs by 15%, and quality and aesthetics stayed exactly as planned.”
For contractors, an estimate helps calculate potential profits and decide whether a project is worth pursuing. And in scenarios involving competitive bidding, an accurate cost estimation is absolutely essential.
Why Ark & Mason
Choosing Ark & Mason for your Services offers numerous benefits. Here's why we stand out:
We regularly work on construction sites, so our construction takeoff is grounded in real-world experience. We know how to calculate time and money while accounting for unexpected surprises.
We manage projects from start to finish, from concept to getting permits. This means you don’t need to juggle multiple managers or contractors. With us, you have one point of contact for all your needs.
With over 11 years in the industry, we’ve built strong partnerships with hundreds of contractors, manufacturers, and suppliers. We will connect you with reliable contractors we know and trust.
We begin every project by understanding your business goals. This approach helps us prioritize your needs and ensures the materials and services align with your budget, timeline, and objectives.
We believe most unexpected issues can be anticipated or minimized. From financial risks to work delays or supply chain disruptions, we factor potential challenges into our cost estimations to help you stay prepared.
What Our Customers Say
NEXT STEPS
To estimate the cost and time required for your project, we’ll need to review your plans and drawings. Let us know if you need a cost estimation for the entire project or specific aspects like HVAC, masonry, metalwork, or electrical systems.
Our construction estimators will review your documents and get back to you with an offer within two days. Let’s make your project a success! Contact us today via form or phone, or book a call.
