Construction estimating & bid control
Construction Estimating & Bid Control System PRO
Build the estimate. Understand the margin. Know what needs attention before you send the bid.
A connected Excel-based estimating system for contractors who want a clearer path from scope and direct cost to selling price, risk review, and a professional client proposal.
The pricing problem
A bid can look complete and still hide a weak pricing decision.
Scope gaps, stale assumptions, missed overhead, an unnormalized subcontractor quote, or confusion between markup and gross margin can change the economics before the proposal ever reaches the client.
- 01
Cost is not price
Direct cost is only the starting point. Overhead recovery, contingency, escalation, and required profit must be visible.
- 02
Quoted is not normalized
A low subcontractor number can move after missing scope, duplicate scope, exclusions, and schedule fit are considered.
- 03
Complete is not ready
A proposal should not go out until scope, pricing, selected bids, allowances, and risk conditions have been reviewed together.
Product demonstration
Follow one estimate from scope to send decision.
Interactive local walkthrough
Media ID: TW-CON-EST-PRO-MEDIA-DIRECT-01
Estimating workflow
One connected sequence. One estimate per workbook.
The system is intentionally organized around a single project file, keeping assumptions, source decisions, pricing, proposal output, and post-bid learning together.
- 01
Set the project
Company identity, project information, overhead method, pricing targets, and review thresholds.
- 02
Maintain your costs
Your own labor, material, equipment, subcontract, and other cost references—no built-in market pricing claims.
- 03
Build complete scope
Quantities, cost types, sources, labor assumptions, allowances, subcontract packages, and proposal sequence.
- 04
Normalize bids
Compare quoted and normalized subcontractor amounts with scope and schedule controls.
- 05
Price and review
Move through the pricing waterfall, test margin, and clear critical or review conditions.
- 06
Propose and learn
Review the client proposal, record the bid result, and preserve one pricing lesson for the next estimate.
Pricing & margin proof
Markup and gross margin are not the same decision.
At a $100 burdened cost, 25% markup produces a $125 selling price. A 25% target gross margin requires $133.33. The system keeps the labels, formulas, and outcomes separate.
25% markup
$125.00$25 profit ÷ $125 price = 20% gross margin25% target gross margin
$133.33$33.33 profit ÷ $133.33 price = 25% gross marginVisible sensitivity
What if?Review the effect of cost or selected-bid changes after pricing.Subcontractor bid control
Normalize the scope before you compare the number.
A subcontractor decision can change when a quote excludes required scope, duplicates another package, expires early, or creates a schedule problem. The comparison keeps quoted price and normalized price side by side.
- Missing-scope additions
- Duplicate-scope deductions
- Other normalization adjustments
- Scope coverage and schedule fit
- Quote validity and key exclusions
- Base quote
- $24,900
- Add missing scope
- +$2,100
- Deduct duplicate scope
- −$500
- Normalized bid
- $26,500
Decision noteLower quoted price does not automatically mean lower normalized bid.
Estimate decision panel
Ready to send- Critical estimate errors
- 0
- Selected sub exceptions
- 0
- Allowance exposure
- 3.96%
- Gross margin
- 28.02%
Risk / readiness
A send decision should be earned, not assumed.
The system brings line-item warnings, selected subcontractor issues, allowance exposure, pricing thresholds, and proposal readiness into a single review path.
Client proposal
Internal control in. Clean client presentation out.
The client-facing view organizes scope, price, allowances, alternates, assumptions, exclusions, schedule, and payment terms without exposing internal direct costs, markup, margin, or risk flags.
Kitchen & First-Floor Remodel
Prepared for Taylor Morgan
- Project scope
- Pricing summary
- Allowances included in base
- Accepted / offered alternates
- Assumptions, exclusions & schedule
- Proposal total
- $225,761
What you receive
The clean master, a completed example, and the guidance to use them.
Delivered as one customer package for the purchaser’s own internal business or personal use.
- XLSXTrellon_Construction_Estimating_PRO_v1.1.xlsx
Clean master for a new estimate.
- XLSXTrellon_Construction_Estimating_PRO_Example_v1.1.xlsx
Completed fictional example showing the intended workflow.
- PDFTrellon_Construction_Estimating_PRO_Quick_Start_v1.1.pdf
Setup, workflow, compatibility, limits, and troubleshooting.
- TXTREADME / license summary
Package notes, permitted use, and responsibility boundaries.
Who it is for / not for
Built for contractors who want transparent control—not another opaque platform.
A strong fit for
- General contractors and residential builders
- Remodelers and specialty contractors
- Owner-led and small-to-mid-sized estimating teams
- Teams that maintain their own costs and assumptions
- Contractors who want an auditable one-project file
Not intended to replace
- Company financial records or payroll operations
- Customer relationship and billing operations
- Project-wide cost-to-complete controls
- Live supplier or regional price sources
- Legal, tax, engineering, code, or regulatory advice
Compatibility
Excel-first, portable, and transparent.
Designed for Microsoft Excel and tested through native Google Sheets conversion. Minor font, spacing, protection, and print differences can occur after conversion; formulas, dropdowns, charts, and proposal layout should be reconfirmed before relying on a converted copy.
- Microsoft Excel
- Primary XLSX target
- Google Sheets
- Native conversion tested
- Macros / VBA
- None
- Power Query
- None
- External workbook links
- None
- Operating model
- One estimate per workbook
Frequently asked questions
What to know before you buy.
Is this a one-time purchase?
Yes. The listed price is $59 USD for the current version 1.1 customer package. The connected checkout remains in Lemon Squeezy test mode only.
Does it include built-in regional costs?
No. The clean master contains no regional pricing source. You maintain the labor, material, equipment, subcontract, and other costs appropriate to your work.
Can I use it in Google Sheets?
The production files were tested through native Google Sheets conversion. Minor visual, protection, and print differences can occur, so reconfirm the converted file before relying on it.
How is markup different from gross margin?
Markup divides profit by cost; gross margin divides profit by selling price. At $100 cost, 25% markup produces $125, while a 25% gross margin requires $133.33.
Does it compare subcontractor bids?
Yes. The comparison supports quoted price, missing or duplicate scope adjustments, other normalization adjustments, scope coverage, schedule fit, quote validity, exclusions, and selection review.
Will it create the client proposal?
It provides a client-facing proposal worksheet for scope, price, allowances, alternates, assumptions, exclusions, schedule, and terms. Review every output before issue.
Does it guarantee the estimate or bid result?
No. Results depend on the accuracy and completeness of your inputs and assumptions. The product does not guarantee estimate accuracy, profitability, bid results, or project outcomes.
One-time purchase · $59
Price the work with the full estimate in view.
Construction Estimating & Bid Control System PRO · Version 1.1
Get the system — $59Lemon Squeezy test checkout. No live charge will be made.