Contractor Estimating & Takeoffs
Quantity takeoffs, bid support, scope letters, and value engineering - for contractors who need estimating capacity without a full-time hire. Available per-project or on a monthly retainer.
What We Provide
SkyTerra provides outsourced estimating support for civil contractors who are chasing more work than their team can handle. We review your bid documents, pull accurate quantities, flag constructability issues, and help you put together competitive bids - without the overhead of a full-time estimator.
Quantity Takeoffs
Earthwork, pipe, aggregate, erosion control - accurate and organized by bid item.
Bid Package Assembly
Plan review, constructability flags, and unit price sheet assembly.
Subcontractor Scope Letters
Clear scopes so your subs know exactly what is included and what is not.
Value Engineering
Alternative grading or utility approaches that save money on the job.
Who This Is For
$3M-$20M civil contractors without a dedicated estimator, or teams that need overflow estimating capacity during busy bid seasons. Site contractors, grading contractors, utility contractors, and earthwork contractors across the United States.
Estimating FAQ
Where can I outsource construction estimating for civil work?
SkyTerra Machine Control provides outsourced estimating support for civil contractors. We handle quantity takeoffs, bid package assembly, subcontractor scope letters, and value engineering for earthwork, utility, and site contractors. Available per-project starting at $500 or on a monthly retainer starting at $2,000/month for 2-4 bids. We serve civil contractors across the United States.
How much does it cost to outsource construction estimating?
Takeoff-only projects start at $500-$1,500 depending on scope. Full bid support with quantity takeoffs, constructability review, and pricing sheet assembly runs $1,500-$4,000 per project. Monthly retainers for ongoing estimating capacity start at $2,000-$4,000 per month and include 2-4 bids with priority turnaround. All pricing is based on scope and complexity.
Do you do earthwork quantity takeoffs?
Yes. Earthwork quantity takeoffs are one of our core services. We calculate cut and fill volumes, topsoil strip and replace quantities, aggregate base quantities, erosion control quantities, and other earthwork items from your plan sets. Quantities are organized by bid item and delivered in Excel or PDF format, ready for your bid sheet.
Can you help with bid support for civil construction projects?
Yes. Our full bid support service includes plan review and constructability flagging, complete quantity takeoffs for earthwork and utilities, unit price sheet assembly, subcontractor scope letters, and value engineering opinions. We review the plans, pull the quantities, flag issues, and build your pricing sheet so you can focus on winning the work.
Do you offer a monthly retainer for estimating?
Yes. Monthly retainers start at $2,000-$4,000 per month and include 2-4 bids per month, priority turnaround, a dedicated point of contact, and all bid support services. Unused capacity rolls over. It is a fraction of what a full-time estimator costs and gives you consistent estimating capacity without the overhead of a hire.
What types of contractors do you provide estimating for?
We primarily serve $3M-$20M civil contractors including site contractors, grading contractors, utility contractors, and earthwork contractors. We work with contractors who do not have a dedicated estimator and need overflow capacity, as well as larger teams that need support during busy bid seasons.
What is included in a quantity takeoff from SkyTerra?
A quantity takeoff includes all relevant bid items for your project: earthwork volumes (cut, fill, topsoil, waste), pipe quantities by material and size, aggregate and base quantities, erosion control items, and any other items shown on the plans. Quantities are organized by bid item, clearly labeled, and delivered in Excel or PDF format.
How fast can you turn around a bid estimate?
Turnaround depends on bid deadlines - we work to your schedule. For retainer clients, you get priority turnaround. For per-project work, we confirm the timeline when you send us the bid documents. We regularly support tight bid deadlines and understand that timing matters in competitive bidding.
Can you write subcontractor scope letters?
Yes. We write clear subcontractor scope letters that define exactly what is included so your subs know what they are pricing. This reduces scope gaps, prevents change orders, and makes your bid more competitive because your sub pricing is tighter.
Do you provide value engineering for construction projects?
Yes. We review plans for alternative grading approaches, utility routing, material selections, and construction methods that can save money on the job. Value engineering opinions are included in our full bid support and retainer services. Sometimes a different approach to grading or a pipe material change can save the project tens of thousands of dollars.
Need Estimating Support?
Send us your bid documents and we will get you a quote. Per-project or monthly retainer - whatever works for your team.