It’s common for contractors to spend their evenings reviewing drawings and completing takeoffs just to meet bid deadlines. You’re staring at plans on your computer screen, manually counting outlets or measuring linear feet of framing, with three more bids due tomorrow. Meanwhile, two promising projects slipped through your fingers this week because you simply didn’t have time to put together competitive proposals. Sound familiar? Here’s the reality: The biggest revenue loss for many contractors comes from projects they never had time to bid. And the biggest bottleneck? Takeoffs. Those time-consuming, detail-oriented material calculations that eat up hours of your day before you can even think about pricing a job. But what if I told you there's a straightforward way to handle twice as many bids without working twice as many hours? Let's talk about outsourcing your takeoffs and why it might be the smartest business move you make this year.
Most contractors don't realize how much doing their own takeoffs actually costs them. Sure, you're not writing a check to anyone, but you're paying in other ways. Think about what happens when you or your estimator spends eight hours on a single takeoff. That's a full day where nobody's pursuing new leads, following up with existing clients, or working on the bids that are still sitting in your inbox. It's eight hours where your expertise and relationships aren't generating new opportunities. And let's be honest, takeoffs aren't exactly the highest and best use of your time. You didn't get into contracting to count ceiling tiles. You got into it to build things, manage projects, and grow a business. Yet here you are, spending your evenings measuring concrete pads when you could be having dinner with your family or planning your next big project. The opportunity cost is real. Every hour spent on takeoffs is an hour not spent on something that could actually grow your business.
The construction industry is competitive right now. Projects are moving fast, and owners want proposals quickly. If you can't turn around a bid in a reasonable timeframe, someone else will. I've talked to contractors who tell me they can only handle about ten bids a month because of takeoff limitations. They're selective about which projects to pursue, which sounds smart on the surface. But here's the problem, you never know which bids you're going to win. If you're only bidding on ten projects and your win rate is 30%, you're landing three jobs a month. That might not be enough to keep your crews busy or your business growing. Now imagine you could bid on twenty projects in the same timeframe. Same win rate, but now you're landing six jobs. You've just doubled your workload without changing anything about your actual construction process or hiring more field staff .That's the power of increasing your bid capacity. More bids mean more opportunities, more flexibility to be selective, and ultimately more revenue.
I know what some of you are thinking: "I don't want to hand over my plans to some random person who doesn't understand my business." Fair concern. But outsourcing your takeoffs doesn't mean losing control or sacrificing quality. Here's how it typically works with a professional estimating service. You submit your project plans usually just a digital upload. You provide any specific requirements or notes about how you want things measured or organized. Then a dedicated estimator, someone who does this full-time and knows the ins and outs of quantity takeoffs, gets to work. Within 24 to 48 hours, you receive a detailed, accurate takeoff spreadsheet with all your quantities organized and ready to price. You review it, make any adjustments based on your specific approach, plug in your costs, and you've got a bid ready to go. The key difference? While they're measuring and counting, you're out there doing what you do best building relationships, managing jobs, and running your business.
Honestly, most contractors could benefit from outsourcing at least some of their takeoffs. But it's especially valuable if you're in one of these situations:
If you're thinking about giving this a try, start small. Pick one upcoming bid ideally not your most critical project and outsource just the takeoff. See how it goes. Review the quality, check the accuracy, and evaluate how much time it actually saved you. Most contractors are pleasantly surprised. They expect to spend a lot of time correcting errors or filling in gaps, but with a good service, the takeoff comes back remarkably complete and ready to use. Once you're comfortable, start incorporating outsourced takeoffs into your regular workflow. You might choose to outsource all your takeoffs, or you might keep some in-house and outsource others based on complexity or deadline pressure. There's no one-size-fits-all approach. The important thing is to find what works for your business and your workflow. The goal isn't to change everything overnight it's to gradually free up your time and increase your capacity so you can pursue more opportunities.
Doubling your bid capacity isn't just about working on more projects. It's about having the flexibility to be strategic. When you can handle twenty bids instead of ten, you can afford to be pickier about which jobs you really want. You can pursue that dream project that might be a long shot. You can maintain relationships with clients by always responding to their requests, even when you're busy. More capacity means more options. And in the construction business, options are valuable. Outsourcing your takeoffs isn't about cutting corners or shirking responsibility. It's about recognizing that your time and expertise are your most valuable resources. It's about delegating the time-consuming technical work so you can focus on the strategic decisions that actually grow your business. Think about it this way: if you could spend less time counting materials and more time building relationships with owners and architects, how much more work could you land? If you could respond to every bid request that comes across your desk instead of having to pick and choose, how many more opportunities would you win?
The construction industry doesn't reward people who work the hardest at everything, it rewards people who work smart and leverage their resources effectively. Outsourcing your takeoffs is one of the smartest, most practical ways to scale your estimating capacity without burning out or hiring expensive full-time staff. Can it really double your bid capacity? For many contractors, the answer is yes. You're eliminating the biggest bottleneck in your estimating process and freeing up your time to focus on what matters: pricing accurately, building relationships, and managing great projects. The contractors who are thriving right now aren't necessarily the ones with the best equipment or the lowest prices. They're the ones who can respond quickly, bid on the right projects, and maintain consistent quality even when they're busy. Outsourcing your takeoffs gives you that competitive edge. If you're tired of turning down opportunities because you simply don't have time to prepare a bid, or if you're spending your evenings and weekends hunched over blueprints instead of living your life, maybe it's time to consider a different approach. Your business and your sanity might just thank you for it. Ready to see what doubling your bid capacity could do for your bottom line? It might be easier than you think.
At Remarkable Estimating Services, we specialize in creating detailed, accurate estimates that protect contractor profits. Our team reviews every aspect of your project to ensure nothing is overlooked from material waste factors to site-specific challenges. Get a free estimate review and discover where your current estimation process might be leaving money on the table. Contact us today to learn how professional estimating services can improve your bid accuracy and project profitability. Schedule Your Free Consultation.
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