General Contractor (GC) Estimation
Full-scope construction estimate for SYMI Restaurant covering all trades under CSI divisions. Includes detailed takeoff, labor, and material costs for accurate and competitive GC bidding.
About Project
The SYMI Restaurant project involved a full-scope commercial estimate prepared by AH Estimating for a general contractor. Covering all CSI divisions—from demolition to finishes and MEP—this estimate provided complete visibility into costs, quantities, and labor across every trade, enabling confident project planning and competitive bidding.
This comprehensive estimate was structured to support both budgeting and procurement phases, ensuring alignment with design intent and construction sequencing. By incorporating trade-specific labor rates, real-time material pricing, and calculated waste factors, AH Estimating delivered a reliable, CSI-formatted document that streamlined coordination between stakeholders and enhanced overall project efficiency.
Scope and Participants
The SYMI Restaurant Project involved a comprehensive commercial fit-out, with AH Estimating brought in to provide a full-scope construction estimate covering all trades. From demolition to mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) and architectural finishes, this was a turn-key project requiring precise quantification and costing.
AH Estimating served as the estimating partner for the general contractor, ensuring that every CSI division—from Division 01 (General Requirements) through Division 26 (Electrical)—was accurately scoped and costed in line with the project specifications and industry standards.
Key Challenges
Managing a full-scope estimate required precise coordination across all trades. The team balanced detailed takeoffs, CSI formatting, and cost control while adapting to client needs and market volatility.
- Multidisciplinary Scope: Coordinating all trade divisions in a single estimate—from structural to finishes—while preventing overlaps or gaps.
- Detailed Takeoff Requirements: Every material and labor unit had to be tracked, including wastage, unit labor rates, and total labor hours per division.
- Cost Sensitivity: The client emphasized competitive pricing, especially for high-cost trades like MEP and finishes.
- Strict Formatting: The estimate needed to be aligned with CSI division standards, ensuring easy review and integration with project budgeting tools.
Estimation Approach
A CSI-structured format was used to clearly define each trade’s scope and cost. Labor rates, waste factors, and real-time pricing were integrated to deliver a practical, contractor-ready estimate.
- Division-Based Breakdown: We followed the CSI Master Format structure, organizing each trade clearly with its scope, quantity, labor rate, and material pricing.
- Trade-Specific Labor Rates: Custom labor rates were applied per trade (e.g., Carpentry, Electrical, Plumbing), taken from market-appropriate benchmarks.
- Wastage Calculations: For accurate procurement and budgeting, material waste factors were included in quantity build-up.
- Collaborative Revisions: We maintained open communication with the client for scope clarifications and version updates, ensuring alignment with evolving design needs.
- Final Deliverables: A detailed multi-sheet estimate was provided, separating takeoff, labor data, and general summary for easier use during bidding and scheduling.
Summary
The SYMI Restaurant project highlights AH Estimating’s capability to handle full-scope GC estimates across multiple trades. Our structured, CSI-aligned approach ensured cost visibility, precision, and ease of use for the client. By incorporating real-time pricing and labor-specific costing, we delivered a well-balanced estimate tailored for competitive tendering.
AH Estimating continues to support commercial GC projects with end-to-end estimating solutions—ensuring both accuracy and clarity.
