Guides for estimators
Updated · BuildGets Team
Short, practical guides for estimators who bid unit-price public works: water, sewer, paving and other heavy civil jobs. Each one answers a single question you run into between downloading the bid documents and submitting your bid.
- How to import a PDF bid form into HeavyBidFrom the owner's PDF to bid items in HeavyBid without retyping, and when you do not need to.
- How to check a bid form for missing itemsSeven checks to run before bid day: numbering, addenda, schedules, units and allowances.
- Bid form units explainedLF, SF, SY, CY, LS, EA, TON, VF and the rest, with conversions and where each one is used.
- Bid schedule vs schedule of valuesTwo documents that look alike and do different jobs: one to win the bid, one to get paid.
- Bid day checklist (printable)Addenda, item count, units, allowances, extensions, bid bond and submission, on one page.
- How to read a bid tabulationColumns, low bidder, engineer's estimate, unbalanced prices and how to use bid tabs to price.
- Unit price vs lump sum contractsBidding, payment and quantity risk, and why water and sewer work is paid by the unit.
- Allowances in construction bidsWhat they are, how to carry them and the mistakes that change your total.
- Water main cost per footWhat bids really show by size and material, and what the pipe price includes.
Looking for a definition? The bid form glossary covers 18 terms, from addendum to unbalanced bid.