# Build a line-item estimate and bid for a construction job

A structured estimate with quantities, labor hours, materials, markup, contingency, and a bid summary you can check before submitting.

- Topic: Sales
- Framework: Few-Shot
- Level: Standard
- Tags: Finance, Fill-in Template
- Source: https://www.thinkwithprompt.com/prompts/build-a-line-item-estimate-and-bid-for-a-construction-job

## Prompt

```text
Help me build an estimate and bid for a construction job.

**Job and trade:** [e.g. "tenant fit-out, electrical only", "bathroom remodel, GC"]
**Plans, specs, or site walk notes:** [PASTE SCOPE NOTES, SHEET NUMBERS, SPEC SECTIONS]
**Quantities from my takeoff:** [ITEMS AND QUANTITIES - e.g. "42 duplex receptacles", "180 LF 3/4 in. PEX"]
**Labor rates and crew:** [LOADED HOURLY RATES, CREW SIZE, PREVAILING WAGE OR NOT]
**Material pricing I have:** [SUPPLIER QUOTES - or "none yet"]
**Overhead, profit, and contingency targets:** [e.g. "12% OH, 10% profit, 5% contingency"]
**Bid due date and format:** [LUMP SUM / UNIT PRICE / T&M NOT-TO-EXCEED]

Steps:
1. Organize the scope into cost codes or CSI divisions and flag anything in my notes with no quantity.
2. Build line items: quantity, unit, material cost, labor hours (state the labor unit you used), labor cost, equipment, subcontractor.
3. Add general conditions: supervision, permits, dumpsters, temp power, mobilization, cleanup, insurance and bond if required.
4. Apply overhead, profit, and contingency separately so I can see each.
5. Run a sanity check: cost per square foot or per fixture against the ranges I give you, and call out lines that look light.

Rules:
- Never invent prices or labor units. Where I have not given a number, show [ADD PRICE] or [CONFIRM LABOR UNIT].
- Separate alternates and allowances from the base bid.

Return: the line-item table, a one-page bid summary, a list of assumptions, and a draft inclusions/exclusions list to attach to the bid.
```

## What to fill in

- PASTE SCOPE NOTES, SHEET NUMBERS, SPEC SECTIONS
- LOADED HOURLY RATES, CREW SIZE, PREVAILING WAGE OR NOT
- SUPPLIER QUOTES - or "none yet"
- e.g. "12% OH, 10% profit, 5% contingency"
- LUMP SUM / UNIT PRICE / T&M NOT-TO-EXCEED
- ADD PRICE
- CONFIRM LABOR UNIT

Free to copy and use. From ThinkWithPrompt (https://www.thinkwithprompt.com/), a library of 2,663 curated AI prompts.