Detailed construction estimate.
A detailed construction estimate is built from measured quantities taken from drawings, priced using current labour, material, and plant rates, and reviewed before submission.
Authored by Alexandr Vreme & Maksym Vasylkov
Published — Next review
This topic is covered in full on our main Estimating Process guide, which walks through every stage from enquiry through measurement, pricing, and review.
Key elements of a detailed estimate
- Full quantity take-off from construction drawings
- Priced using current supplier and subcontractor quotations
- Labour built up from gang rates and productivity assumptions
- Preliminaries, overheads, and profit added separately
- Assumptions and exclusions clearly stated
Miniature example
For a small extension, a detailed estimate would list every element individually: 28 m² of brickwork, 12 m of drainage, 3 windows, 1 door, 44 m² of roof covering — each with its own unit rate rather than a blanket per-square-metre figure.
Related guides and tools
Start with the Estimating Process guide. Use the Construction Estimator to build detailed estimates from your quantities.