Estimating Buddies delivers bid-ready quantity and material takeoffs for Illinois contractors, builders and subcontractors - every trade, every project type, backed by a full estimating team for electrical, mechanical, plumbing, MEP, BIM and Xactimate work when your bid needs more than a takeoff alone.
Job Snapshot
ILLINOIS TAKEOFF
Turnaround
24–48 HRS
Coverage
STATEWIDE IL
Typical variance
±2–5%
QA passes
2X REVIEWED
Trades covered
11+ SERVICES
Every trade, every project type - quantity takeoff plus full estimating when the bid needs more than a count.
24–48 HRS
Turnaround
STATEWIDE IL
Coverage
±2–5%
Typical variance
2X REVIEWED
QA passes
11+ SERVICES
Trades covered
What We Offer
Quantity takeoff is our core service, but Illinois contractors rarely bid on takeoff numbers alone - most bid packages need full cost estimating behind them. Here's the complete catalog, all handled by one team.
01
Full material and quantity takeoffs from your construction drawings - concrete, masonry, drywall, roofing, flooring, framing and more, itemized and ready for pricing.
02
Full-project cost estimates that turn takeoff quantities into a bid-ready construction cost estimate, covering labor, material and equipment.
03
Electrical takeoff and cost estimating - service and distribution, devices, fixtures and gear - plus dedicated electrical bid estimating for bid-day deadlines.
04
HVAC, ductwork, piping and controls quantified and priced for commercial and residential mechanical scope alike.
05
Plumbing fixture counts, piping quantities and rough-in/finish takeoffs priced with current Illinois material and labor rates.
06
Mechanical, electrical and plumbing priced together as one coordinated package, so trade interfaces line up before the bid goes out.
07
Architectural scope - finishes, millwork, doors and hardware, envelope systems - quantified and priced alongside structural and MEP trades.
08
Full-set blueprint review and estimating for contractors who need a complete cost picture built directly from construction documents.
09
Quantity extraction and 5D cost estimating from BIM models, for design-build teams working in a coordinated model environment.
10
Xactimate-based estimates for restoration and insurance-scope work, formatted the way adjusters and contractors expect to see them.
11
Full takeoff and cost estimating for single-family builds - from custom homes to production builders working multiple lots at once.
12
Overflow estimating capacity for GCs and subcontractor estimating services for subs bidding directly to general contractors.
Who We Serve
From Chicagoland general contractors to downstate residential builders, our takeoff and estimating process flexes to how each team actually works.
01
GCs needing full quantity takeoffs and a construction cost estimate folded into one bid package.
02
Electrical, mechanical and plumbing subs bidding directly to GCs, needing quantities formatted to compare cleanly.
03
Single-family and production builders needing repeatable, accurate takeoffs across multiple lots.
04
Firms needing BIM-based quantity extraction and conceptual pricing early in the design process.
05
Insurance-scope and restoration work priced through Xactimate for adjuster-ready estimates.
06
Owners wanting an independent budget check on quantities and cost before bids come back.
Project Types
A single-family home in the suburbs doesn't take off the same way as a Chicago high-rise or a Rockford distribution center. Method and detail level adjust to the project type.
What's Included
Included in every takeoff - quantities, Illinois pricing, labor hours, scope notes, a code check, and RFI flags before bid day.
Full material quantities
Counted trade by trade directly from your drawings, not estimated by rule of thumb.
Illinois pricing
Current regional material and labor rates, not a flat national average.
Labor-hour breakdown
Productivity adjusted for project type and site conditions.
Scope notes
Inclusions, exclusions and assumptions written out clearly.
Code compliance check
Quantities cross-checked against applicable Illinois and local code where relevant.
RFI flagging
Unclear or conflicting drawing details called out before bid day.
Editable quantities, unit costs, extended totals and a summary tab.
Color-coded takeoff markups tracing every item to its location on the plans.
A clean, trade-organized BOQ ready to hand to suppliers or subs for pricing.
A written record of every judgment call made during the takeoff.
Sample Estimate
An excerpt from a residential quantity takeoff for a single-family build in the Chicago suburbs.
Quantity Takeoff - Excerpt
PROJECT: SINGLE-FAMILY, NAPERVILLE IL
Item
Description
Qty
Unit
Unit Price
Total
03-30-00
Concrete, foundation walls
Qty42
CY
$168.00
$7,056.00
06-11-00
Framing lumber, 2x6
Qty3,850
BF
$0.92
$3,542.00
09-29-00
Drywall, 1/2" board
Qty4,200
SF
$0.58
$2,436.00
07-31-00
Asphalt shingles
Qty28
SQ
$142.00
$3,976.00
09-65-00
Vinyl plank flooring
Qty1,850
SF
$3.10
$5,735.00
Subtotal, this excerpt
$22,745.00
Full takeoffs include every trade on the drawing set, labor hours by task, and a complete bill of quantities. Illustrative excerpt, not a live quote.
How the Process Works
Upload the set, confirm scope, and get a reviewed takeoff back with current Illinois rates - plus free updates if addenda land before the bid closes.
01
Upload plans, specs and addenda through our intake form or email - full sets or partial bid packages both work.
02
We confirm project type, trades needed and your deadline, then commit to a firm delivery window.
03
Estimators complete the quantity takeoff and apply current Illinois material and labor rates.
04
A second estimator checks the takeoff against the drawings before anything ships.
05
You receive the workbook, markups and BOQ. Post-addenda updates are free before your bid closes.
Software & Pricing Sources
No stale national averages - every takeoff runs through the same tools and pricing sources contractors use to check our numbers.
Illinois-region distributor pricing, refreshed on a rolling basis rather than a fixed annual catalog.
RSMeans cost data, adjusted for Chicagoland and statewide Illinois labor conditions.
Direct manufacturer and distributor quotes for specialty equipment and gear.
Per-trade unit costs for concrete, masonry, drywall, roofing, flooring and framing, kept current against supplier quotes.
Accuracy & Code Compliance
Chicago, Cook County and smaller Illinois jurisdictions each layer local amendments on the base code. We check quantities against the version that applies to your project's address.
01
The estimator who builds the takeoff isn't the last reviewer. A second estimator independently checks quantities against the drawings before delivery.
02
Structural spacing, fire ratings, clearances and life-safety minimums are checked against code as part of the takeoff itself.
03
Every judgment call on an unclear detail or missing schedule is written down, so you know exactly what the number covers.
04
When drawings revise mid-bid, we track what changed and update only the affected quantities - not a full re-run.
Why Choose Us
01
Material and labor rates built around Chicagoland and statewide conditions, not a generic national default.
02
Concrete to controls - request one takeoff or a full multi-trade estimate without juggling separate vendors.
03
Standard delivery in 24–48 hours, with rush options when a bid deadline is tight.
04
Every takeoff is checked by a second estimator before it reaches you.
05
Full visibility into quantities and unit pricing - never a single lump-sum number.
06
Use us project by project, or as ongoing overflow capacity - no retainer required.
Service Areas
Deepest day-to-day experience is in Chicagoland, with regular work statewide.
Also covering Schaumburg, Evanston, Cicero, Bolingbrook, Decatur and Bloomington- send your project location and we'll confirm coverage before you upload drawings.
Codes & Compliance
We check quantities against the version that applies to your project's address - state code, plus Chicago and Cook County amendments where they govern.
IBC
Base-code quantities are checked against the Illinois-adopted building code for the project address.
NEC
Electrical takeoffs are checked against the Illinois-adopted NEC 2023 where electrical scope is included.
CHI
Chicago projects are checked against the City of Chicago Building Code, including local amendments.
COOK
Cook County work accounts for county amendments layered on the base code.
IPC
Plumbing quantities are checked against the Illinois Plumbing Code where plumbing scope is in the set.
ADA
Clearances and accessibility minimums are checked where they change what gets counted.
Cost & Pricing
Fees are quoted per project against a few concrete factors - never a flat rate that ignores complexity.
01
Square footage and number of trades on the drawing set are the biggest driver of takeoff time.
02
Fully detailed construction documents take less interpretation than early design-development sets.
03
Standard 24–48 hour delivery is priced differently than a same-day rush against a tight deadline.
04
A single-trade takeoff is priced separately from a full multi-trade or MEP estimate.
05
Industrial and specialty work carries more systems and trades to quantify than standard residential work.
Every quote is free and based on your actual drawing set - send your plans and we'll confirm a firm price and delivery time before work begins.
Get a Free QuoteReady to Bid?
Send your plans and we'll confirm a firm price and delivery time before work begins - there's no cost to find out what your Illinois project would run.
Common questions from Illinois contractors
A full material and quantity takeoff by trade, priced with current Illinois rates where requested, plus a written log of assumptions and exclusions so you know exactly what's covered.
Yes - single-family, multifamily, commercial and industrial projects are all covered, with methodology adjusted to the project type.