Trusted by Owners, Contractors, and Counsel Across North America
SJ Construction Consulting, LLC provides construction cost estimating services to public agencies, private owners, general contractors, subcontractors, and law firms. We work across the continental United States, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico, pricing projects ranging from change orders worth a few thousand dollars to billion dollar civil infrastructure programs.
Our estimators are working contractors at heart. Every estimate reflects current labor rates, equipment pricing, subcontractor markets, and material availability, not stale unit prices pulled from a database. To learn more about the experience behind our work, visit the About Scott Jennings, PE page.
For Project Owners
Whether you are planning a capital project, evaluating a contractor proposal, or responding to a change order request, you need an independent estimate from a team that knows what the work actually costs today.
Pre-Construction Budgetary Estimates. We develop AACE Class 1 through Class 5 estimates at every stage of project development, from rough concept through bid documents. A reliable budget early on protects your project from scope creep, funding shortfalls, and surprise change orders later.
Independent Cost Estimates During Construction. When your project encounters real-world changes, you need someone who can quickly price the work and tell you whether a contractor number is reasonable. We deliver third-party estimates that hold up under scrutiny.
What you get
- Detailed quantity takeoffs from drawings, specifications, and field conditions
- Labor, equipment, material, and subcontractor pricing reflecting current market conditions
- Basis of estimate documentation including assumptions, exclusions, and risk factors
- Side-by-side comparison with contractor proposals or bid tabulations
- Recommendations to align scope, budget, and schedule
Pair our estimating with scheduling services and construction management support for full project oversight.
Active Construction Independent Estimates – It would be lovely if every construction project went to plan and budget, but as no battle plan survives engagement with the enemy, so often consructing projects run into very real changes when the boots hit the work site. For those situations, you’re even more in need of someone who knows what costs what, right now.
For Contractors
Winning the bid is only half the battle. Winning it at a price that lets you build it profitably, without exposing the company to undue risk, is the harder part. That is where we come in.
We have prepared hard bid estimates for some of the largest names in heavy civil construction, on projects ranging from a few hundred million dollars in Las Vegas to multi-billion dollar civil programs in California. We also handle small jobs, time and materials work, and change order pricing for contractors of every size.
What you get
- Hard bid estimates built in HCSS HeavyBid
- Crew, equipment, and production rate analysis grounded in real field experience
- Subcontractor and supplier solicitation support
- Bid review and risk analysis before submission
- Change order pricing and time and materials backup
Need to defend your bid or pursue compensation after the fact? See our claim support services.
For Attorneys and Law Firms
Construction disputes turn on numbers. We provide quantum calculations, damages analysis, and independent cost reviews that stand up in mediation, arbitration, and trial.
What you get
- Quantum and damages calculations for plaintiffs and defendants
- Independent review of opposing party estimates and change orders
- Lost productivity, acceleration, and inefficiency cost analysis
- Deposition and trial testimony from credentialed professionals
Our estimating practice pairs naturally with our expert and forensic work, giving your litigation team a single source for damages, schedule analysis, and standard of care testimony.
AACE Estimate Classes, Briefly Explained
The Association for the Advancement of Cost Engineering International (AACE) defines five estimate classes based on how well the project is defined. Knowing which class you need keeps expectations realistic and budgets honest.
|
Class |
Project Definition |
Typical Use |
Accuracy Range |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Class 5 |
0 to 2 percent |
Concept screening, feasibility |
-50 to +100 percent |
|
Class 4 |
1 to 15 percent |
Study, early feasibility |
-30 to +50 percent |
|
Class 3 |
10 to 40 percent |
Budget authorization, funding |
-20 to +30 percent |
|
Class 2 |
30 to 75 percent |
Control, bid or tender |
-15 to +20 percent |
|
Class 1 |
65 to 100 percent |
Check estimate, definitive |
-10 to +15 percent |
We will recommend the right class for where your project sits, and we will tell you honestly when a request for a Class 1 estimate is being asked of Class 4 information.
HCSS HeavyBid Expertise and Training
HCSS HeavyBid is the dominant heavy civil estimating platform in North America, and it is also where many contractors quietly lose money on a bid. We are expert users. We build complete bids in HeavyBid for client contractors, and we train estimating teams in the software through one-on-one and group sessions. If your team needs to get more out of HeavyBid, we can help.
Our Estimating Process
- Intake and scoping. We review your drawings, specifications, schedule constraints, and any prior estimates or bid documents.
- Site review. For larger projects, we walk the site or review imagery, geotechnical data, and access conditions.
- Quantity takeoff. Detailed measured quantities from current documents via On-Screen Takeoff, organized by CSI or MasterFormat division.
- Pricing. Labor, equipment, materials, and subcontractor costs built up from current market data and our own production records.
- Review and basis of estimate. Internal QC, plus a written basis of estimate that documents every assumption, inclusion, and exclusion.
- Delivery. Estimate package delivered in your preferred format, with a working session to walk through the numbers.
Typical turnaround ranges from 48 hours for change order pricing to several weeks for billion dollar hard bids. Tell us your deadline and we will tell you what is realistic.
Project Types and Industries Served
- Heavy civil and earthwork
- Highways, bridges, and transportation infrastructure
- Water, wastewater, and stormwater facilities
- Federal construction (USACE, NAVFAC, FAA, GSA)
- Airports and aviation infrastructure
- Industrial and energy
- Marine and port infrastructure
- Site development and utilities
- Vertical construction in support of civil programs
Previous Engagements
- Hard bid estimating support on multi-billion dollar California civil infrastructure program
- Several hundred million dollar Las Vegas heavy civil bid for a national contractor
- Independent owner estimate for a Pacific island water system upgrade
- Quantum and damages analysis for a multi-million dollar highway dispute
- Change order pricing and bid review for a heavy civil contractor in the Pacific Northwest
Specific client names available under NDA. Ask for references relevant to your project type.
Frequently Asked Questions
How quickly can you turn around an estimate?
Change order pricing typically takes 48 to 72 hours. Pre-construction budgetary estimates range from one to four weeks depending on document maturity. Full hard bids run two to six weeks depending on size and complexity.
What software do you use?
HCSS HeavyBid (we are also trainers), On-Screen Takeoff, Bluebeam Revu for takeoffs, RSMeans data, and Excel.
Do you sign NDAs?
Yes, routinely. Mutual NDAs are part of most engagements, particularly for hard bids and disputes.
Can you estimate work outside the continental United States?
Yes. International work is considered case by case.
Do you take small jobs?
Yes. We price change orders, small bids, and individual work items as well as billion dollar programs. Ask about minimum engagement.
Ready to Price Your Project?
Tell us about your project. We will give you a straight answer about scope, timing, and fee.
Call: (833) SJ-CIVIL | Email: info@sjcivil.com
Want background on our principal? Visit the About Scott Jennings, PE page. For our broader writing on construction practice, explore the Build America Construction Success Field Guide Series.