Starter cost codes
Free starter cost codes for construction estimating
A short list of cost codes for each kind of work, set up for Canada with metric units. Each one comes as an Excel file and a CSV file, ready to change into your own. No sign-up, no email.
These are Bidfident's own starter codes, in plain words. They aren't an official numbering system, so rename, add and delete whatever suits your business. Version 0.1, October 2026.
Bring a list into Bidfident
- Download the list for your kind of work, and change anything you like in the Excel file.
- In Bidfident, go to Libraries, then Cost codes, and press Import from Excel. Pick the file. Nothing changes yet.
- Check the preview: each code says New, Update or Same.
- Already have codes of your own? Set Existing codes to Add new only, so yours stay exactly as they are.
- Press Import. Undo import is right there if you change your mind.
- The lists never share a code, so you can bring in more than one.
- Each code starts with a two-digit number, which groups your estimate under one heading.
- The numbers go up in tens, so you can add your own in between.
For every kind of work
General starter
Site setup and general costs that almost every job has, whatever your trade. 28 codes
Trade contractors
Electrical
Power in, wiring, devices, lighting and testing, for an electrical contractor. 25 codes
Mechanical and plumbing
Pipework, fixtures, hot water and heating, for a plumbing and mechanical contractor. 23 codes
HVAC
Heating, cooling, ventilation and ductwork, for an HVAC contractor. 21 codes
Drywall and ceilings
Framing, boards, taping and finishing, and ceilings, for a drywall or drylining contractor. 36 codes
Roofing
Tear off, covering, flashings and drainage, for a roofing contractor. 20 codes
Painting
Preparation, painting, coatings and finishes, for a painting contractor. 15 codes
Flooring
Preparation, floor coverings and finishing, for a flooring contractor. 15 codes
Masonry
Brick, block and stone walls, for a masonry contractor. 20 codes
Concrete
Forms, steel, concrete and finishing, for a concrete contractor. 22 codes
Civil and site work
Excavation
Clearing, digging, hauling and backfill, for an excavation contractor. 19 codes
Grading
Shaping the ground, bases and drainage falls, for a grading contractor. 17 codes
Paving
Bases, asphalt, concrete paving and markings, for a paving contractor. 21 codes
Underground utilities
Water, sewer and storm pipe laid in the ground, for a utilities contractor. 20 codes
Landscaping construction
Planting, paving, walls and irrigation, for a landscape contractor. 20 codes
Renovation and home builders
Renovations
Strip out, framing, finishes and the trades you bring in, for a renovation contractor. 20 codes
Additions
Foundation to finish for a room or storey added to a house, for a builder. 20 codes
New homes
Site to handover for a new house, for a home builder. 20 codes
Fit-ups
Fitting out a commercial space for a new tenant. 19 codes
Demolition and abatement
Demolition
Surveys, strip out, breaking, cutting and disposal, for a demolition contractor. 20 codes
Asbestos removal
Surveys, enclosures, removal and clearance, for an asbestos contractor. 18 codes
Hazardous materials
Lead, chemicals and other hazards found in buildings, for an abatement contractor. 19 codes
Site remediation
Testing, digging out contaminated ground and treating water, for a remediation contractor. 17 codes
Industrial shutdowns
Plant shutdowns
Planning, crews, access and close out for a short planned stop of a plant. 19 codes
Turnarounds
Big planned overhauls of a plant, with long lead items, large crews and many contractors. 19 codes
Millwright work
Setting aligning and connecting machines and conveyors, for a millwright. 20 codes
Mechanical maintenance
Routine servicing and breakdown cover for a plant's machinery. 20 codes
Telecom and fibre
Fibre runs
Cable on poles and in the ground, with the hardware and testing, for a cable installer. 19 codes
Conduit runs
Pipe in the ground and on structures for cables to be pulled through later. 19 codes
Directional drilling
Boring under roads and rivers without opening the surface, for a drilling crew. 20 codes
Splicing
Joining cables, closures and testing the joins, for a splicing crew. 17 codes
Cabinet installs
Setting and wiring outdoor cabinets, for a network installer. 17 codes
Fair use
Free to use for your own bids. Change it to suit your business. Please don't resell it or hand it out as your own list.
Put the codes to work
In Bidfident each line of an estimate can carry a cost code, the estimate is grouped by them, and the code search finds one by its number or a word.
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