From cost to tender: see how your price is built

Follow an example tender from the direct cost through each markup, then change one and watch every total update.

50 sec7 steps

Shown with a Canadian job and dollars; the steps are the same for you.

The steps in words

Open the tender summary It builds your price line by line, in order.
Add up the direct cost Your own work, the subcontractors and the preliminaries come to the direct cost.
Follow the markups Contingency and overheads and profit go on first, then the bond and insurance on the subtotal including them.
Hover an ⓘ It says exactly how that line is worked out.
Change overheads and profit Say it goes from 6.5% to 7% (the example calls it the fee). Type it in, just like a spreadsheet, and press Enter.
Watch every total update It and every total below it change straight away, and the tender goes up 13,736 dollars.
See how your price is built From the direct cost to the tender, every markup in order and every figure explained. Watch it again, or try Bidfident.

What next

Free estimating spreadsheet
Get the spreadsheet
An Excel estimate to fill in with your own quantities and rates, with a worked example.
All free estimate spreadsheets for the UK
Read
Work out markup and margin
This click-through builds a price up from the direct cost. The markup and margin guide explains the sums behind each markup, with examples.
Markup vs margin for contractors, explained
Try it
Try Bidfident
Change a markup on your own job and watch every total below it, and the tender, update.
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