Many contractors estimate from memory or from published price books. A unit cost database built from your own finished jobs makes bids faster and closer to what the work really costs.
In this article
What to track
Cost per unit for each type of work: per square foot of drywall, per cubic yard of concrete, per opening for doors.
Start with finished jobs
Pull actual costs from job cost reports. Real numbers beat guesses.
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Labor productivity
Track hours per unit, not just dollars. Wages change; productivity tells you how your crews really work.
Material prices
Keep current supplier prices separate from labor. Update before every major bid.
Organize by division
Use a consistent structure, like CSI divisions, so estimators find things quickly.
Add context
Note job size, access, season and crew. A unit cost from a tight urban site is different from an open lot.
Use it in bids
Start the estimate from your data, then adjust for the specific project.
Common mistakes
Never updating the numbers, mixing labor and material and ignoring the conditions behind each cost.
Run tighter jobs and win the right ones.
We help construction companies build the systems, online presence and client relationships that bring better projects.
Frequently asked questions
How often should unit costs be updated?
Material prices should be checked before each bid and the database reviewed at least every quarter. Labor productivity should be updated as each job closes out.