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About Service
Plumbing is the only construction trade that operates in three dimensions from day one. While electricians pull wire through studs and HVAC contractors hang duct below the deck, plumbers run pipes vertically through multiple floors, horizontally through walls, and below-grade under slabs — all on the same project. An estimator who measures plumbing as "linear feet of pipe" misses the critical cost drivers: vertical risers cost more to install than horizontal runs, below-grade piping requires trenching and backfill, and transition fittings between different pipe materials add significant cost at every system boundary. Our plumbing estimators read riser diagrams, floor plans, and site utilities together to capture complete scope. We track pipe material changes (copper transitions to PEX at manifolds, cast iron transitions to PVC at building exits), identify every valve, trap, and cleanout, and verify fixture counts against schedules. This is the detail level that prevents the $5,000-$10,000 change orders that plague inaccurate plumbing bids. Related reading: Common Construction Estimating Mistakes and What Is Included in MEP Estimating.
Plumbing scope divides into two fundamentally different cost categories. We estimate each separately because they involve different materials, different labor rates, and often different subcontractors.
Domestic water distribution (copper, PEX, CPVC), sanitary waste and vent piping (cast iron, PVC), gas piping (black steel, CSST), fixture rough-ins, trim, and connections. Includes all valves, supports, hangers, firestop at rated assemblies, and pipe insulation. Measured from floor plans and riser diagrams using FastPIPE.
Typically 55-70% of total plumbing cost on multi-story commercial projects.
Underslab sanitary, storm, and water service piping. Includes trenching, bedding, backfill, pipe material (typically PVC or ductile iron), fittings, cleanouts, floor drains, and connections to the building's main stacks and to site utilities. Below-grade work happens early in construction and has different labor productivity rates than above-ground work.
Typically 30-45% of total plumbing cost on ground-floor and slab-on-grade projects.
Copper Piping
PEX/CPVC Piping
Cast Iron DWV
PVC Drainage
Fittings (by type)
Valves & Controls
Plumbing Fixtures
Water Heaters
Pumps & Motors
Backflow Preventers
Floor & Roof Drains
Cleanouts & Traps
Gas Piping
Pipe Insulation
Hangers & Supports
Fire Sprinklers
Drawing Review & System ID
Review plumbing plans, riser diagrams, site utilities, and fixture schedules. Identify all systems: domestic water, sanitary, storm, gas, fire protection, medical gas.
Piping Takeoff (FastPIPE)
Measure every pipe run by diameter and material using FastPIPE. Track material transitions (copper→PEX, cast iron→PVC) and count fittings at every connection.
Fixture & Equipment Count
Count all fixtures from schedules and plans. List water heaters, pumps, backflow preventers, expansion tanks, and specialty equipment with specifications.
Below-Grade Separation
Separate below-slab piping from above-ground work. Calculate trenching, bedding, and backfill for underslab scope. Different labor rates apply.
Field Feasibility Review
Review plans for field feasibility — checking slopes, clearances, and coordination issues. Note corrective changes where plans may not work as drawn.
Pricing & Senior Review
Apply RSMeans zip-code pricing. Senior MEP estimator review. Deliver Excel organized by system with color-coded piping markups.
Trade-specific plumbing contractors who bid on water, waste, vent, gas, and fire protection scope. We format by system so your bid matches how you subcontract or self-perform each scope.
Sprinkler and standpipe contractors who need Division 21 fire suppression takeoffs — sprinkler head counts, pipe lengths, fitting counts, hanger quantities, and fire pump specifications.
General contractors verifying plumbing sub bids, engineers needing cost analysis during design, and developers managing plumbing budgets on multi-unit projects.
FastPIPE Piping Takeoffs
Every pipe run measured individually by diameter and material using FastPIPE — not estimated from fixture unit counts or rule-of-thumb formulas.
Field Feasibility Review
Our estimators check plans for real-world feasibility — slopes, clearances, and coordination issues — not just blind measurement from drawings.
System-Organized Estimates
Domestic water, sanitary, storm, gas, and fire protection are all separate line item groups — so you know the exact cost of each system.
Above/Below-Grade Split
We separate above-ground from below-slab work with different labor rates for each — because installing pipe in a trench costs differently than hanging pipe from hangers.
60% Cost Savings
An in-house plumbing estimator costs $65K-$85K/year. Our monthly package covers 10-15 projects for $2,000 — saving 60% on estimating expenses.
24-48 Hour Residential
Residential plumbing estimates within 24-48 hours. Commercial projects 2-5 business days depending on system count and building complexity.
"Phoenix measures every pipe run individually — not just fixture units times a factor. Our material re-orders dropped to zero in the first quarter. The fitting counts are dead-on accurate."
"We're a plumbing sub that does both residential and commercial. Phoenix separates our below-grade from above-ground with different labor rates for each — exactly how we price our bids. No other estimating service does this."
"We went from bidding 8 plumbing jobs a month to 20 without adding staff. Phoenix handles the takeoffs, we handle the field. Win rate went from 16% to 39%."
The Problem
A plumbing subcontractor in New York was estimating manually using PDF rulers and spreadsheets. Pipe quantities were 12-18% off because they didn't track fittings at every connection point — just estimated fittings as a percentage of pipe cost. This led to $5,000-$8,000 in emergency material re-orders per project. Their single estimator handled 8-10 bids monthly but the contractor needed to bid 25+ to stay competitive in the NYC market.
The Solution
Phoenix Estimations provided complete Division 22 takeoffs using FastPIPE with fitting-level accuracy. Every pipe run was measured by diameter and material. Fittings were counted at every elbow, tee, wye, and reducer — not estimated as a percentage. Below-grade and above-ground scope were separated with different labor rates. Estimates included 50-70 line items organized by system with RSMeans NYC pricing.
The Outcomes
Material re-orders dropped to near-zero within 3 months, saving $120,000+ annually. The contractor scaled from 8-10 bids/month to 25+ without adding staff. Win rate jumped from 15% to 41% because fitting-level accuracy produced tighter pricing. Annual revenue grew 45% in year one. They now use Phoenix as their permanent plumbing estimating partner.
What Is Included in MEP Estimating?
Blog guide covering plumbing, HVAC, and electrical scope within MEP estimates.
Common Construction Estimating Mistakes
Avoid the errors that lead to plumbing re-orders and budget overruns.
Mechanical Estimating Services
Combined HVAC + Plumbing + Piping estimating for full mechanical scope.
