Accurate bid preparation requires adequate time. Rushing leads to errors, missed scope, and unrealistic pricing. This guide helps you plan realistic timelines for bid development based on project complexity and your team's capacity.
Factors Affecting Bid Timeline
Project Complexity
Simple Projects (1-2 weeks)
- Single trade scope
- Standard specifications
- Clear drawings
- Familiar project type
Moderate Projects (2-4 weeks)
- Multiple trade coordination
- Some specialty systems
- Moderate drawing set
- Some site investigation needed
Complex Projects (4-8 weeks)
- Multi-discipline coordination
- Specialty systems/equipment
- Large drawing sets
- Significant site investigation
- Complex phasing
Team Capacity
Considerations
- Other bids in progress
- Estimator availability
- Support staff bandwidth
- Management review time
Realistic Loading
- Don't assume 100% availability
- Account for interruptions
- Plan for sick days/vacation
- Build in buffer time
Document Quality
Well-Developed Documents
- Faster takeoff
- Fewer RFIs needed
- Clearer scope boundaries
- Less interpretation required
Poor Documents
- Extended takeoff time
- Multiple RFI cycles
- More assumptions/contingency
- Higher risk of errors
Timeline by Project Type
Small Commercial Projects ($100K-$500K)
Typical Timeline: 1-2 weeks
Week 1
- Day 1-2: Document review and quantity takeoff
- Day 3-4: Pricing development and sub quotes
- Day 5: Review and finalize
Week 2 (if needed)
- Subcontractor follow-up
- Final assembly
- Management review
- Submission
Medium Commercial Projects ($500K-$2M)
Typical Timeline: 2-3 weeks
Week 1
- Days 1-2: Thorough document review
- Days 3-5: Detailed quantity takeoff
Week 2
- Days 1-2: Self-perform cost development
- Days 3-4: Subcontractor solicitation/follow-up
- Day 5: Initial assembly
Week 3
- Days 1-2: Gap analysis and completion
- Day 3: Management review
- Days 4-5: Finalization and submission
Large Commercial Projects ($2M-$10M)
Typical Timeline: 3-4 weeks
Week 1: Discovery
- Document review
- Site visit
- Initial takeoff
- RFI development
Week 2: Quantification
- Detailed takeoff completion
- Subcontractor scope packages
- Solicitation distribution
- Self-perform pricing
Week 3: Assembly
- Sub quote analysis
- Cost compilation
- Gap identification
- Clarification resolution
Week 4: Finalization
- Management review
- Final pricing decisions
- Document preparation
- Submission
Major Projects ($10M+)
Typical Timeline: 6-8 weeks
Weeks 1-2: Understanding
- Comprehensive document review
- Multiple site visits
- Team assignments
- Detailed RFI development
Weeks 3-4: Quantification
- Detailed takeoff by trade
- Subcontractor prequalification
- Specialty system analysis
- Schedule development
Weeks 5-6: Pricing
- Sub quote collection
- Self-perform detailed pricing
- Risk assessment
- General conditions development
Weeks 7-8: Assembly
- Cost compilation
- Management reviews
- Strategy decisions
- Final assembly and submission
Milestone-Based Planning
Working Backward from Deadline
Submission Day
- Final review complete
- Documents assembled
- Submission method ready
- Backup plan available
One Day Before
- All numbers finalized
- Document review complete
- Submission prep finished
- Final checks done
Three Days Before
- Main estimate complete
- Sub quotes compiled
- Major decisions made
- Review ready
One Week Before
- Takeoff complete
- Most sub quotes received
- Self-perform pricing done
- Gaps identified
Two Weeks Before
- Sub solicitation complete
- Takeoff mostly done
- RFIs answered
- Addenda incorporated
Key Milestones
Timeline Milestone Checklist:
□ Document review complete
□ Site visit complete
□ Takeoff complete
□ RFIs submitted
□ Sub quotes solicited
□ RFI answers received
□ Sub quotes received (majority)
□ Self-perform pricing complete
□ Addenda incorporated
□ First assembly complete
□ Gap analysis complete
□ Management review scheduled
□ Final review complete
□ Documents prepared
□ Submission ready
Time Allocation by Task
Document Review
Purpose: Understand scope, identify issues, plan approach
Time Investment
- Small project: 2-4 hours
- Medium project: 1-2 days
- Large project: 1 week
Key Activities
- Read specifications thoroughly
- Review all drawings
- Note clarification needs
- Identify risk areas
Quantity Takeoff
Purpose: Measure work quantities for pricing
Time Investment
- Small project: 1-2 days
- Medium project: 1-2 weeks
- Large project: 2-4 weeks
Efficiency Factors
- Digital takeoff tools
- Takeoff experience
- Drawing quality
- Complexity level
Subcontractor Management
Purpose: Get competitive coverage for subcontract work
Time Investment
- Initial solicitation: 1-2 days
- Follow-up period: 1-2 weeks
- Quote analysis: 1-2 days
Key Activities
- Scope package development
- Distribution
- Question handling
- Quote collection and leveling
Self-Perform Pricing
Purpose: Price work your forces will execute
Time Investment
- Small scopes: 2-4 hours
- Medium scopes: 1-2 days
- Large scopes: 1 week
Components
- Labor pricing
- Material takeoff and pricing
- Equipment costs
- Crew productivity assessment
Assembly and Review
Purpose: Compile estimate, verify completeness, finalize
Time Investment
- Small project: 4-8 hours
- Medium project: 1-2 days
- Large project: 3-5 days
Activities
- Cost compilation
- Completeness check
- Overhead/profit application
- Document preparation
Managing Compressed Timelines
When Time Is Short
Prioritization
- Focus on high-value items
- Use historical data for minor items
- Get key subs committed early
- Simplify documentation
Shortcuts (Use Carefully)
- Square foot pricing for minor areas
- Historical percentages
- Allowances for unclear scope
- Reduce review cycles
What to Skip
Lower Risk to Skip
- Extensive site visit (if similar recent project)
- Multiple sub quotes per trade (trusted relationships)
- Detailed minor quantity takeoffs
- Elaborate proposal formatting
Higher Risk to Skip
- Specification review (exclusions hide here)
- Major trade takeoffs
- Management review
- Submission verification
When to Decline
Red Flags
- Insufficient time for core work
- Key subs unavailable
- No site access possible
- Too many concurrent commitments
Decision: Better to decline than submit a poor bid
Team Coordination
Role Assignments
Estimator(s)
- Document review
- Quantity takeoff
- Sub coordination
- Cost compilation
Project Manager Input
- Schedule feasibility
- Risk assessment
- Logistics planning
- Execution approach
Management Review
- Pricing decisions
- Bid/no-bid confirmation
- Margin guidance
- Final approval
Communication Checkpoints
Kickoff Meeting
- Scope review
- Assignment clarity
- Timeline confirmation
- Issue identification
Mid-Point Check
- Progress status
- Problem identification
- Subcontractor status
- Adjustment needs
Pre-Final Review
- Completeness check
- Pricing review
- Strategy confirmation
- Issue resolution
Final Review
- Number verification
- Document check
- Submission plan
- Backup arrangements
Timeline Templates
Two-Week Bid Schedule
| Day | Task | |-----|------| | 1 | Document review, site visit | | 2 | Begin takeoff | | 3-4 | Continue takeoff | | 5 | Complete takeoff, solicit subs | | 6-7 | Weekend buffer / sub response time | | 8 | Self-perform pricing | | 9 | Sub follow-up | | 10 | Initial assembly | | 11 | Gap filling, review | | 12 | Finalize | | 13 | Submit |
Four-Week Bid Schedule
| Week | Focus | |------|-------| | 1 | Document review, site visit, begin takeoff | | 2 | Complete takeoff, solicit all subs | | 3 | Pricing development, sub quote collection | | 4 | Assembly, review, finalization, submit |
Conclusion
Effective bid preparation requires realistic timeline planning. Underestimating time needed leads to rushed estimates, errors, and poor win rates. Overcommitting estimating resources burns out staff and degrades quality across all bids.
Know your capacity, plan your milestones, and protect adequate time for thorough work. The discipline to decline bids when time is insufficient serves you better than submitting weak estimates.
Build your timelines based on actual past experience, adjust for project complexity, and leave buffer for the unexpected. Quality estimates require adequate time—there's no shortcut around this reality.
ConstructionBids.ai helps you plan bid timelines by showing bid dates, pre-bid meetings, and RFI deadlines in a clear calendar format. Know your commitments before adding new opportunities.
