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Division 07 / Estimated

Division 07 roofing and building envelope estimating

A facade job is priced from a survey, not from a design. And the largest single line on most facade bids is not the masonry work at all, it is getting to it.

What we measure, and in what units

  • SQ roofing
  • SF membrane and underlayment
  • LF flashing and edge metal
  • SF insulation by R value
  • LF sealant by joint type
  • SF air and vapour barrier
  • SF waterproofing
  • LF expansion joint
  • LF repointing, EA units replaced, SF access

What the deliverable looks like for this division

Roofing by square with the assembly the warranty dictates, insulation as a tapered system where it is one, and every edge, penetration and curb by run and count. Facade work elevation by elevation, with observed conditions and projected conditions on separate lines so it is visible how much of the number is extrapolated.

Scope items routinely missed on this division

Only someone who has priced the work knows what falls through the gaps. No competitor publishes this list.

  • Repointing measured in linear feet against square feet, and stating which basis was used. Converting between them without the joint density assumption is how a quantity ends up wrong by a factor of two.
  • Lintel and steel replacement behind the facade, where the steel is rarely the expensive part.
  • Terra cotta and stone unit counts as each rather than area, split between repair in place, patch and replace.
  • Access. Scaffold and sidewalk shed is frequently the largest single line on a facade job and the one contractors most often underprice, because it is priced by duration as well as area.
  • Probe and condition survey outputs converted into quantities, rather than a percentage sprayed across an elevation.
  • Tapered insulation as a system rather than a flat square footage.
  • Edge metal, coping and counterflashing in linear feet.
  • Roof penetrations and curbs, counted.
  • Warranty requirements that dictate the assembly and therefore the price.
  • Temporary protection and weather closure between phases.

Documents needed to price it

  • Roof plan and details
  • Wall sections and envelope details
  • The condition survey and the probe report
  • Facade drawings or historic drawings
  • The specification, including the warranty requirements
  • Any inspection filing that sets the repair timeframe

Questions people in this trade actually ask

How are repointing quantities derived from a condition survey?

The survey records specific deteriorated joints or a percentage of an elevation. Specific joints go in linear feet. A percentage is applied to a measured elevation area with the joint density stated, and the line is marked as extrapolated rather than observed.

Why can access exceed the repair cost?

Because the shed and scaffold stay up for the whole programme, not just the days the masons are working, and on a phased job they are priced by phase. A scheme that saves a month of shed rental is often worth more than any efficiency on the masonry.

How does a manufacturer warranty change the assembly and the price?

A warranty specifies the membrane, the insulation, the fasteners and the details it will cover. Pricing a cheaper assembly that the warranty does not cover is not a saving; it is a non conforming bid.

The service behind this

Estimating & Takeoff

Related divisions

Bidding Division 07 work?

Send the documents and the bid date. A written fee and turnaround come back before anything is measured.