Estimate reviews · cost validation
A second set of eyes before the number is committed to.
Third-party review of contractor, architect, engineer, or internal estimates — and independent validation of the budget behind them. TCMG has no stake in who bids the work, which is exactly what makes the review worth having.
What gets checked
The takeoff
Are the quantities right, and does the measured scope match what the drawings actually show?
The scope
What is missing. Absent scope is the most expensive line item in any estimate, because nobody prices it.
The assumptions
Escalation, phasing, market conditions, and the allowances carrying risk that has not been named.
The pricing
Whether unit costs are reasonable for the region, the schedule, and how the building will actually be built.
The structure
Whether it holds up division by division in CSI MasterFormat, so it can be compared against anything else.
The bottom line
A written opinion on whether the number is defensible — and where the risk sits if it is not.
Defensible, not just lower
A review is not an exercise in cutting the number. It is an exercise in being able to defend it. For a public agency that means a figure that survives a council meeting; for an owner it means knowing which line items carry the risk before the contract is signed.
Every review is structured to CSI MasterFormat, Divisions 00–33, so findings map cleanly onto the estimate they came from.
- 30+ yrs estimating buildings
- >$1B estimated in construction value
- within 5% estimate accuracy
- $500K–$900M project range
Hundreds of estimates delivered.
Estimating rigor: CSI MasterFormat (Divisions 00–33).
Frequently asked questions
What is an independent estimate review?
A third-party review of an estimate someone else prepared — a contractor, an architect, an engineer, or an internal team. TCMG checks the takeoff, the assumptions, the pricing, and the completeness of the scope, then reports what is reasonable and what is not.
What is budget validation?
Independent confirmation of a budget and the cost assumptions behind it. Public agencies, owners, and design teams use it to show that a number is defensible before it goes to council, to a board, or into an appropriation request.
When should an estimate be reviewed?
Before the number is committed to — ahead of a funding decision, a board presentation, a bid award, or a guaranteed maximum price. A review after the commitment can only document the problem; a review before it can prevent one.
Does TCMG review estimates it did not prepare?
Yes. That is the point of an independent review. TCMG has no stake in who bids or wins the work, so the review is about whether the number is complete and reasonable — nothing else.
Schedule a cost review consultation
Have an estimate in hand you want checked? Send the project and we'll follow up.