Sitework estimating software: from the C-sheets to a priced estimate

AI estimating, not AI takeoff: upload the civil set and get a finished, priced sitework estimate and scope of work in about three minutes, not a pile of quantities to price yourself.

Paul Maloney
Founder of Skoper. Licensed general contractor.
3 min read

Upload the civil set and get a finished, priced sitework estimate and scope of work in about three minutes. You don't get a pile of quantities to price yourself.

Stop pricing sitework from a blank spreadsheet

Start from the C-sheets, not a blank sheet. Your quantities live on the grading plans, utility plans, paving details and erosion control sheets. Skoper reads the set and builds the takeoff rows. Every row on the Assumptions & Sources sheet names the drawing sheet or schedule it came from, so you can check it against the plans.

Get the scope written down. Sitework bids lose money on the things nobody priced: haul-off, dewatering, rock, traffic control, testing, restoration. You get a scope of work with inclusions and exclusions next to the numbers, so the gaps show up before bid day.

Your rates, not ours. Every price you change is saved to your price book, so the next run starts closer to how you bid. A person still reviews every estimate. AI captures about 90% of what is on the plans, and pricing can swing about 10% either way. Hard-to-read plan sets cause most errors, so use a clean vector PDF where you can.

What Skoper returns for a sitework set

Below is a typical line-item list from a civil set. Quantities come from your drawings. Unit costs come from your price book, or from a range you confirm.

  • Clearing and grubbing: SF or acres
  • Strip and stockpile topsoil: CY
  • Mass excavation, cut: CY
  • Fill and compaction, imported or on-site: CY
  • Export / haul-off of surplus: CY or loads
  • Fine grading, building pad and paving: SF
  • Storm drain pipe by size and depth: LF
  • Sanitary sewer and water main: LF
  • Manholes, inlets, structures: EA
  • Trench excavation, bedding and backfill: LF or CY
  • Aggregate base: SF at depth, or TON
  • Asphalt paving: SF at thickness, or TON
  • Curb and gutter, sidewalk: LF / SF
  • Erosion control (silt fence, inlet protection, construction entrance): LF / EA
  • Striping and signage: LF / EA
  • Allowances and exclusions: dewatering, rock, unsuitable soils, testing, traffic control, permits

Review it, edit the rates and export. Skoper's free plan covers sets of up to 150 pages, and failed runs are refunded automatically.

FAQ

How do I do an earthwork takeoff from the grading plan?

Compare the existing and proposed surfaces to get cut and fill. Then add the topsoil strip, any over-excavation, and shrink or swell. Skoper reads the earthwork quantities, spot elevations and notes shown on the grading sheets and labels the source sheet for each row. It doesn't build a 3D surface model. If the civil engineer hasn't published cut and fill, treat those rows as the first thing to check. Either way, check the balance and any export or import against the plans before you bid.

Can I estimate underground utilities by depth?

Pipe runs are measured in linear feet by size and material, and structures are counted. Trench depth drives the excavation, bedding and shoring. Check invert and cover on the profile sheets, because depth is where utility numbers go wrong.

What is the difference between a sitework takeoff and a sitework estimate?

A takeoff gives you quantities: CY, LF, SF, EA. An estimate puts your cost on every quantity, adds equipment, haul, overhead and profit, and writes the scope. Many tools stop at the takeoff. Skoper returns the priced estimate and the scope of work.

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