Excavation Estimating & Bidding Software
Excavation estimating is equipment-hour work with substantial unknowns below grade. Volume and haul distance give you the base number; soil conditions, groundwater, and unexpected obstructions are what move it. Pro Spec IQ prices the measurable scope and gives contingency real weight.
What Pro Spec IQ tracks on a excavation bid
Beyond material, labor, and equipment, excavation bids get inputs specific to the trade:
Excavation Cu Yards
cu ydCubic yards to excavate
Grading Area (acres)
acresTotal area to grade in acres
Trench Linear Ft
linear ftLinear feet of trenching
Fill Dirt Loads
loadsLoads of fill dirt needed
Starting markups for excavation
12%
Overhead
15%
Profit
8%
Contingency
These are editable defaults, not fixed rates. Set them per bid to match your own cost structure and the risk on the job.
What drives cost on excavation work
- Cut and fill volume in cubic yards
- Haul distance and disposal or import cost
- Equipment type and hours, typically the dominant line
- Soil conditions, including rock and any required dewatering
- Mobilization and demobilization of equipment to the site
Where these estimates go wrong
- Bidding volume without a geotechnical report or test pits
- Omitting mobilization on smaller jobs where it's a large share of cost
- Assuming spoil can stay on site when it has to be hauled
- Not pricing shoring or dewatering on deep excavations
Excavation estimating questions
How do you estimate an excavation job?
Calculate cut and fill volume, determine whether spoil stays on site or hauls off, and price equipment by hours needed. Add mobilization, disposal or import, and any shoring or dewatering, then apply markups. Pro Spec IQ tracks cubic yards, haul distance, and equipment hours as separate inputs.
How do you handle unknown subsurface conditions in a bid?
Typical approaches are a contingency percentage, unit prices for rock or unsuitable material, and a clear scope exclusion for conditions outside the geotechnical report. Pro Spec IQ defaults excavation bids to 10% contingency, higher than most trades, and every bid carries scope notes.
Does it track equipment separately from labor?
Yes. Equipment cost and labor hours are distinct fields, which matters on a trade where machine time often exceeds crew cost.
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