Blaze Estimating Inc.

Blaze Estimating Inc.: construction cost estimating for contractors in Canada

Blaze Estimating Inc. is a Canadian company dedicated to construction cost estimating and material takeoff for general contractors, subcontractors, developers, owners, architects, designers, and the public sector. The firm presents itself as a Canadian estimator since 2010 and states it has completed over 8,900 estimates for clients in all provinces of the country. Its team of estimators works with specialized software such as PlanSwift, Bluebeam Revu, On-Screen Takeoff, RSMeans, Trimble, and FastDUCT/FastPIPE, and processes plans in PDF, DWG, or paper format.

Cost estimating and takeoff services

The company breaks down costs for materials, labor, equipment, and overhead for residential, commercial, and industrial projects. Its estimates follow MasterFormat standards and include regional price adjustments for each Canadian province. The takeoff service measures quantities from PDF plans, CAD files, or scanned drawings, with the goal that contractors can order materials, schedule deliveries, and assign crews.

The firm also offers preliminary or conceptual estimates, based on cost-per-square-foot models, historical databases, and regional cost indices, to evaluate a project's feasibility before investing in detailed plans or purchasing land.

Specialization by project type

Blaze Estimating covers residential, commercial, and industrial projects. In the residential sector, it works with home builders and contractors to bid custom builds, developments, and renovations, measuring from foundation excavation to final paint, and considering Canadian residential building codes and their provincial variations. In the commercial sector, it handles everything from 5,000-square-foot retail spaces to 300,000-square-foot office towers, with knowledge of Canadian commercial codes, LEED certification requirements, and accessibility standards. In the industrial sector, it estimates equipment installations from $2 million to $200 million processing plants, including everything from simple metal buildings to multi-million-dollar facilities.

Trade coverage and CSI divisions

The company states it covers all 33 trades of the CSI divisions. Among the specialty estimating services it lists are roofing, MEP, concrete, masonry, rebar, interior and exterior finishes, flooring, lumber takeoff, painting, plumbing, HVAC, electrical, steel, earthwork, and demolition. Breakdowns are organized by CSI division and tailored to each client's needs, whether a general contractor bidding a full building, a subcontractor pricing specialty work, or a project manager evaluating costs.

Deliverables and work process

The process is structured in three steps: the client sends the project plans and specifications; the company performs the takeoff and detailed estimate with specialized software, verifying quantities and applying current market prices; and finally delivers the results in the client's preferred format, whether Excel, PDF, or a custom template. Deliverables include an editable estimate in Excel with line-by-line breakdown by CSI division, color-marked plans where each quantity is traced back to the original drawings, a scope letter with inclusions and exclusions, and a summary ready for bidding or budgeting.

Team and credentials

Blaze Estimating's team consists of more than five senior estimators with 12 to 20 years of field construction experience and CET (Certified Estimating Technician) certification, along with eight specialized trade estimators with backgrounds in electrical, plumbing/HVAC, structural, and architectural. The company states it is a member of CIQS, aligns with AACE and ASPE standards, and uses RSMeans cost data. It also indicates that it is registered with the Government of Alberta and pays taxes in that province.

Turnaround times, accuracy, and hiring model

The firm offers turnaround times of 10 to 48 hours and states that its estimates have an accuracy of 95% to 96%, with a deviation margin of 3-5% compared to actual costs. According to its presentation, contractors report a 40% increase in bid win rates after their first three or four jobs with the company. The pricing model is per project, not a fixed amount or percentage, and does not require contracts or retainers. The company maintains that outsourcing estimating allows construction companies to reduce their overhead costs by more than 50% by not hiring in-house estimators.