Ontario & the GTA
High-rise residential and mixed-use, transit-oriented development, institutional and industrial work under the Ontario Building Code.
Canada
Construction Estimating Services in Canada
Metric or imperial, province by province: takeoffs built the way Canadian projects bid.
Canadian projects are measured in metric, but much of the material still arrives in imperial sizes. Building codes are adopted province by province, sales tax changes from HST to GST-plus-PST at the provincial border, and winter construction carries costs that most U.S. estimates never see.
Prime Estimation prepares quantity takeoffs and construction estimates for Canadian general contractors, trade contractors, developers and builders. Quantities come in the units you buy in, organized the way your bid is structured, and typically delivered in 24 to 48 hours from digital drawings.
Metric + imperialm, m², m³, or lumber in 2×4s
Provincial codesBased on the National Building Code
GST / HST / PSTTax by province
Winter workHoarding, heat and frost protection
Where We Work in Canada
Canadian Construction Markets
Housing demand, transit and infrastructure investment, and industrial projects keep Canadian builders busy from coast to coast, with each province running its own code, tax and labour environment.
British Columbia
Metro Vancouver towers and mass timber, seismic design, and energy performance driven by the BC Energy Step Code.
Alberta
Calgary and Edmonton commercial and residential growth, plus energy and industrial facilities across the province.
Quebec
Montreal and Quebec City institutional, residential and infrastructure work under the Quebec Construction Code.
The Prairies
Saskatchewan and Manitoba: agricultural, industrial and residential construction with severe winter design conditions.
Atlantic Canada
Halifax, Moncton and St. John's: housing, healthcare and coastal construction in the HST provinces.
Local Pricing
What Drives Construction Costs in Canada
The Canadian conditions we look for on every set and carry into the quantities.
Winter construction
Hoarding and temporary heat, cold-weather concrete protection, frost-protected footings, ground thawing and snow removal are real costs on most Canadian schedules, and they belong in the estimate.
Metric drawings, imperial materials
Drawings are dimensioned in millimetres while framing lumber and sheet goods are still sold in imperial sizes. We report quantities in whichever unit your suppliers and crews actually use.
Provincial codes
The National Building Code of Canada is a model; each province adopts its own version or edition with amendments. We follow the provincial code named on the drawings.
Energy performance
Step codes and green standards in several provinces and cities raise insulation, airtightness and mechanical requirements. Envelope and HVAC are taken off as specified.
Labour markets
Unionized trades are common in industrial, commercial and institutional work in many provinces, and labour availability varies widely between major cities and remote sites.
Frost depth and soils
Deep frost penetration drives foundation depth, frost walls and insulated slabs, while clay and permafrost-adjacent soils in some regions need special foundation design.
Compliance
Canadian Codes, Units and Taxes in Your Estimate
How Canadian requirements show up in the takeoffs and estimates we deliver.
| Requirement | What it means | How we handle it |
|---|---|---|
| Building codes | Provinces adopt their own codes based on the National Building Code of Canada: such as the Ontario Building Code, BC Building Code and Quebec Construction Code. | Takeoff follows the provincial code and edition on the drawings. |
| Units of measure | Construction documents are metric, but many materials are still bought in imperial sizes. | Quantities reported in metric, imperial or both, as you prefer. |
| Sales taxes | HST applies in Ontario and the Atlantic provinces; other provinces charge GST with PST or QST, and Alberta charges GST only. | Tax shown separately for the project's province, or excluded. |
| Pricing basis | Material and labour rates vary by province and city. | Priced with the supplier and labour rates you provide, or delivered as quantities only for your own pricing. |
| Winter conditions | Cold-weather work requires temporary enclosures, heat and protection of materials. | Winter measures priced as general conditions when the schedule requires them. |
What We Do
Estimating Services We Provide in Canada
Full project estimates or a single trade: every one priced to the project's location and checked by a second estimator.
Project Estimates & Takeoffs
Complete estimates and quantity takeoffs for Canada projects.
- Commercial EstimatingRetail, office, restaurants, warehouses and TI work→
- Residential EstimatingCustom homes, multi-family, additions and remodels→
- Industrial EstimatingPlants, processing facilities and distribution centers→
- Material TakeoffOrder-ready quantities by CSI division→
- Construction TakeoffSingle-trade or full-project takeoffs with marked-up plans→
Trade Estimating
One division measured in depth, in the units your trade bids in.
How It Works
Send Your Plans →
From Canada Plans to a Bid-Ready Number
Everything happens from your digital drawings, so distance never slows the job down.
- 01
Send Plans & Location
Upload the drawings, specs and addenda, and give us the project address or ZIP code and your bid date.
- 02
Fixed Quote & Date
We review the set and reply (usually within a few hours) with a fixed fee and a delivery date. Nothing starts until you approve.
- 03
Takeoff, Local Pricing, Review
Quantities are measured digitally, priced to Canada material and labor conditions, and audited by a second estimator.
- 04
Delivery & Addenda
Excel and PDF with marked-up drawings and a written assumptions page, typically in 24 to 48 hours. Addenda are worked into the same file.
FAQ
Canadian Estimating Questions
Can you deliver takeoffs in metric?
Yes. We report quantities in metric, imperial or both. Many Canadian clients want concrete and earthwork in cubic metres but framing lumber and sheet goods in the imperial sizes they're sold in.
Which building codes do you work to?
The provincial code named on your drawings (for example the Ontario Building Code, BC Building Code or Quebec Construction Code) each of which is based on the National Building Code of Canada.
How do you handle Canadian sales taxes?
We show tax separately for the project's province (HST, GST plus PST or QST, or GST only in Alberta) or exclude it if you prefer to apply it yourself.
Do you include winter construction costs?
Yes, when your schedule calls for it. Hoarding, temporary heat, cold-weather concrete protection, ground thawing and snow removal are priced as general conditions.
How does working across the border work?
Everything is done from your digital drawings. You send the set and your bid date, get a fixed fee and delivery date first, and receive the takeoff or estimate in Excel and PDF: typically within 24 to 48 hours.
Ready to Get Started?
Pricing a Canadian Project?
Send your drawings, the project location and your preferred units. You'll get a fixed fee and a delivery date back, usually within a few hours.
Service Areas
Other Locations We Serve
We estimate projects in all 50 states. These are the areas with their own pages; see all service areas.