Wall height
taller walls take more labor and often need lifting equipment
Division 06, Framing
Framing Estimating Services for Wood & Light-Gauge Steel
Framing sets the pace of the whole job. Underbid it and your crews are working for free by the second floor. Overbid it and the GC gives the work to someone else. The material list is only half the number: the other half is how long it takes your crew to stand it up.
Our framing estimating services price complete framing packages (material, labor, and equipment) for wood and light-gauge steel, from single-family homes to multifamily buildings.
Division 06Wood and light-gauge framing
Excel + PDFWith marked-up drawings
ZIP-code pricedLocal material and labor rates
24 to 48 hoursTypical turnaround
What's in a Framing Estimate
Materials
- Dimensional lumber, engineered lumber, and sheathing Lumber takeoff →
- Steel studs, tracks, joists, and headers for light-gauge work
- Trusses (as supplied by others or included, per your scope)
- Connectors, hold-downs, straps, anchor bolts, and fasteners
Labor
- Floor, wall, and roof framing by area or assembly
- Shear wall nailing and hardware installation
- Stairs, blocking, backing, and fire blocking
- Truss setting and bracing
- Exterior sheathing and house wrap, when in scope
Equipment
- Telehandlers or forklifts
- Crane time for trusses or panels
- Scaffolding and lifts for multistory work
Pricing Framing Labor
Framers price labor in different ways: per square foot of floor area, per piece, per assembly, or by crew-days. Whatever method you use, the same factors drive the hours:
Complexity
angled walls, vaulted ceilings, and complex rooflines slow production
Openings
more windows and doors mean more headers, kings, and jacks
Shear wall density
tight nailing schedules and hardware add labor quickly
Building height
upper floors move slower than the ground floor
Access
tight sites and limited staging space reduce productivity
We price labor by assembly using production rates adjusted for these factors, or apply your own rates if you provide them.
Shear Walls, Hold-Downs & Hardware
The lateral system is easy to underprice. Shear walls may require thicker sheathing, closer nail spacing, blocking at panel edges, and hold-downs at each end. Multiply that across a multifamily building and the hardware and nailing labor become a significant line.
We take off shear wall lengths and types from the structural drawings and count hold-downs, straps, and connectors from the schedules: material and installation.
Wood Framing
Platform framing for homes, townhomes, and multifamily; heavy timber and glulam elements; floor systems with I-joists or open-web trusses; and roof framing with trusses or stick framing.
Light-Gauge Steel Framing
Load-bearing cold-formed steel walls, joists, and trusses; exterior curtain wall backup framing; and steel-framed roof systems. Light-gauge labor differs from wood: screws instead of nails, different connection details, and often engineered submittals. Metal estimating →
Non-structural interior studs are typically part of the drywall scope. Drywall estimating →
Multifamily Framing
Wood-framed multifamily brings its own estimating issues:
Podium transitions
where wood framing sits on a concrete or steel podium
Fire-rated assemblies
rated walls, floors, and corridors need specific framing details
Shrinkage details
continuous rod hold-down systems and compression gaps in mid-rise wood buildings
Repetition
unit types repeat, so takeoffs scale, but corridors, stairs, and amenity areas don't
Stick-Built vs. Panelized
Panelized or prefabricated wall panels shift labor from the site to the factory and add crane time. If you're comparing stick framing with panels, we can price both approaches side by side.
Who Uses Framing Estimating
- Framing subcontractors bidding residential and multifamily work
- Home builders checking framing bids
- GCs pricing framing scope on commercial work
- Developers comparing wood and light-gauge options Preliminary estimating →
Checklist
What to Send
- Architectural and structural drawings, including framing plans and shear wall schedules
- Truss layouts, if available
- Specifications
- Your scope (material and labor, or labor only)
- Your labor rates or production rates, if you want them used
Send Your Files
Upload the drawings through our quote form, share a Google Drive or plan-room link, or email them. Large sets travel best as a shared folder.
Upload Your Plans →Or email info@primeestimation.com.
Excel + PDFWith marked-up drawings
Deliverables
What You Receive
- Material quantities by assembly and level
- Labor hours and cost by assembly
- Equipment costs
- Shear wall and hardware takeoff
- Marked-up drawings
- Clarifications and exclusions
- Excel and PDF files
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does framing cost per square foot?
It varies with design complexity, building height, lateral requirements, material prices, and local labor rates. Square-foot numbers are useful for comparison, but bids should come from a takeoff. Single-trade takeoffs typically run $250 to $600.
Do you do labor-only framing estimates?
Yes, if you're bidding labor only and the material is supplied by others.
What's the difference between a lumber takeoff and a framing estimate?
A lumber takeoff lists materials. A framing estimate adds labor, hardware installation, and equipment to give a full bid price.
Do you estimate light-gauge steel framing?
Yes: both load-bearing and curtain-wall backup framing.
Do you include trusses?
We can include trusses priced from the truss layout, or note them as supplied by others.
Ready to Get Started?
Price Your Next Framing Package
Send your plans and tell us your scope. We'll quote the estimate and delivery date.