Construction estimating glossary.

Average End Area Method

aka AEA method

The average end area method computes earthwork volume between two cross-sections by averaging their cross-section areas and multiplying by the distance between them. Standard for roadway and linear earthwork.

Bank Volume

aka BCY, bank cubic yards, in-place volume

Bank volume is the volume of soil in its undisturbed, in-place state. It is the geometric volume you compute directly from the difference between existing and proposed grade surfaces.

Compacted Volume

aka CCY, compacted cubic yards

Compacted volume is the soil volume after fill has been placed and rolled to a specified density. It is smaller than the bank volume of the same soil because compaction packs particles more densely than nature did.

Cut and Fill

Cut and fill is the process of excavating soil from high spots (cut) and placing it in low spots (fill) to bring a site to a designed finish grade. The cut and fill volumes drive the earthwork bid.

Loose Volume

aka LCY, loose cubic yards, hauled volume

Loose volume is the soil volume after excavation, when the soil has expanded from its in-place bank state. Trucks haul loose volume; bid hauling line items against LCY.

Mass Haul Diagram

aka mass diagram, haul diagram

A mass haul diagram plots cumulative cut and fill volume along the alignment of a road or linear earthwork project. The diagram visualizes balance points, free-haul distance, and overhaul requirements.

Proctor Density

aka modified Proctor, standard Proctor, compaction density

Proctor density is a laboratory-measured maximum dry density for a given soil at its optimum moisture content. Field compaction is specified as a percentage of Proctor density (typically 95-100% for structural fill).

Stockpile

A stockpile is a pile of soil, aggregate, or other bulk material temporarily stored on or near the jobsite. Stockpile volumes are measured for inventory accounting and for bidding re-spreading or hauling operations.

Subgrade

Subgrade is the prepared soil surface that supports a paved structure, slab, or building foundation. Subgrade preparation includes excavation to the design elevation, compaction to a specified density, and proof rolling to verify capacity.

Swell Factor

aka swell percentage, bulking factor

Swell factor is the percentage increase in soil volume when soil is excavated from its undisturbed bank state to a loose state. Typical swell factors range from 15% to 30% depending on soil type.

Topsoil Strip

aka topsoil stripping

Topsoil strip is the removal of the upper 4-12 inches of organic soil from a site before structural earthwork begins. Stripped topsoil is stockpiled for later re-spreading in landscaped areas.

Triangulated Surface (TIN)

aka TIN, triangulated irregular network, ground model

A triangulated surface (TIN — triangulated irregular network) is a 3D model of a ground surface built from elevation points connected into triangles. Earthwork software computes cut and fill volumes by integrating between an existing-grade TIN and a proposed-grade TIN.

Concrete PSI

aka concrete strength, compressive strength, f'c

Concrete PSI is the compressive strength of cured concrete in pounds per square inch. Standard residential and commercial pours range from 2,500 to 5,000 PSI; structural and industrial pours can exceed 8,000 PSI.

Cubic Yard (CY)

aka CY, yard

One cubic yard equals 27 cubic feet (3 × 3 × 3 ft) or about 0.7646 cubic meters. Concrete, gravel, and bulk earthwork are sold and bid by the cubic yard in US construction.

Ready-Mix Concrete

aka ready mix, transit-mix concrete

Ready-mix concrete is concrete batched at a central plant and delivered to the jobsite in mixer trucks. Most commercial concrete pours use ready-mix; the alternative is site-mixed concrete from cement, aggregate, and water on-site.

Hip (Roofing)

A hip is the external angled ridge where two sloped roof planes meet, projecting outward from the corner of the building. Hip-and-ridge cap shingles run along hips.

Pitch (Roof Pitch)

aka slope, rise over run

Pitch is the slope of a roof, expressed as rise (in inches) per 12-inch horizontal run. A 6/12 pitch rises 6 inches for every 12 inches of horizontal distance.

Roofing Square

aka square, 100 ft²

A roofing square is 100 square feet of roof surface area. Shingles, underlayment, drip edge, and ice-and-water shield are priced and packaged by the square.

Valley (Roofing)

A valley is the internal angled trough where two sloped roof planes meet, channeling water down off the roof. Valleys are typically protected with metal flashing or ice-and-water shield.

Coverage Rate (Paint)

aka spread rate, paint coverage

Coverage rate is the square footage one gallon of paint covers in a single coat. Smooth drywall typically covers 350 ft²/gal; rough or porous surfaces drop to 200-250 ft²/gal.

Sheet Count (Drywall)

aka board count, drywall sheet count

Drywall sheet count is the number of drywall boards needed for a project, computed by dividing the net board area (gross wall and ceiling area minus openings, plus waste) by the chosen sheet size (32, 40, or 48 ft²) and rounding up.

Type X Drywall

aka fire-rated drywall, 5/8 Type X

Type X is 5/8-inch fire-rated drywall containing glass fibers and additives that resist burn-through for a code-required time, typically 1 hour for a single layer. Required in shared walls between dwellings and around garages adjacent to living space.

Addendum

aka addenda, bid addenda

An addendum is a formal amendment to the bidding documents issued by the design team before the bid date. Addenda update drawings, specifications, or instructions and are incorporated into the contract.

Allowance

An allowance is a placeholder dollar amount in the bid for an item whose final cost is uncertain at bid time — typically because the owner hasn't selected the product yet. The bid carries the allowance; the actual cost reconciles via change order.

Bid Bond

A bid bond is a surety bond submitted with a competitive bid as security that the contractor will execute the contract if awarded. If the awarded contractor refuses the contract, the bond covers the cost difference to award the next bidder.

Change Order

aka CO, contract change order

A change order is a formal written amendment to the construction contract that adjusts scope, price, or schedule after the contract is signed. Both owner and contractor must sign.

RFI (Request for Information)

aka request for information

An RFI is a formal written request from a contractor to the design team asking for clarification on something ambiguous, incomplete, or conflicting in the construction documents. RFIs trigger written responses that become part of the contract record.

Schedule of Values

aka SOV

A Schedule of Values (SOV) is a line-item breakdown of the contract price across the major work components. The contractor uses the SOV to bill the owner progressively as each line item is completed.

Contingency

aka bid contingency, contractor's contingency

Contingency is a percentage of the bid set aside for unforeseen costs — scope ambiguity, soft spots in subgrade, code interpretations, weather delays. Typically 3-10% of direct cost, more on complex or high-risk projects.

General Conditions

aka GCs, GC costs, indirect costs

General conditions are indirect project costs not tied to a specific trade — site supervision, project management, temporary utilities, jobsite trailers, equipment rentals, dumpsters, and insurance. They are bid as their own line items.

Markup

aka O&P, overhead and profit

Markup is the percentage added to direct costs (labor, material, subcontract, equipment) to cover company overhead and profit. Markup percentages vary by cost type, project size, and risk.

Mobilization

aka mob, mobilization line

Mobilization is the bid line item covering the costs of moving equipment, supplies, and personnel onto the jobsite and setting up jobsite infrastructure — trailers, fencing, temporary utilities, signage.

Concurrent License

aka floating license, shared license pool, CLM

A concurrent license is a license that floats between multiple installations, with only as many simultaneous users as the pool allows. Useful for estimating teams where not every estimator needs the tool at the same time.

Full Serve

aka maintenance, support and update plan

Full Serve is Vertigraph's annual maintenance and support plan — $199 per seat per year. Includes software updates, version upgrades, unlimited phone and email support, and scheduled web training.

Perpetual License

A perpetual license is a software purchase that grants the right to use the software in perpetuity for a one-time fee. Compared to a subscription, the upfront cost is higher but there is no recurring license fee.

Excel-Native Takeoff

aka Excel-integrated takeoff, in-Excel measurement

Excel-native takeoff is a measurement workflow where PDF and CAD measurement tools are added directly to Microsoft Excel as a ribbon add-in. Quantities land in Excel cells as live values, not as exports from a separate takeoff application.

PDF Takeoff

aka digital takeoff, on-screen takeoff

PDF takeoff is the process of measuring construction quantities directly from a PDF drawing using software, rather than from a printed plan with a scale ruler. The PDF is calibrated to its drawing scale and measurements are taken on-screen.

Scale Calibration

aka drawing scale, calibration

Scale calibration is the process of telling takeoff software the real-world scale of a drawing. The estimator snaps two points to a known dimension (e.g., a wall labeled 20'-0"), enters the actual length, and subsequent measurements use that scale.

Quantity Takeoff

aka takeoff, QTO

Quantity takeoff is the process of measuring material, labor, and equipment quantities from a construction drawing in order to price a bid. The output is a list of items with counts, lengths, areas, or volumes that flow into the estimating workbook.