Frequently asked questions

The plans PDF with all architectural and structural sheets, the same revision the quotes were priced from, and your builder spec sheet (siding, roofing, insulation, window and door brand or type, finishes). No spec sheet? Answer the spec questions on the form; "unknown" is fine. For a review or quote check, every quote as written, including exclusions, terms pages and clarification emails. Truss or panel layouts and engineering letters help if you have them.

A framing-only (lumber) takeoff is $150 up to 3,000 sq ft, $225 for 3,001-4,000 sq ft and $300 for 4,001-5,000 sq ft. Larger is quoted from $500. A full material takeoff, every material from foundation to shingles, is $500, $650 or $800 for the same sizes, and larger or multifamily is quoted from $1,200. Garages, shops, barns, additions and light commercial are quoted from the plans and sized like these tiers. Rush (1 business day) is +30%. Nothing is charged until I've checked your files.

A yard's free takeoff is part of selling you that yard's order. Mine isn't tied to any supplier. It covers every material, not just what one yard stocks, and every line cites the plan sheet and the dimension or count used, so you can check it. Hand the same list to several suppliers and their quotes come back apples to apples, which makes the cheapest real price easy to see. If the free takeoff is all you need, use it.

Fill in the order form, then either paste a share link to your files (Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive or similar, set to "anyone with the link can view"), email them to hello@secondlookbids.com with your project name in the subject, or choose "Send me an upload link" and I'll email you a link to a private Google Drive folder for your order, usually within one business day. Drop the files in; no account needed. PDF is preferred (vector beats scanned); JPG/PNG, XLSX/CSV, DOCX and ZIP are fine. No DWG, RVT, SKP or other CAD/BIM files; export to PDF first.

After I've checked your files and approved them, I email you an invoice or payment link for your price. Pay by card or bank transfer. Nothing is charged when you submit. Full refund if you cancel before I start.

Takeoffs (Framing-Only or Full Material): 2-3 business days for buildings up to 5,000 sq ft; larger, multifamily and light commercial are quoted. Rush: within 1 business day for +30% of the price, only if my schedule allows, and I confirm before approving. Quote Check: 2 business days. Bid Review: 5 business days. The clock starts when files are approved and paid.

No. It's not engineering, design, code review or a price guarantee. Structural questions go to the engineer of record. You verify quantities against the current plans before ordering.

No. Roof and floor trusses come from your truss supplier, and their layout sets the count. I note truss type and spacing, and list girder and special trusses called out on the plans for reference only.

No. You get a written list of questions to send each vendor. You send them.

Residential and light commercial, anywhere in the US: houses, duplexes and townhomes, multifamily, wood-framed or wood-containing commercial buildings, garages, shops, barns, additions and decks. If it has wood in it, it's a fit. Industrial projects, and projects with no wood in them, aren't offered. Pricing is by square footage: up to 5,000 sq ft uses the listed tiers, and larger, multifamily or commercial jobs are quoted from the plans.

Any wood-framed building, or anything with wood in it: houses, multifamily, light commercial, garages, shops, barns, additions and decks (no industrial). Every building material on it, foundation to shingles: excavation and fill materials, concrete and rebar, framing, sheathing, windows and doors, roofing, siding and trim, soffit and fascia, insulation, drywall, gutters, decks and porches. Materials only. No labor and no equipment. Plumbing, electrical, HVAC and interior finishes not on your spec sheet aren't included.

Framing-Only ($150 / $225 / $300 by size) covers framing lumber, sheathing, headers and beams, and structural hardware. Full Material ($500 / $650 / $800) covers every building material, foundation to shingles. Both come with a source on every line. Upgrade to Full within 7 days and the framing fee is credited.

Every line shows where it came from: the plan sheet, the detail, section or schedule tag, and the dimension or count I used, for example "S-101 Foundation Wall Schedule, tag FW2, 41.5 LF". Each line also gets a High, Med or Low confidence flag. If something isn't on your plans or spec sheet, the line says what I assumed and it goes on your questions list. I don't guess silently.

Any building-material quote for the job: lumber or framing packages, wall and roof panels, concrete and rebar, roofing, siding, windows and doors, insulation, drywall, gutters. Mix and match is fine, as long as the quotes being compared cover the same trade. I don't review labor bids or equipment rentals.

Yes, by quote: Full Material from $1,200 and Framing-Only from $500 per building. Unit-type repetition can make a set fast or slow, so I look at the plans before quoting.

Yes, anything wood-framed or with wood in it. Those jobs are quoted from the plans and sized like the house tiers: Full Material $500 / $650 / $800 and Framing-Only $150 / $225 / $300 by square footage, with large jobs quoted. Industrial projects and projects with no wood in them aren't a fit.

I'm in Idaho Falls, Idaho, and I take jobs anywhere in the US. Work is done from PDFs, so location doesn't matter for quantities. Cost adders in a bid review are my own estimates, and I'll say when they may not fit your market.

Only me, for your job. They aren't shared and aren't used by any other business. Your plans and quote files are deleted 12 months after delivery, or sooner if you ask. I keep a short record of each job (intake answers, invoice, the summary I delivered). AI software helps with takeoffs and drafting, so files pass through those tools; I check every number.

Report it within 30 days and I fix it free. If I can't fix it, or I'm more than 5 business days late without your OK, you get a full refund on request. Total liability is limited to the fee paid.