CFE guide · Estimating
Estimate Wall Base, Tile Base and Transitions
Base and transitions are priced in linear feet, one line per type and height. CFE turns takeoff lengths in feet and inches into decimal linear feet on import (459’9" becomes 459.75 lf), gives each line a type (Base, Tile base or Transition / trim), and adds a ↳ grout sub-line under tile base for you to qualify. Price labor per foot, material and freight per foot, and adhesive by the unit you buy.
Why base and transitions deserve their own lines
Base and transitions are small dollars per foot and easy to wave through. On a tenant improvement they can be a few thousand feet of base and dozens of transitions, each a different profile, and the GC will ask about every one that is missing at the doorway.
CFE - Advanced Estimating Worksheet treats them like any other product: one line per type and height, priced per linear foot, with the length taken straight from the takeoff. A 4" and a 6" base are two lines; a carpet-to-concrete and a carpet-to-resilient transition are two lines.
The four steps
- Bring in the lengthsFeet and inches become decimal lf.
- Qualify the groutTile base gets a grout sub-line to confirm.
- Price the linesLabor and material per lf; adhesive by the unit.
- Check the crew days800 lf of 4" rubber base per man day.
1Bring in the lengths from the takeoff
Callidus measures base and transitions in feet and inches. On import CFE converts them to decimal linear feet and shows the conversion in Checks: Base 459’9" → 459.75 lf, Base 42’11" → 42.92 lf. The Base type picks up words such as cove base, wall base or self cove, and codes B, VB, RB and WB. Tile base picks up tile base or quarry base, and codes TB, QTB and TLB. Transition / trim picks up schluter, transition, threshold, reno-, trim, jolly, rondec, schiene, dilex, divider, edge and bullnose, and codes TR, TS, TE, TH, MTL, ST and MT.
2Qualify the grout under tile base
Tile base needs grout, which is rarely on the takeoff. Your Import Rules add a ↳ Grout · TBD sub-line under the tile base with the same length, flagged Qualify: not listed on takeoff, so you price it or write it into your qualifications. Lines the architect revised on the takeoff are marked Marked yellow on takeoff (revised).
Keep each transition its own line with its location in the description, such as “carpet to resilient, under suite doorways”. When a door moves, you change one line, not a lump of transition footage.
3Price base and transitions
Price Labor $/u per linear foot, Mat’l $/u and Freight $/u per linear foot, and adhesive by the unit you buy with Adh. Qty × Adh. Cost $/u. Keep each height on its own line: the Standard sample template prices 4" rubber cove base at $1.00 labor and $0.85 material per lf, and 6" at $1.25 labor and $1.20 material. Transition strips there are $2.00 labor and $1.35 material per lf.
4Check the crew days
On Project Man Days, the sample company’s Standard Rates use 800 lf per man day for 4" rubber base. On the police substation bid, 728 lf of straight base is 0.91 man days and 607 lf of cove base 0.76. Use your own crews’ numbers.
Worked example: two base lines on Eastgate
RB-1 and RB-2 4" Johnsonite wall base, Black #40, on the Eastgate Retail Center estimate, on Margin.
| RB-1 straight | RB-2 cove | |
|---|---|---|
| Qty | 3,500 lf | 2,917 lf |
| Labor | 3,500 × $1.00 = $3,500.00 → $4,929.58 at 29% | 2,917 × $1.00 = $2,917.00 → $3,838.16 at 24% |
| Material | 3,500 × ($0.85 + $0.15) + 12 × $10.00 = $3,620.00 → $4,891.89 at 26% | 2,917 × $1.00 + 10 × $10.00 = $3,017.00 → $4,077.03 at 26% |
| Line Total | $9,821.47 | $7,915.18 |
| Man days at 800 lf | 4.38 | 3.65 |
Both lines print on the unit list proposal with their quantity, labor and material, so the GC can see exactly what base you carried.
What to do next
Next, check the floors the base and transitions sit next to: carpet, LVT and VCT and sheet vinyl and rubber.
Price every foot of base
The full estimate and imports are in the 30-day free trial. No credit card.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does CFE convert feet and inches to linear feet?
Yes. On a Callidus import, a length such as 459’9" comes in as 459.75 lf, and the conversion shows in the Checks column.
How do I price grout for tile base?
Your Import Rules add a ↳ Grout · TBD sub-line under the tile base, flagged Qualify: not listed on takeoff. Price it, or qualify it on the proposal.
Should 4" and 6" base be on separate lines?
Yes. They have different labor and material prices, and separate lines let the proposal and the Material List show each height.
How much rubber base does an installer put in per day?
The sample company’s rates use 800 lf per man day for 4" rubber base. Use your own crews’ numbers.
Written by
Cristian Valcu – Founder & CEO, Commercial Flooring Estimating LLC
Cristian has estimated commercial flooring for over 20 years and built CFE - Advanced Estimating Worksheet around the way flooring contractors actually price, propose and track their bids.
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