S F Johnson Consulting Construction Education
One live class a week with Stacey Johnson, the Construction Queen. Open enrollment: a new class begins every week, so you can start on any class day and finish the full cycle with the group.
Surface takeoff, coating systems and gallons, prep and labor, wall covering by the bolt, and a full bid.
Weld symbols, material and weld takeoff, consumables, arc time and operating factor, then bid a real steel package.
Board and framing takeoff, finish levels, fire-rated assemblies, hang-and-tape production, and bid markup.
Room-by-room takeoff, subfloor prep, moisture testing, waste factors, material lead times, and installed cost.
Device and fixture counts, conduit and wire, panels and service, inspections, and pricing the full package.
Equipment and ductwork takeoff, load basics, Title 24 testing, startup and commissioning, and bid assembly.
Fixture counts, DWV and supply piping, testing, rough and final sign-off, and pricing labor by the fixture.
All divisions, managing subcontractor bids, general conditions, bonds, and the full project lifecycle.
Lumber takeoffs, shear walls, hardware, sequencing with inspections, and pricing crews by the square foot.
Yardage, forming, rebar, pour-day logistics, curing and testing, and pricing flatwork against structural work.
Block and brick counts, grout and reinforcing, scaffolding, special inspection, and unit labor rates.
Squares and pitch factors, tear-off, Cal/OSHA roof fall protection, weather days, and pricing by the square.
Arrays and racking, interconnection, utility and AHJ permitting, energization, and pricing per watt.
Grading, irrigation, planting, hardscape, seasonal scheduling, and pricing maintenance against install.
How class works: every class runs on a repeating cycle, one live session a week at the time shown, Pacific time. A new class begins every week, so you can start on any class day and keep going until you have covered the full cycle. That means new and returning students in the room together, which is how estimators really learn. Every session is recorded and posted the same day, homework takes about 2–3 hours a week, and your seat is held once tuition is paid in full. No class the week of Thanksgiving (Nov 23–27) or over winter break (Dec 21–Jan 1).
Tell us your trade and we'll put you in this week's class, with the workbook and software set up before your first session.
Trade-specific estimating systems built for real contractors — not theory. Each package teaches a repeatable workflow: plan/spec review → quantity takeoff → labor logic → estimate structure → bid-ready deliverables. This hub covers all trades — NO General Contracting.
This self-study estimating package assumes you are already proficient at reading construction plans and specifications for your trade. If you are not yet comfortable navigating drawings, symbols, schedules, and basic spec language, we strongly recommend completing the Trade Basics package first so you get full value from this estimating system.
Every trade package is built on the same professional estimating structure so you can apply it across projects and scale your business. You learn what to look for in the drawings/specs, how to take off the scope, how to build a labor summary, and how to package deliverables a GC, owner, or internal team can verify.
Important: All study sets are available, but access is issued manually after payment. Use the contact form to tell us your trade and the package(s) you want, and we'll send payment + access details.
All trade study sets are available. Click any trade to contact us to purchase and receive access.
Power + lighting + low-voltage workflows, QTO export, labor recap, estimating structure, and bid deliverables.
CONTACT TO PURCHASEDuctwork + equipment takeoffs, labor logic, productivity factors, bid-ready deliverables.
CONTACT TO PURCHASEDomestic + sanitary takeoffs, material breakdown, labor recaps, bid structure and outputs.
CONTACT TO PURCHASEFootings, slabs, rebar, forms, production-driven takeoffs and labor summaries.
CONTACT TO PURCHASESteel counts/tonnage logic, connections awareness, erection labor, estimate structure.
CONTACT TO PURCHASEPartitions, board, studs, insulation scope, labor logic, and clean bid deliverables.
CONTACT TO PURCHASESurface area takeoffs, finish systems, access conditions, production-based labor recap.
CONTACT TO PURCHASECMU/brick quantities, reinforcing/grout logic, wall assemblies, labor recap outputs.
CONTACT TO PURCHASEOpenings takeoff, framing + glass scope, hardware considerations, labor recap.
CONTACT TO PURCHASEHeads, pipe routing logic, hazard classifications, takeoff outputs and recap.
CONTACT TO PURCHASEDevices, cable runs, pathways, racks, takeoff exports and labor summaries.
CONTACT TO PURCHASEEarthwork, utilities, paving quantities, production-based labor recap and bid structure.
CONTACT TO PURCHASEDemo scope, sequencing and containment logic, risk allowances, safety-driven outputs.
CONTACT TO PURCHASECasework quantities, installs, hardware scope, labor recap and deliverables.
CONTACT TO PURCHASERoof areas, details, penetrations, accessory scope, production-based labor recap.
CONTACT TO PURCHASEAreas, transitions, base, adhesives, finish schedules, labor recap and deliverables.
CONTACT TO PURCHASEEvery trade package includes plan/spec navigation, quantity takeoff structure, industry-standard labor reference language, and bid-ready outputs appropriate to the trade. No General Contracting included anywhere on this hub.
Tell us your trade and the package you want. We'll send you payment details and activate your access manually — usually same business day.