What an exclusion does
An exclusion tells the GC that an item is not in your price. The GC then buys it from another trade or adds money to your number. An exclusion that no one can understand protects no one.
Rules for a good exclusion
- Be specific. Name the item, not a category.
- Point to the source. Give the spec paragraph or the sheet number.
- Use the words in the documents. If the spec says wall padding, do not write mats.
- One item per line.
- Exclude an item only if it could reasonably be read as yours.
Weak and strong examples
A weak line says: electrical excluded. A strong line says: power wiring and disconnects for motorized backstops are excluded and are by Division 26. The strong line tells the GC who should carry the item.
A weak line says: blocking by others. A strong line says: in-wall blocking for wall-mounted equipment is excluded, and we will provide locations.
Where exclusions come from
Good exclusions come out of the takeoff. Each time you decide an item is not yours, write it down then. Items the drawings mark as by others or owner furnished belong on the list. So do items your spec section mentions but another section also covers.
Do not hide behind the list
A long boilerplate list makes the GC distrust your number. Some GCs add money to a bid for every vague exclusion. If the spec section plainly requires an item and you exclude it, say so near the top. Do not bury it.
Takeoff Tool flags items marked by others or owner furnished, and records each line you exclude from the bid.
Bidding and estimating · Updated 11 Nov 2026