When owners ask for unit prices
Some quantities cannot be measured from the drawings. Rock below grade is the classic example. No one knows how much is there until the digging starts. The owner asks for a price per cubic yard and pays for what is found.
- Unknown site conditions: rock removal, unsuitable soil, added fill.
- Repair work: square feet of deck replacement, linear feet of joint repair.
- Likely additions: an extra data outlet, an extra door, an extra fixture.
- Whole contracts: road and utility work is often bid entirely on unit prices.
Where to find them
Division 01 usually describes unit prices in section 01 22 00. The description says what each unit includes and how it is measured. The bid form has a blank for each price.
What a unit price must include
A unit price is a complete price unless the documents say otherwise. It normally covers material, labor, equipment, overhead and profit for one unit in place. Read how the unit is measured. A cubic yard measured in the ground is not the same as a cubic yard measured in the truck.
How to price one
- Read the description and the method of measurement.
- Price a realistic small quantity, because added work often comes in small amounts.
- Include mobilization if the work could happen as a separate trip.
- Check if the same price applies to both added and deducted quantities.
- Write the price on the bid form in the unit the form asks for.
The risk in a unit price
A unit price is binding for the contract. If the quantity is far larger or smaller than expected, your cost per unit changes. Some contracts allow the price to be adjusted when the quantity varies a lot. Many do not. Read the conditions before you set the number.
Bid documents · Updated 11 Nov 2026