Question 1

What's the difference between hiring ASC and hiring an in-house estimator?

Accepted Answer

An in-house estimator is a full-time role with overhead, benefits, and a single project load. ASC is a senior consulting partner you engage for specific needs — estimate and bid review, conceptual budgeting, advisory support during bid season, or training your in-house team. You get 20+ years of landscape construction judgment without the full-time commitment, and an independent perspective that an internal estimator can't always provide.

Question 2

Do you work on public works projects, private development, or both?

Accepted Answer

Both. ASC is comfortable working across public works and private development. The estimating discipline, risk framing, and cost analysis translate across project delivery models — what changes is the contract structure and compliance context, which we account for in each engagement.

Question 3

What software and tools do you use?

Accepted Answer

ASC is proficient in the industry-standard estimating and takeoff stack: HeavyBid, Bid2Win, and On-Screen Takeoff. If your team works in a different system, we can typically adapt — the estimating judgment is what matters most, and we'll coordinate on file formats and workflow.

Question 4

Can you review an estimate we've already built, or only build new ones?

Accepted Answer

Both. Estimate and bid review is one of our core services — bring us an estimate, bid, or quantity takeoff you've already built and we'll independently check it for gaps, omissions, unit-cost realism, and scope coverage before submission or award. We also build new conceptual estimates and budgets from scratch during the design phase.

Question 5

Do you offer ongoing or retainer support, or project-by-project only?

Accepted Answer

Both models are available. Many engagements are project-by-project — a specific bid review, a conceptual budget, a constructability pass. For firms that want consistent senior access, we can structure ongoing or retainer-style support, including advisory estimating support during peak bid seasons and estimator mentoring over time.

Question 6

What's your service area — do you work outside Southern California?

Accepted Answer

ASC is based in Tustin and provides on-site services across Southern California — Orange County, Los Angeles County, the Inland Empire, and San Diego County. Remote consulting is available statewide throughout California, so if your project is elsewhere in the state, reach out and we'll discuss how to support it.

Question 7

Are you a landscape contractor or design firm?

Accepted Answer

No — and that's intentional. ASC is a preconstruction and cost consulting firm, not a contractor, installer, designer, or engineer. We don't compete with the firms we advise. That independence is part of the value: our only job is to give you clear, honest cost guidance so you can make better preconstruction decisions.

Questions, answered straight

Ready for cost clarity on your next project?