Welcome to our advice column where our estimators offer thoughtful answers to your questions on estimating. Go here to this form to submit an anonymous question.

If you are new to a region or a construction sector, it may be difficult to find the most trustworthy and reliable subcontractors who can confirm pricing across multiple trades. Here are a few strategies to try:

1. Create an account with one or more construction bidding/ITB softwares. Pay attention to which local subcontractors are prequalified and who responds quickly to requests.
   
2. Attend local trade shows to build relationships. These could be small, trade-specific lunch meetups, or larger industry conferences. Don’t be afraid to ask questions, even from those who could be considered competitors.
   
3. If you have the resources, establish a preconstruction department within your company focused on generating partnerships. Building trust with fellow contractors and their teams is essential to completing quality work throughout the entire project.
   
4. Create an early estimate with 1build's estimating service so you can bring a professional estimate to your subcontractors to confirm, rather than asking them to take on the burden of estimating.

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