In today’s increasingly competitive manufacturing environment, quoting isn’t just about speed it’s about strategy. Buyers expect transparency, costs are constantly shifting, and margins are tighter than ever. That’s why more manufacturers are turning to should-cost estimating to gain an edge and why it matters in 2025.
What Is Should-Costing?
Should-costing is a data-driven approach to estimating the cost of manufacturing a part or product. Rather than relying on gut instinct, past jobs, or tribal knowledge, should-costing uses real data to calculate what a part should cost to produce factoring in material costs, labor, machine time, and overhead.
Why Should-Costing Matters Now
Relying on outdated spreadsheets or inconsistent pricing methods can lead to underquoting, lost profits, or overpricing that costs you the job. In 2025, quoting accurately and confidently is essential.
With Costimator manufacturers get access to over 40 years of cost models and data libraries, allowing them to estimate faster and more accurately without sacrificing profitability. Whether you’re a small job shop or a mid-sized manufacturer, implementing a should-cost approach can improve quote turnaround, consistency, and customer trust.
“Costimator allows our estimators to quote with confidence. It’s helped us win more jobs without compromising on margins.” — Manufacturing Manager, CT
Should-Costing = Sales Advantage
Should-costing isn’t just an estimating tool – it’s a sales tool. When you can break down your pricing and explain your numbers to a customer, you build credibility. This level of transparency strengthens partnerships and differentiates you from competitors relying on guesswork.
Want to see how it works? Try our free part evaluation and let us show you what one of your parts should cost using Costimator. Get your free cost evaluation
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