By the MassBid Estimation team · Reviewed by a senior estimator with 10+ years of experience · Published · Updated
In short
A quantity takeoff is a measured list of every material and item a construction project needs, taken off the drawings and specifications: areas in square feet, lengths in linear feet, volumes in cubic yards, weights in pounds and items by count. It is the first step of every cost estimate and bid. Takeoffs are done by hand from printed plans, on screen with takeoff software such as PlanSwift or Bluebeam, or from a BIM model.
- Also called
- Material takeoff (MTO), quantity survey, takeoff
- Measured from
- Drawings, specifications and addenda
- Units
- Square feet, linear feet, cubic yards, pounds, each
- Three methods
- Manual, digital on-screen, BIM model-based
- Contains prices?
- No. Prices are added in the estimate
- Typical turnaround
- 24 to 48 hours for most projects
What quantity takeoff means
The name describes the job: quantities are taken off the drawings. An estimator works through the plans sheet by sheet and writes down how much of each item the building needs, with the unit it is bought or installed in. Nothing is priced yet.
Contractors use the takeoff to price their bid, suppliers use it to quote material, and owners use it to check a budget. A takeoff limited to the products one supplier sells is usually called a material takeoff, or MTO. For how a takeoff becomes a price, see quantity takeoff vs cost estimate.
The three quantity takeoff methods
| Method | How it works | Best for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manual | Printed plans, a scale ruler, highlighters and a calculator | Very small jobs and quick checks | Slow, and easy to lose track of what was counted |
| Digital on-screen | PDF plans measured in software such as PlanSwift, Bluebeam Revu or On-Screen Takeoff, with each item traced in color | Most projects today, of any size | Calibrating the scale on every sheet, especially reduced prints |
| BIM model-based | Quantities exported from a Revit or similar model | Projects with a detailed, coordinated model | Models often leave out items a builder must still buy |
We use the digital method on almost every job, because every measured area, line and count stays on the drawing in its own color. That marked-up set is delivered with the takeoff, so anyone can check where a quantity came from. On model-based projects, the model quantities are checked against the drawings.
What gets measured, trade by trade
| Trade | Measured in | Example items |
|---|---|---|
| Concrete | Cubic yards | Footings, slabs, walls, columns |
| Rebar | Pounds or tons | Bars by size, converted from length |
| Formwork | Square feet of contact area | Slab edges, wall and footing forms |
| Masonry | Each, by size | Concrete block, brick, plus grout in cubic yards |
| Framing lumber | Board feet or pieces | Studs, plates, joists, sheathing |
| Drywall | Square feet, by wall type | Board, studs and track per partition type |
| Flooring | Square feet, by finish tag | Carpet, vinyl, tile, plus base in linear feet |
| Roofing | Squares (100 sq ft) | Membrane, insulation, plus flashing in linear feet |
| Plumbing | Linear feet, by diameter; fixtures each | Pipe, fittings, sinks, water closets |
| Electrical | Linear feet; devices each | Conduit, wire, receptacles, fixtures |
| Doors and hardware | Each, by type | Doors, frames, hardware sets |
| Earthwork | Cubic yards | Cut, fill, excavation, haul-off |
How to do a quantity takeoff, step by step
- Read the whole set first. Drawings, specifications and every addendum. A quantity measured from a superseded sheet is wrong however carefully it was measured.
- List the scope. Write down every item in the trade, organized by CSI MasterFormat division, so nothing is left out.
- Set the scale on each sheet. Check it against a known dimension. Reduced prints and sheets marked not to scale are the most common source of error.
- Measure. Areas, lengths, counts and volumes, each item in its own color, with the sheet and detail it came from.
- Add waste and convert to buying units. Square feet of board become sheets, feet of rebar become pounds, and a waste factor is added where material is cut.
- Check it. A second person compares the quantities with the drawings. Every MassBid takeoff is checked by a separate QA team before it leaves.
A real quantity takeoff, worked through
A public trail project in Douglas County, Colorado, called for 26,847 square feet of 6-inch concrete sidewalk. This is how the takeoff turned that one line on the plans into the quantities a contractor prices:
| Item | How it was calculated | Quantity |
|---|---|---|
| Sidewalk area | Measured from the plan sheets | 26,847 sq ft |
| Concrete | 26,847 sq ft × 0.5 ft thick ÷ 27 | 497 cubic yards |
| Rebar | #4 bars at 16 inches each way, converted to weight | 32,313 lb |
| Formwork | Slab edges, in square feet of contact area | 1,918 sq ft |
| Excavation | Same volume as the concrete | 497 cubic yards |
Priced, those quantities came to $393,718 in trade cost for the job. That pricing step belongs to the estimate, not the takeoff.
Common takeoff mistakes
- Measuring from a sheet that an addendum replaced.
- Leaving the scale at the last sheet's setting on a reduced or enlarged print.
- Counting the same area twice where two sheets overlap, such as plan areas A and B.
- Missing items shown only in details, sections or schedules, such as thickened slabs or hardware notes.
- Forgetting waste, or adding it twice.
- Measuring what the drawing shows but not what the specification requires, such as an underlayment or a second coat.
Doing it yourself or outsourcing it
A takeoff takes hours that an estimator or project manager may not have in bid week. Outsourced, a single-trade takeoff typically costs $100 to $250 and comes back in 24 to 48 hours, with marked-up plans and an editable Excel workbook. See what an estimate costs or send the drawings for a free quote.
Common questions
A measured list of every material and item a project needs, taken from the drawings and specifications, with each quantity in the unit it is bought or installed in. It has no prices; pricing happens in the estimate.
Three: manual, from printed plans with a scale ruler; digital on-screen, from PDF plans in software such as PlanSwift, Bluebeam Revu or On-Screen Takeoff; and model-based, from a BIM model. Digital on-screen takeoff is the most common today.
A quantity takeoff covers everything in a scope. A material takeoff, or MTO, is usually limited to the materials one supplier sells, listed in the units they sell them in.
The takeoff a contractor prepares to price a bid, measured from the bid documents and addenda. After award, quantities are often re-checked against the construction set.
It depends on the size of the drawing set and the number of trades. Most of the takeoffs and estimates we prepare are delivered in 24 to 48 hours.
Outsourced, a simple single-trade takeoff typically costs $100 to $250. Larger projects or several trades typically run $200 to $500, quoted from the drawings.
No. The takeoff is the measuring step. The estimate prices those quantities with material, labor and equipment and adds markups to reach a bid.