Quantity Takeoff Services: Material and Labor Takeoffs for Every CSI Division

Quantity Takeoff Services is the measurement and counting of every item needed to build a project — areas, lengths, volumes, weights and counts — taken from the drawings and specifications.

A quantity takeoff is the foundation of every estimate. If the quantities are wrong, no amount of pricing skill will fix the bid. Bid Sharp measures from the latest drawings using digital takeoff tools, organizes quantities by trade or CSI division and delivers marked-up plans with an Excel summary.

Order the takeoff alone and price it with your own unit costs, or order a complete priced estimate. Either way, the numbers come with the plan markups that prove where they came from.

Takeoff by trade and CSI division

We organize quantities the way specifications and bid forms are written — Division 01 general requirements through Division 33 utilities. Common packages include concrete, masonry, metals, wood framing, roofing, openings, drywall, tile and finishes, plumbing, HVAC, fire protection, electrical, low voltage, sitework and utilities. See the full list of CSI division pages.

Methods, units and waste

Quantities are expressed in the unit each trade prices in: square feet, linear feet, cubic yards, each, tons, squares or lump sum. Waste and overage factors are shown separately so you can adjust them. Openings, returns, corners, laps and accessories are counted according to the specification and your pricing practice.

Addenda, alternates and revisions

When an addendum changes the drawings, we re-measure the affected scope rather than patching totals. Alternates and unit-price items are measured separately, so base bid, add alternates and deduct alternates stay clean.

Quality control

Each takeoff is checked by a second estimator, compared with expected ratios such as concrete per square foot of slab or wall area per floor area, and tied to marked-up plan sheets.

What you receive

• Quantities by trade, division and building area
• Marked-up PDF plan set showing every count and measurement
• Excel summary with units, waste and notes
• List of assumptions, exclusions and open questions
• Optional pricing with your unit costs or ours

Technical scope and terminology we work with

• Digital takeoff, on-screen takeoff, material takeoff and labor takeoff
• Unit of measure: SF, LF, CY, EA, TON, SQ, LS
• Waste factor, overage, laps, openings and deductions
• Assemblies, work breakdown structure and cost codes
• Base bid, alternates, allowances and unit-price quantities
• Marked-up plans, scale verification and sheet indexes

Who this service is for

Estimators who are stretched during bid season, subcontractors who need dependable quantities fast, and general contractors who need an independent check of subcontractor numbers.

How it works

1. Send plans, specifications and addenda with the bid date.
2. We confirm scope, price and turnaround.
3. We measure, review and deliver quantities with markups.
4. We update quantities when addenda are issued.

Software, standards and file formats

We work in PlanSwift and Bluebeam Revu for digital takeoff and markup, Excel and RSMeans-style cost data for pricing, Oracle Primavera P6 and Microsoft Project for scheduling, and AutoCAD-compatible formats for drawings. Deliverables are provided as Excel, PDF and, where relevant, DWG files, organized by CSI MasterFormat.

When to use this service

Use quantity takeoff services when a bid date is close, when your team is stretched across projects, when you need an independent check of your own numbers or drawings, or when you want consistent deliverables in the same format every time. Tell us the due date when you request a quote so the schedule can be planned around it.

Engagement options

• One project: order quantity takeoff services for a single bid or job and receive a firm price and turnaround before we start.
• Several trades or divisions: combine this service with related scopes so quantities, drawings and pricing agree.
• Bid-season capacity: send multiple projects with their due dates and we schedule the work to hit each one.
• Ongoing support: repeat-volume contractors can agree standard formats, cost codes and turnaround so every delivery drops straight into their process.

Quality control, confidentiality and communication

Every deliverable is reviewed by a second team member before it reaches you, and assumptions, inclusions and exclusions are written down so they can be checked. If information is missing we send a short list of questions rather than guessing, and we tell you which assumption we used when a question cannot be answered in time. Your plans, specifications and files are used only to prepare your project work and are not shared publicly; see our privacy policy.

Related services, guides and pages

• Construction estimating and quantity takeoff
• Pre-bid, solicitation response and post-bid support
• Shop drawings, structural drafting and permit drawings
• Public bid estimating, pricing, samples, FAQ and bidding glossary

Takeoff deliverable formats

Quantities are delivered in an Excel workbook with one sheet per trade or division, columns for description, unit, quantity, waste, quantity with waste and notes, plus a summary tab. A marked-up PDF of the plan set shows each measurement in a distinct color and layer so a reviewer can verify any number in seconds. For repeat clients we can match your cost-code structure and column layout.

Examples of what we measure

• Concrete: footings, walls, slabs, columns, formwork contact area, rebar tonnage
• Masonry: CMU by size and wall type, brick and stone veneer, grout, reinforcing, lintels
• Finishes: flooring by type, paint by surface, ceiling tiles, wall coverings, tile and trim
• MEP: devices, fixtures, ductwork, piping by size, conduit and wire
• Sitework: cut and fill, paving, curb, utilities by run and depth

Combine with estimating, pre-bid support and our takeoff guide.