Doing a Quantity Takeoff

A takeoff is counting and measuring everything the job needs from the drawings — the foundation of an accurate bid.

How it works

• Go system by system (don't jump around) and mark each item as you count so nothing is double-counted or missed.
• Pull quantities: linear feet (trim, pipe), square feet (drywall, flooring, paint), cubic yards (concrete, fill), and counts (fixtures, doors).
• Add a waste factor (~10% typical; more for tile/patterns) before ordering.
• Keep assumptions written down — they protect you later.

By hand vs. software

• By hand: scale ruler + printed plans + a highlighter and a count sheet (fine to learn on).
• Digital takeoff: Bluebeam Revu, PlanSwift, STACK, or Excel measure right on the PDF and total automatically — faster and more accurate as you grow.

Accurate quantities are 80% of an accurate bid.

Takeaway: Take off the job system-by-system into linear/square/cubic/count quantities, add a waste factor, and write your assumptions — start by hand, graduate to digital takeoff (Bluebeam, PlanSwift, STACK); accurate quantities make the bid.

Educational overview — bid requirements vary by owner and jurisdiction; always follow the specific invitation-to-bid and instructions to bidders.