Takeoff

The process of measuring quantities of work from construction drawings before pricing.

Takeoff is the process of extracting measurable quantities from a set of construction drawings: linear feet of footing, square feet of slab, count of piers, cubic yards of cut/fill.

Takeoff is the first step in any bid. Without quantities, you can't price the scope.

Manual takeoff: measuring printed plans with a scale ruler and digitizer. Still common in older shops. Slow, error-prone. Digital takeoff: measuring on a screen using a calibrated PDF viewer. The industry standard since the early 2010s.

Linear (for footings, walls, curbs) Area (for slabs, paving, finishes) Count (for generic items) Volume (for excavation, fill) Pier (for true-scale circular elements) Cut/fill (grid-based for sitework)

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