Guides · Updated September 2026

Construction takeoff guides

Learn how to take off a set of drawings, step by step. Start with the full process, worked on a real public-domain plan sheet with the actual quantities, then use the scale chart, the free Excel template and the guides below as you bid.

Start with the worked example See the 2 minute demo

Start here

How to do a construction takeoff

Scale, areas, lengths, counts, waste and export, on a real sheet

Construction drawing scales

Scale chart, reading scale notes, setting and checking scale on a PDF

Free takeoff template (Excel)

A tab per trade, with units, waste and a filled-in example

More guides

How to export a takeoff to Excel

Send quantities to your estimate

Takeoff vs estimating

How the two steps differ

How to read construction plans

Sheets, scale, schedules, symbols

How to calculate square footage

Measure, deduct, and total by room

Construction plan symbols

What the marks mean and how to count

How to bid a construction job

Plans to takeoff to a priced bid

How to mark up a PDF plan

Clouds, notes, symbols and measuring in one toolbar

Then quantify your trade

Once you have the basics, go to your trade for what to measure and count. The plumbing, flooring, painting and concrete guides each include a worked example on the same public-domain plan set. Browse construction takeoff by trade.