"First takeoff I was skeptical. Ran it against my manual count on a 40-page commercial build. AI caught three items I missed at 2 AM. Now I run every bid through it first, then verify flagged items. Cuts my takeoff time from two days to three hours."
General Construction Takeoffs. Concrete, Steel, Finishes. About 15 Minutes.
Upload your architectural and structural plan set. Get concrete volumes, rebar schedules, structural steel counts, drywall areas, and finish quantities — organized by trade category and ready for your pricing software.
General Construction Takeoff
Concrete, steel, drywall — all counted
Concrete Quantities
Square footage, cubic yards, and rebar counts extracted automatically
Structural Steel
Beam lengths, column counts, and connection details counted across all drawings
Drywall & Finishes
Wall areas, ceiling areas, and linear footage for trim calculated by room
Multi-Trade View
See all trades on one takeoff - architectural, structural, MEP systems together
What We Count for General Contractors
From concrete to finishes, get accurate quantities for all major construction categories in one takeoff.
Concrete Quantities
Slabs, footings, walls — CY and SF
Concrete & Foundations
Slab-on-grade (SF and thickness), elevated slabs, foundation walls and footings (CY), columns and pilasters — with rebar schedules (bar size, spacing, and lap lengths) extracted from structural drawings.
- Slabs: SOG, elevated — SF by thickness, CY calculated
- Footings and foundation walls: dimensions, volumes, form area
- Rebar: bar size (#3 through #11), spacing, lap lengths, total LF
Structural Steel
Beams, columns, joists — by size and length
Structural Steel & Framing
Wide flange beams (W-sections) by size and length from structural framing plans. HSS columns with base plate details. Open web joists (OWJs) and K-series joists by count and span. Metal deck by area and gauge.
- Wide flange beams: W8 through W36 — size, length, count per level
- HSS columns: size, height, base plate dimensions by location
- Open web joists: series, span, count — plus metal deck area by gauge
Drywall & Finishes
Wall and ceiling areas with opening deductions
Drywall & Interior Finishes
Wall areas by room with opening deductions for doors and windows. Ceiling areas with height changes. ACT grid by bay size. Base and door casing by linear foot. Flooring areas by finish type.
- Drywall: wall areas by room, with door and window deductions
- ACT grid: area by bay size (2x2, 2x4), plus suspension system
- Flooring areas by finish type — tile, carpet, VCT, hardwood separated
Upload Plans, Get Counts, Export to Excel
No software to install. No training required. Upload your PDF construction plans, select general construction takeoff, and download your material count in Excel format within 15 minutes. Works with any standard construction drawing set.
- Upload PDF plans - any size, any format
- AI analyzes drawings and extracts quantities
- Download Excel with material counts ready to price
Review and Adjust - You're in Control
AI delivers initial counts in about 15 minutes. You review flagged items and spot-check the rest - typically 15-30 minutes more. Total time under an hour versus 40+ hours manual. The AI handles tedious counting so you focus on judgment calls that matter.
- AI flags items with lower confidence for your review
- Toggles and modifiers let you mark up quantities instantly
- Add your markup percentage and adjust for site conditions
Works With Your Existing Tools
Export counts to Excel or CSV and import into your estimating software. We complement your workflow, not replace it.
Multiple Export Formats
Download as Excel, CSV, or JSON. Material lists organized by category match standard estimating workflows. Import directly into PlanSwift, Accubid, or your pricing spreadsheets.
- Excel with formulas and formatting intact
- CSV for importing to estimating software
- Annotated PDF showing what was counted
95%+ Accuracy on Standard Drawings
AI achieves 95%+ accuracy on commercial construction plans with standard symbols. Complex custom details or hand-drawn markup may need manual review. We flag questionable items so you know what to verify.
- Consistent methodology - no variance between takeoffs
- AI doesn't get tired at page 80 of 100
- Catches items hidden across multiple sheets
Built for Contractors, Not IT Departments
If you can attach a file to an email, you can use TakeoffBuilder. No steep learning curve. No certification needed. Upload and go. Questions? Our support team knows construction - not just software.
- No software installation required
- Support team with construction background
- First takeoff walks you through the process
Pay Per Use - No Subscription
Buy credits when you need them. A typical 50-page commercial plan costs 3 credits ($15). Credits never expire. No monthly fees. Sign up free to see a live example takeoff so you can test with your own project.
- No subscription - pay only when you use it
- Credits never expire - use at your pace
- Volume discounts - bigger packs save more
Common Questions About General Construction Takeoffs
AI-assisted takeoffs are new for many GCs. Here's what contractors ask most about the process, accuracy, and how it fits into existing workflows.
We work best on commercial construction plans with standard architectural symbols. Residential plans work well too. Hand-drawn markup, unusual custom symbols, or very low-resolution scans may reduce accuracy. The cleaner the PDF, the better the results.
Typical turnaround is 5-15 minutes depending on plan size and complexity. A 30-page commercial set usually completes in under 10 minutes. Larger plan sets (100+ pages) may take 20-30 minutes. You'll get an email when your takeoff is ready.
We recommend spot-checking, especially on your first few takeoffs. The system flags items with lower confidence for your review. Most contractors find they can trust the bulk count and just verify flagged items - that's still hours saved versus starting from scratch.
Yes. Use toggles and modifiers to mark up quantities based on your experience. Add your standard markup percentage. Adjust for site conditions the AI can't see. The tools make these changes fast. You're reviewing and refining, not starting from zero.
Works Alongside Your Existing Workflow
Export to Excel, import into your estimating software
What You Get in Every General Construction Takeoff
Built for GCs and commercial estimators who bid 3-10 jobs a week. The target: reduce the time from plan receipt to bid submission without replacing your estimating process — just the counting part.
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Material Lists by Category Quantities organized by trade and material type - concrete, steel, finishes, each in separate sections for easy pricing.
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Annotated PDF Plans Your original plans with markup showing what AI counted and where - makes verification quick and builds confidence.
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Excel & CSV Export Download formatted Excel or CSV files ready to import into your pricing spreadsheets or estimating software.
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Flagged Items for Review Items with lower confidence scores are clearly marked - you know exactly what needs human verification.
Every Count You Need to Bid
Concrete, steel, finishes — organized by trade category
What General Contractors Say
From solo contractors to full estimating departments, see how AI-assisted takeoffs fit into different workflows.
6 reviews
"We use it as a first pass on all commercial bids. AI handles the bulk counting, our team focuses on the complex details and pricing strategy. Consistency is huge - same accuracy whether it's the first takeoff Monday morning or the fifth one Friday afternoon."
"I can't afford a full-time estimator. This lets me bid three times as many jobs without hiring. The pay-per-use model is perfect - I only pay when I'm pursuing work. Credits don't expire, so no pressure to use them up."
"The flagging system is smart. It doesn't pretend to be perfect. Items with lower confidence get marked, and I can see why. I focus my time on those edge cases. The bulk count I trust after spot-checking the first few takeoffs. Saves 20+ hours per project."
"Exports clean into our existing estimating software. We don't have to learn new tools or change our process. TakeoffBuilder does the counting, we do the pricing in the software we already know. Addition, not replacement."
"We ran it against our manual takeoffs for two months before trusting it on live bids. 94-96% match rate on standard commercial plans. Now it's part of our QA process - junior estimators run AI first, senior staff review and adjust. Catches mistakes both directions."
General Construction Takeoff Questions
Everything you need to know about AI-assisted takeoffs for general construction
What construction categories are included in a general takeoff?
General construction takeoffs cover concrete (slabs, footings, walls), structural steel (beams, columns, joists), framing (wood or metal studs), drywall and finishes (walls, ceilings, trim), doors and windows, and casework. Basically anything shown on architectural and structural drawings.
- Concrete and foundation work
- Structural steel and framing systems
How accurate is AI on complex commercial projects?
On standard commercial plans with clear symbols, we achieve 95%+ accuracy. Complex custom details, hand-drawn sections, or unusual architectural features may need manual review. The AI flags items with lower confidence so you know what to verify. Most contractors find they can trust the bulk count and focus verification time on flagged items.
- 95%+ accuracy on standard commercial drawings
- Flagging system identifies items needing review
Can I use this alongside PlanSwift or other software?
Absolutely. We're not asking you to abandon tools you already know. TakeoffBuilder does the initial counting and exports to Excel or CSV. Import those counts into PlanSwift, Accubid, or your pricing spreadsheets. We handle the tedious counting; you handle the pricing and markup in your existing workflow.
- Export to Excel, CSV, or JSON formats
- Import into your existing estimating software
What if my plans have custom details or non-standard symbols?
AI works best on standard architectural symbols and clear drawings. Custom details, hand-drawn markup, or unusual symbols may get flagged for manual review. That's intentional - we don't pretend to count everything perfectly. You'll see which items need your expertise, and you can adjust those quickly with toggles and modifiers.
- Custom items are flagged for your review
- Use toggles to adjust flagged quantities
How long does a typical general construction takeoff take?
AI processing takes 5-15 minutes for most commercial plan sets. Add 15-30 minutes for you to review flagged items and spot-check the rest. Total time under an hour versus 40+ hours manual. The larger the plan set, the more time saved. A 100-page commercial project that would take days manually is done in under an hour.
- AI processing: 5-15 minutes
- Your review: 15-30 minutes
What if I need to adjust quantities before exporting?
You're in control. Use toggles and modifiers to mark up quantities based on your experience. Add your standard waste factor or markup percentage. Adjust for site conditions the AI can't see from plans. These changes take seconds, not hours. You're refining the AI's work, not starting from scratch.
- Add markup percentages instantly
- Adjust for site conditions and experience
Still have questions? We're here to help.
Contact SupportTry Your First General Construction Takeoff Free
Create a free account. See a real example plan and AI-generated takeoff. Then run your own general construction plan when you’re ready.
- First takeoff completely free - test with your own plans
- Results in 15 minutes - see if AI accuracy meets your standards
- No subscription required - pay only when you use it
General Construction Takeoffs
~15 minutes. Concrete, steel, finishes.