CONSTRUCTION TAKEOFF SERVICES
A construction takeoff is the process of measuring various materials required for a construction project. The material quantities are measured from the plans as per the given scale on drawings. The take-off is then used to price the project and create a construction cost estimate. QTO Estimating is a construction estimating firm offering construction takeoff services and material estimates to contractors since 2017.
We have a team of certified construction estimators having 20+ years of combined experience in preparation of quantity take-offs. We have been working with general contractors, sub-contractors, suppliers, architects, and homeowners nationwide. At QTO Estimating we offer all types of estimates for residential and commercial projects. These include preliminary estimates, material takeoffs, cost estimates and material order lists.
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What is QTO?
"QTO" stands for Quantity TakeOff and it is basically a list of material quantities required to complete a construction project. The takeoff services are offered by professional estimators and can be outsourced from companies like QTO Estimating. Hiring a full-time estimator for your company will lead to very high monthly expenses and cost overheads. So outsourcing take-offs is a viable option to save both money and time.
We offer quantity take-off services nationwide and we have a large client base all over the states including New York, North Carolina, Florida, New Jersey, Illinois, Texas, Virginia, California, Washington DC, Minnesota, Arizona, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, South Carolina, Georgia, Michigan, Oregon, Massachusetts, Arizona, Alabama.
CONSTRUCTION TAKE-OFF PROCESS
A Construction take-off process involves analyzing the drawings and specifications to determine the material quantities and types of materials required for a project. It includes everything from concrete and masonry to steel framing and wood framing etc. The estimates for other trades like site work, flooring, painting, electrical, mechanical and plumbing etc. are also carried out to get a complete take-off list. Material take-off are very useful for house builders. General contractors, sub-contractors and house builders can manage budgets, reduce wastage and avoid delays caused by material shortage by getting accurate construction takeoff services from professional estimating companies like QTO. Outsourcing takeoffs improves accuracy and efficiency of the overall construction process. They also help in timely completion of project within the allocated budget.
Moreover, Our take-off estimators utilize the latest estimating softwares like Planswift , Bluebeam & Xactimate to prepare most accurate and fast estimates for any type of construction project. Our services are for everyone looking for material quantities or cost estimation of projects. Whether it's new construction or remodeling of an existing building, we can do the blueprint take off hassle-free & provide you a detailed excel spreadsheet that can help you in bidding, ordering materials, and cost management of the project.
MATERIAL TAKEOFF SERVICES WE OFFER
We provide flooring takeoffs for all projects of all sizes. Our flooring estimates include quantities of tiles, carpet, wood floors, VCT, LVT, rubber floors any many more.
Our drywall takeoffs are categorized based on the type, fire-rating, no of boards, type of insulation, etc. Moreover, we also provide drywall sheets count, and metal studs quantities and costs for drywall estimates.
Lumber takeoff services include wood framing quantities for walls, floors, roofing an ceiling. Framing elements such as studs, joists, rafters, outriggers, headers and lumber hardware quantities are estimated.
Our detailed electrical takeoffs includes a count of light fixtures, switches, power panels, conduits, low voltage supplies etc. The detailed electrical cost estimates by QTO Estimating can help electrical sub-contractors in winning more bids.
Our masonry take-offs include CMU blocks, brickwork, stonework, grout infill, vertical rebar in CMU, ties, anchors etc. Get in touch with us to get a free quote for masonry estimating service.
EARTHWORK TAKEOFFS
We provide you with the quantities for the excavation, backfill, slope stabilization and other related earthwork takeoffs as per the topography and layout plans. Our earthwork estimates are used by civil & site contractors nationwide.
IMPROVED ACCURACY & EFFICIENCY
Having an accurate list of material quantities is very important for the success of any project. It helps in bidding as well as with material ordering during the construction stage of project. There are many takeoff firms out there but only a few of them do the estimating with accuracy and perfection. This is where construction takeoff services by QTO Estimating come in. Our service involves analyzing drawings and specs to create a detailed material take-off list that contains the quantities and types of materials needed for the project. By utilizing a combination of manual approach and automated software, our expert estimators can accurately determine the material quantities for the project.
OUR CLIENTS
- General contractors
- Sub-contractors
- Remodeling contractors
- Home builders
- Project owners
- Project Managers
- Developers
- Engineers
- Architects
- Suppliers
Takeoff Vs Estimate
Construction professionals sometime confuse construction takeoff with estimating and can not differentiate between them. From estimation point of view, its important to know the difference between estimate and takeoff so that you order what your expect from an estimation firm. A construction takeoff is a list of materials and their quantities required for a project. On the other hand, an estimate include the labor and material costs in addition to material takeoff. An MTO is useful to get an idea about the materials and their quantities involved in a project. It is used by contractors and house owners to place material orders with suppliers and get quotes from them.
Moreover, a construction takeoff can also be used to price the project by putting the material, labor and equipment costs. Some additional costs such as overheads, profits, sales tax, mobilization and supervision costs etc. are also added to get a full cost estimate of the project. Builders and general contracting companies use the estimates for budgeting and placing bids on construction projects. An example of structural steel takeoff and structural steel cost estimate is given below;
Construction Takeoffs Example
| DESCRIPTION | QTY. | WASTE | QTY. W/ WASTE | UNIT |
| Built-up Steel Floor | 650 | 10% | 715 | SF |
| 19-W-4 Metal Grating | 1560 | 10% | 1,716 | SF |
| W8x15 Beam | 1635 | 10% | 1,799 | LBS |
| W8x18 Beam | 1548 | 10% | 1,703 | LBS |
| W8x21 Beam | 2772 | 10% | 3,049 | LBS |
Construction Estimate Example
| DESCRIPTION | QTY. | WASTE | QTY. W/ WASTE | UNIT | LABOR COST | MATERIAL COST | TOTAL UNIT COST | TOTAL COST |
| Built-up Steel Floor | 650 | 10% | 715 | SF | $2.05 | $4.35 | $7.68 | $5,491 |
| 19-W-4 Metal Grating | 1560 | 10% | 1,716 | SF | $2.75 | $4.90 | $9.18 | $15,753 |
| W8x15 Beam | 1635 | 10% | 1,799 | LBS | $0.88 | $1.45 | $2.80 | $5,029 |
| W8x18 Beam | 1548 | 10% | 1,703 | LBS | $0.88 | $1.45 | $2.80 | $4,761 |
| W8x21 Beam | 2772 | 10% | 3,049 | LBS | $0.88 | $1.45 | $2.80 | $8,526 |
HOW IT WORKS
Our certified take-off specialists use a structured process to accurately calculate the quantities of various construction materials required for each project. Here's a brief overview of how our construction take-off services work:
1. Analyzing Plans & Scope: Our quantity takeoff estimators first review all relevant plans and drawings for the project, including civil plans, architectural plans, structural plans and specifications. We review the takeoff scope as detailed by our customers and check the plans for that scope.
2. Material Takeoff Process: Our material takeoff specialists load the PDF plans into our take-off software such as Planswift or bluebeam. Drawings are scaled and the quantity take-off is performed. It involves measuring, counting, and quantifying various materials required for the construction project. Materials such as concrete, masonry, structural steel, lumber framing, roofing, siding painting, flooring etc. are taken-off one by one.
3. Excel Sheet Preparation: We put all the materials and their quantities as per their CSI trades into the excel spreadsheet. Suitable wastage factors are considered for the materials and the final quantities are listed with appropriate unit of measures. We also price the material, labor and equipment costs if required by our customer.
4. Takeoff Delivery: Our final construction takeoff deliverables include a material estimate in excel, color-coded markups in PDF and notes/RFIs related to the project. Our client gets full ownership of all deliverables. The files can edited, modified or shared as needed by the customer.
Our takeoff estimating services have been utilized in a variety of mega construciton projects, from commercial buildings to residential apartments and public infrastructure projects. For example, our take-off services were used during the construction of the Hudson Yards development in New York City to manage the project's cost management requirements.
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WHY CHOOSE US
We are a professional construction estimating firm having a team of certified construction estimators having 20+ years of combined experience in construction takeoff services. Working with QTO Estimating means that your project is in safe hands of experienced estimators who will takeoff the materials of your project accurately. Our estimators have infield experience, construction knowledge and they follow the best estimation practices outlined by the renowned associations. We strictly follow the guidelines provided by organizations such as ASPE, PMI and CSI and keep our estimators updated with latest technology and tools in the industry.
The unique features of our takeoff service that set QTO Estimating apart form our competitors include;
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So are you ready to streamline your construction takeoffs while saving time and money? Contact us today to learn more about our estimating services and get a quote!
OUR SAMPLE TAKE-OFFS
QTO Estimators delivered thousands of construction take-offs and estimate to our esteemed customers. Some of our sapele takeoff spreadsheets and PDFs are provided below;
Steel Framing
- 1a. Adriana Perez Ditman Avenue - Structural Steel Estimate
- 1b. Adriana Perez Ditman Avenue - Structural Steel Markups
- 2a. 1357 N Elston Ave Chicago, Illinois - Steel Estimate
- 2b. 1357 N Elston Ave Chicago, Illinois - Steel Markups
- 3a. Lax Kwalaams BC Housing - Steel Takeoff
- 3b. Lax Kwalaams BC Housing - Steel Markups
Checkout sample estimates for all other trades on this page. You can email us if you want to see an example estimate of some specific trade.
FAQs
A construction takeoff is the process of measuring material quantities from the project plans or blueprints. Sometimes it is also called a material takeoff (MTO) or quantity take-off (QTO). The words takeoff and take off are used interchangeably by the professionals, but the meaning is the same (no difference). A take off is the most important component of the whole estimation process and serves as a key component of the construction estimate. It is quite useful for both new construction as well as remodeling projects. The two most common methods of doing blueprint takeoffs are manual method and automated method using computer software such as planswift.
A takeoff list contains the quantities of raw material required for construction project that include drywall, concrete, masonry, concrete, steel, lumber, paint etc. All these items are listed in an excel spreadsheet along with unit of measure and quantities. A wastage factor can also be applied to account for material waste during construction.
Material takeoff lists are useful for material ordering and for preparation of construction estimate. The unit pricing for material, labor and equipment is added in a takeoff list to generate a cost estimate budget of project. An accurate take-off serves as a base for an accurate cost estimate.
Material takeoff estimation is a quite time-consuming job and sometimes it becomes frustrating when the person doing the take-off is a newbie. At this point, it is always useful to outsource takeoff services from estimating companies like QTO Estimating. No need to hire full-time estimator and increase overheads. Only pay for an estimate when you need it and get it done by professional estimators. So instead of spending hours on the take-off process, it is always beneficial to outsource take-offs from QTO Estimating. Send us the plans through email and we will get back to you with a quote in a couple of hours.
FEEDBACK FROM OUR CUSTOMERS
QTO Estimating's takeoff services have revolutionized our bidding process. Their precise and timely estimates have helped us win more projects in New York City. Thank you, QTO Estimating!
Thanks to QTO Estimating's material take-off service, our project planning has become more efficient and cost-effective in Chicago. Their attention to detail and expertise have been invaluable. We can't thank them enough!
QTO Estimating's construction takeoff services have been a game-changer for our business in Los Angeles. Their accurate and comprehensive takeoffs have saved us valuable time and resources. Highly recommended!
QTO's quantity takeoffs have consistently exceeded our expectations for our commercial construction projects in Houston. Their accurate material quantities and cost estimates have helped us stay on budget and deliver successful projects. We highly endorse QTO Estimating!