Automated Quantity Takeoff Software
Quantity takeoff is the process of measuring every material and item of work from construction plans — the area of a slab, the volume of concrete, the length of framing, the count of doors and windows — so the job can be priced. My Trade Hub automates this measuring step directly from your uploaded plans, producing a structured set of measured quantities designed to be ready 60-75% faster than manual takeoff, with every quantity fully editable before you price or send anything.
Key takeaways
- Quantity takeoff is the measuring step of estimating — turning drawings into areas, volumes, lengths and counts for every item of work.
- My Trade Hub’s takeoff automates this measuring directly from your uploaded construction plans, without you scaling a drawing by hand.
- It is designed to produce measured quantities 60-75% faster than manual takeoff, while every quantity stays fully editable.
- Automated takeoff is consistent — the same drawing measured twice returns the same quantity, removing the variation that creeps into manual measuring.
- The measured quantities flow straight into your priced estimate and Bill of Quantities, so takeoff is the first step, not a separate task.
What is quantity takeoff?
Quantity takeoff — sometimes just called “takeoff” — is the process of measuring every material, component and item of work shown on a set of construction plans, so each one can be priced. It is the foundation every estimate and Bill of Quantities is built on: before you can price a job, you need to know how much of everything it actually involves.
A takeoff measures each item in its correct unit — square metres for a slab or brickwork, cubic metres for concrete, lineal metres for framing or guttering, and a simple count for doors, windows and fittings. Done by hand, this means scaling drawings with a scale rule or a CAD overlay, sheet by sheet, and tallying the result into a spreadsheet or takeoff sheet.
Because takeoff sits underneath every other estimating step, a mistake here — a missed run of skirting, a wall measured at the wrong scale — quietly flows through into the priced estimate and the final tender, which is exactly why measuring it accurately and consistently matters so much.
In plain terms
Quantity takeoff is simply measuring “how much of everything” a job needs, straight off the plans — before anyone works out what it will cost.
How My Trade Hub automates quantity takeoff
You upload your construction plans into My Trade Hub, and the estimation engine analyses them to identify the building elements on each sheet — walls, slabs, roofing, openings, fixtures — and measures each one in its correct unit without anyone scaling a drawing by hand.
The engine works straight from the plan set you already have, rather than requiring a special drawing format or a re-drafted set just for takeoff purposes — check the app for the current list of supported file types before you upload a new job.
Once the elements are identified and measured, the resulting quantities are organised into a structured, itemised list — the same structure that underpins a proper Bill of Quantities — ready for you to review, adjust and carry straight through into a priced estimate.
What quantity takeoff measures
A complete takeoff captures every measurable item on the plans, not just the largest or most obvious ones. My Trade Hub’s takeoff is built to handle the mix of measurement types that make up most trade and residential construction jobs, matching each item to the unit an estimator would use to price it.
Getting the unit right matters as much as getting the number right — a rate priced per square metre applied against a lineal-metre quantity, for instance, quietly distorts the whole line. Automating the measurement step removes that class of error, because each item is measured and unitised consistently every time.
- Areas — slabs, brickwork, roofing, wall and floor linings, paving and paths.
- Volumes — concrete, excavation and fill.
- Linear measures — framing, guttering and downpipes, pipework, fencing and skirting.
- Counts — doors, windows, fixtures, fittings and other discrete items.
From plans to measured quantities — the workflow
Turning a set of plans into measured quantities with My Trade Hub follows a simple sequence: upload your plans, let the takeoff run, then review the measured quantities before they become part of a priced estimate.
Because the takeoff produces a structured, itemised list rather than a single total, you can see exactly how each measured quantity was built up — which sheet it came from, what element it represents, and what unit it is measured in — rather than trusting an opaque final number.
That measured output becomes the base for everything downstream: apply your rates from your rates library to build a priced estimate, assemble the items into a Bill of Quantities, and carry the same quantities through into the tender or quote you send to a client.
Accuracy, review and staying in control
Automated takeoff removes the slow, repetitive part of measuring — it does not remove your judgement. Every quantity My Trade Hub produces stays fully editable, so you can adjust a measurement, add an item the plans do not clearly show, or remove one that does not apply to this particular job before it goes anywhere near a client.
This matters because plans vary in quality and clarity. A drawing that is unclear, incomplete or based on an outdated issue will only ever produce a takeoff that is as good as the drawing behind it, so checking you are working from the current plan set is the first thing to confirm before you rely on the numbers.
Treat an automated takeoff the same way you would treat a colleague’s measured quantities — as a first pass to check against the plans for anything unusual or hard to read, not as the final word on the job.
Who uses automated quantity takeoff
Automated takeoff is built for anyone who currently spends hours scaling drawings by hand to price a job — estimators inside construction companies, owner-builders and tradies pricing their own work, and admins or managers coordinating multiple tenders across a business.
It particularly suits residential and light commercial work, where the bulk of the price sits in measurable trade and elemental quantities — concrete, framing, linings, roofing and fixtures — rather than the highly specialised measurement rules applied on very large civil or commercial projects.
Manual takeoff vs automated takeoff
The difference between manual and automated takeoff comes down to who does the measuring, not what gets measured. Both approaches aim to produce the same itemised, unitised set of quantities — automating the process simply removes the slow, repetitive scaling work and leaves the review and pricing decisions in your hands.
| Task | Manual takeoff | With My Trade Hub |
|---|---|---|
| Measuring a slab footprint | Scale the drawing by hand with a scale rule or CAD overlay | The engine detects and measures the area directly from the plan |
| Counting doors and windows | Manually count and tally across every drawing sheet | Elements are detected and counted automatically |
| Measuring framing runs | Trace and add up lineal metres sheet by sheet | Linear elements are measured and totalled automatically |
| Checking the numbers | Full manual re-measurement is the only real check | You review and adjust the measured quantities before pricing |
Common questions and things to check before you rely on it
Automated takeoff still needs the same professional oversight as a manual measure. A handful of checks keep the output reliable:
- Confirm you are working from the current, issued set of plans — an outdated drawing produces an outdated takeoff.
- Review measured quantities against the plans for anything unusual, non-standard, or hard to read on the drawing.
- Add anything the plans do not show clearly — site-specific items, staging, or scope described only in a specification note.
- Check the unit against each quantity, particularly on line items you have not measured this way before.
How My Trade Hub helps with your takeoff
My Trade Hub’s estimation engine performs the measured takeoff directly from your construction plans, turning a blank job into a structured, itemised set of quantities without you scaling a single drawing by hand.
Because the measuring step is automated and consistent, it is designed to produce a checkable takeoff 60-75% faster than manual measuring, freeing up the time you would otherwise spend with a scale rule for the pricing and judgement calls that actually win the job. Every quantity stays fully editable, and estimating runs on tiered plans with no lock-in contract.
Frequently asked questions
what is quantity takeoff in construction?
Quantity takeoff is the process of measuring every material and item of work from a set of construction plans — areas, volumes, lengths and counts — so the job can be priced. It is the first step underneath every estimate and Bill of Quantities.
how does automated quantity takeoff work?
You upload your construction plans, and the engine analyses each sheet to identify building elements and measure them in their correct unit — area, volume, length or count. The measured quantities are organised into a structured list you can review before pricing.
is automated takeoff accurate?
My Trade Hub’s takeoff is designed to measure consistently from the plans you upload, and every quantity stays fully editable so you can check and adjust it before pricing. Accuracy ultimately depends on the quality of the plans and on your review, the same as a manual takeoff.
how much faster is automated takeoff than manual measuring?
It is designed to produce measured quantities 60-75% faster than manual takeoff, by removing the slow, repetitive work of scaling drawings by hand. Actual time saved depends on the size and complexity of the job.
what file types can I upload for quantity takeoff?
My Trade Hub works from standard construction plan formats — check the app for the current list of supported file types before uploading a new job.
does automated takeoff replace an estimator?
No. It automates the slow, repetitive measuring step so an estimator can price more jobs, faster. You still review the measured quantities, apply your rates and make the judgement calls that go into a final tender.
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