What is Construction Takeoff? 

For every construction project, construction takeoffs are a crucial element. Whether you’re a Builder, General Contractor or a Sub Contractor, it’s equally important to have an accurate takeoff that outlines the total material required, quantities for the project, and its associated cost.

If you’re a contractor, you need to know the types and quantities of different materials involved to bid for a project. Likewise, the takeoffs will give you an indication of the labor costs involved in the installation or construction and you can accordingly manage your resources. As a Builder, it is vital to know if the project is feasible or if your budget is enough for it.

If you’re a new contractor and don’t know what is a construction takeoff, stay tuned because in this article I’ve put together a basic guide of what they are and what information they give.

Construction Takeoff

 

Every construction project has three important aspects i.e. scope, cost, and time. All these components are parts of an integral quality. However, the cost is the most critical part of any project. The cost defines the amount that the client is going to spend to obtain the project while it is the money the designer and contractor will be compensated for performing the works.

The quantity take-off, being an important part of the cost estimate, has to be dead accurate as well as comprehensive. It must be based on all the available engineering and design data. As a material or cost engineer, you have to review each set of the design drawings and go through every bit of the scope.

The construction take-offs, depending on the scope of work, can include details like material quantity, material cost, labor, plant, and machinery. Inaccurate construction takeoff may lead to project failure due to incomplete construction or contributed projects to be delayed.

For a better understanding, we can divide construction takeoffs into two groups. One is during the design phase that is used by the builders to make sure the design doesn’t exceed the owner’s budget. While the other one is the construction phase that is normally used by contractors for allocating construction budget, monitor project cost, and form a construction cost control system.

With accurate construction takeoffs, one can manage all the construction elements including workload, material cost, labor cost, plant, and machinery cost. The preliminary cost and material estimate are used to prepare the BOQ (Bill of Quantities) which is a requirement of the contract documents.

The Contractor uses these estimates to identify the needed resources, schedule various project activities, and set forth major miles. The Contractor can also use construction takeoff for preparing invoices for the work done, issuing subcontractor’s payments, and review project progress and product rates.

The construction takeoff process can be simple or very complex depending on the nature of the project and its scope. In some projects, it just includes highlighting various items one by one while in some cases you need to utilize your construction experience to measure and set forth various indirect items and costs.

 

Need Help with a Takeoff?

No matter the scale or scope of your project, developing construction takeoffs takes time and skills. We, being in the industry for over 2 decades, have hands-on experience of handling the most complex of the projects.

So, instead of starting from scratch, you can add us to your team and we’ll give your construction business a definite boost. So, call us now to discuss your next project 404-900-9811. We offer comprehensive material list breakdown Takeoffs for both Residential and Commercial properties.