How to do a site utilities takeoff

Read the spec first

Start with Division 33 Utilities. Read the sections for water, sanitary sewer and storm drainage. Note the pipe materials, the bedding, the backfill and the testing. Read the trenching section in Division 31. Read the soils report for groundwater and rock. Check the standards of the local utility. They can override the spec.

Sheets and schedules that carry the count

• The utility plan. It shows each line with its size and material.
• The profiles. They give pipe depth, slope and crossings.
• The structure table. It lists each manhole and inlet with rim and invert elevations.
• The grading plan, for finished grades over each line.
• The civil details: trench sections, structures, thrust blocks and connections.
• The plumbing site plan, for the point where building pipe ends.

Steps in order

1. List each utility system and its pipe material from the spec.
2. Measure each pipe run by size and material.
3. Find the depth of each run from the profiles or the structure table.
4. Group the pipe by depth range. Depth drives the trench cost.
5. Count manholes, inlets, cleanouts and headwalls by type and depth.
6. Count valves, hydrants, fittings, meters and backflow preventers.
7. Work out trench excavation, bedding and backfill by volume.
8. Measure pavement removal and patching. Count the connections to existing lines.

Count, length, area or volume

• Count: structures, valves, hydrants, fittings, cleanouts and connections.
• Length: pipe by size, material and depth, plus tracer wire and casing.
• Area: pavement removal, patching and surface restoration.
• Volume: trench excavation, bedding, backfill and export of spoil.

Conflicts to find, and what to exclude

• The structure table and the plan show different inverts or structure types.
• The civil pipe and the plumbing pipe end at different points near the building.
• The spec names one pipe material. The plan labels another.
• A profile shows a crossing with too little clearance.
• The utility company does part of the work, and no sheet says which part.

State where your work stops at the building. Qualify rock, dewatering, unsuitable backfill and unknown existing utilities. Exclude tap fees, meter fees and impact fees unless the bid documents assign them to you. Exclude gas, power and communication lines unless they are in your sections.

Trade takeoffs · Updated 11 Nov 2026