The cover sheet lists every sheet in the set. Read it first. Mark the sheets for your own discipline. Then mark the sheets from other disciplines that can show your work. An equipment contractor needs the architectural plans, the structural framing and the electrical power plans.
Learn the types of view
- Plan. A view from above. It shows where things are.
- Elevation. A flat view of a wall or a face. It shows heights.
- Section. A cut through the building. It shows what is inside a wall, floor or roof.
- Detail. A large-scale view of one condition.
- Schedule. A table that ties tags to products and sizes.
- Legend and general notes. The key to symbols, wall types and abbreviations.
Follow the callouts
A plan does not tell the whole story. It points to other sheets. A circle with a number over a sheet number is a detail or section mark. A tag such as a door number or a wall type points to a schedule or a wall type legend. Follow each one that touches your work.
A reading order that works
- Read your spec section and list what you supply.
- Read the general notes and legends on your sheets.
- Find each item on the plans and note the sheet number.
- Open the elevations, sections and details the plans point to.
- Read the schedules for sizes, types and counts.
- Check the other disciplines for power, supports and conflicts.
- Apply the addenda and list your open questions.
Check the scale
Each view states its scale. A PDF printed or viewed at the wrong size will measure wrong. Estimators often measure with On-Screen Takeoff or Bluebeam. Set the scale on each sheet and check it against a known dimension. Use written dimensions when they are given.
Where your scope hides
Look for notes that assign work: by others, not in contract, owner furnished. Look in keynotes, which are numbered notes listed at the side of the sheet. Look at enlarged plans and interior elevations. They often show items the small-scale plan leaves out.
Takeoff Tool lists what your spec section requires, finds those items on the plan sheets and counts them. It does not measure by tracing.
Bid documents · Updated 11 Nov 2026