What a general contractor needs
- The whole building, across all divisions.
- Quantities good enough to budget and to check subcontractor bids.
- Speed across a large sheet set.
- Areas, lengths and counts sorted by trade.
- A link from the quantities to the estimate and the cost codes.
What a subcontractor needs
- Every item in one trade, with an exact count.
- The model, size and finish from the spec section.
- What is excluded: by others, owner furnished, not in contract.
- The conflicts between the section and the drawings.
- An export that fits how the company prices and orders.
Breadth versus depth
Take doors as an example. A general contractor counts openings from the floor plans. A door hardware supplier reads the door schedule, the hardware sets and Section 08 71 00 line by line. Both do a takeoff of the same doors. The depth is very different.
Why the risk is different
A general contractor uses its own quantities mostly as a check. The subcontractor bids carry the detail. A subcontractor has no one below it to catch a miss. If the spec requires an item and the subcontractor did not see it, the subcontractor usually pays for it.
What to look for
- General contractors: coverage of all trades, speed, and a link to the estimate.
- Subcontractors: spec reading, sources for each line, and handling of exclusions.
- Both: a test on a job you already bid.
Takeoff Tool is built for the subcontractor side. It reads a bid packet for one trade. The live trade today is gym and athletic equipment. Other trades are opening with founding contractors.
AI and takeoff software · Updated 11 Nov 2026