What a takeoff contains
- Each item in your scope of work.
- A quantity for each item: a count, a length, an area or a volume.
- The size, type or model the specification requires.
- Notes on what is excluded and what is assumed.
Who does takeoffs
General contractors do takeoffs for a whole building. Subcontractors and suppliers do them for one trade. A specialty contractor usually bids one specification section, so the takeoff covers only that section.
Where a takeoff fits in a bid
- The contractor gets the bid packet: plans, specifications and addenda.
- The estimator does the takeoff.
- The estimator prices the takeoff. That is the estimate.
- The contractor sends a bid or a proposal.
Why takeoffs go wrong
Counting errors are rare. Most errors are scope errors: an item the spec required that no one saw, an item on the drawings that another trade should carry, or an addendum that changed the count after the takeoff was done.
Guides · Updated 11 Nov 2026