#AUTODESK QUANTITY TAKEOFF TUTORIAL SOFTWARE#

Since automating the takeoff process required an expensive digitizer tablet costing well over $2,500, the total cost of takeoff and estimating solutions generally exceeded $5,000.

#AUTODESK QUANTITY TAKEOFF TUTORIAL SOFTWARE#

GTCO, and all other digitizer manufacturers, only supplied the digitizer hardware software developers bundled these digitizers with their unique takeoff and estimating software that used the digitizer.

The GTCO company (aka GTCO/CalComp) was the dominant digitizer manufacturer. The digitizer would generate x,y coordinates and the software would then calculate the areas and lengths from these coordinates based on the defined scale. The paper plans would be plopped onto the digitizer tablet and inexact measurements would be calculated by clicking on the paper drawings using the digitizer’s pointing device. Instead of using a scale, contractors would automate the measuring from these paper blueprints by using a large digitizer tablet. In the past, contractors distributed expensive, bulky blueprints to its various subcontractors for bidding. In summary, takeoff is about measuring and calculating quantities estimating is applying prices to these quantities.īefore drawing files, measurements for takeoffs were performed from paper blueprints. Estimating, on the other hand, is applying costs to these quantities. Takeoff is the process where individual items required for a construction project are measured from drawings and then calculations are applied to these measurements to arrive at the desired quantities such as cubic yards of concrete, number of ceramic tiles, pounds or rebar, man-hours of labor, tons of asphalt, etc. Knowing the basic definitions of takeoff and estimating is important. Site excavation, mechanical and electrical sub-contractors have unique takeoff and estimating needs and this paper does not address those trades. The following information, created May, 2020 by Vertigraph, Inc., addresses takeoff and estimating software supplied to general building contractors that prepare lump sum and negotiated bids and sub-contractors in original CSI construction divisions 3 through 10.

Autodesk quantity takeoff tutorial