What this service covers
Board-foot accurate lumber quantities, sheathing, and engineered wood for residential and light commercial framing.
Lumber takeoff is one of the most-requested residential services. We deliver framing lumber organized by member size (2x4, 2x6, 2x8, 2x10, 2x12, 4x, 6x, posts) and by stock length (8’, 10’, 12’, 14’, 16’, 18’, 20’, 22’) so the order matches actual yard stock.
A good takeoff optimizes the cut list — choosing stock lengths that minimize waste at the cut station. We default to 8-10% waste factor for typical framing, higher for complex roof geometry.
How we work
Every lumber takeoff services engagement starts with a free scope review — typically within 4 business hours of receiving your documents. We confirm the deliverable scope, turnaround, and fee before any work starts. Estimates and takeoffs are produced by US-based senior estimators with a minimum of seven years on the discipline in question, then reviewed by a second estimator before delivery.
Deliverables ship in your preferred format — PDF, Excel, your estimating software’s native file, or a custom client template. Bid-day clarifications during your bid submission window are handled in under an hour.
Why outsource this work
Outsourced specialty estimating gives contractors access to senior trade-specific capacity without the fixed cost of a full-time hire. The economics are simple: a senior in-house estimator costs $90K-$150K/year fully loaded; outsourced per-project work is paid as it’s used. For shops with irregular bid volume or specialty trades they bid only occasionally, the math heavily favors outsourcing.