What a takeoff actually contains
A construction quantity takeoff is a structured inventory of every measurable item shown on the construction documents. For a typical commercial building, a complete takeoff has roughly 800 to 2,500 line items organized by CSI MasterFormat division.
Vortex takeoffs ship as an Excel workbook with:
- One tab per CSI division so quantities are easy to find
- Plan reference column linking each line to a sheet number and detail
- Color-coded plan markup PDF showing exactly what was counted
- Waste factor applied to each material line per CSI standards
- Subtotals by assembly so quantities can be aggregated by trade or by work breakdown
What we measure
Every measurable item on the construction documents. Some examples by CSI division:
Division 02 — Existing Conditions
- Demolition by item (slabs, walls, equipment)
- Hazmat scope (asbestos, lead, contaminated soil)
Division 03 — Concrete
Concrete by mix and element, formwork SFCA, rebar weight, embeds.
Division 04 — Masonry
Brick count, CMU count by size, mortar volume, reinforcement, accessories.
Division 05 — Metals
Structural steel tonnage by member size, joists, decking, miscellaneous metals.
Division 06 — Wood and Plastics
Framing lumber by member size and length, sheathing SF, engineered wood, casework LF.
Division 07 — Thermal and Moisture
Roofing SF by system, insulation SF by R-value, waterproofing LF or SF, sealants LF.
Division 08 — Openings
Doors and frames by mark, hardware sets, windows and storefronts, specialty openings.
Division 09 — Finishes
Drywall SF, taping LF, finish carpentry, painting SF by substrate, flooring SF by type, ceilings SF.
Division 10-14 — Specialties through Conveyors
Specialty items by mark or schedule.
Division 21-23 — Fire Suppression, Plumbing, HVAC
Equipment schedules, piping LF, ductwork LF and weight, fixtures.
Division 26-28 — Electrical, Communications, Safety
Equipment schedules, conductor LF, conduit LF, devices, fixtures, fire alarm.
Division 31-33 — Earthwork through Utilities
Excavation CY, backfill CY, paving SF, utility piping LF.
Software we deliver in
If you have a preferred takeoff format, we deliver in it:
- PlanSwift — most common, with the takeoff project file as deliverable
- Bluebeam Revu — sessions/studio with markups
- On-Screen Takeoff (OST) — for shops on the OST platform
- Square Takeoff — cloud-based collaborative takeoff
- STACK — cloud takeoff with material database
- Trimble Accubid — for electrical/mechanical-specific takeoffs
- Excel workbook — for shops without a dedicated takeoff platform
Why takeoffs go wrong
We see the same takeoff failures across hundreds of estimates we audit for owners:
- Missed plan revisions — taking off from an outdated set of drawings instead of the latest issued for bid
- Detail-vs-plan mismatch — counting from the plan view when the detail shows different dimensions
- Skipped specifications — quantity counts from the drawings but the specification calls out a different material grade with different pricing
- Wrong waste factor — universal +10% applied to every material instead of CSI standards by category
- Symbol confusion — counting electrical receptacles when the symbol is for a junction box
Vortex takeoffs are second-checked by a senior estimator before delivery specifically to catch these common errors.