The Buildxact takeoff tool offers multiple functionalities designed to make your takeoffs easier and more accurate.
Key features of the takeoff tool include:
Plan upload: Easily drag and drop your plans into the tool for quick access. The tool supports PDF files up to 20 pages and integrates directly with your estimate costings for seamless quantity updates.
Multiple drawing tools: polygon for irregular shapes, rectangle/square for regular shapes, circle for circular areas, and line tool for measuring walls.
Scale options - choose from auto-scale (using the AI-powered Blu Takeoff Assistant) or manual scale. Apply to a single page or throughout.
Auto-Measure: Use the AI-powered Blu Takeoff Assistant to automatically measure your plans.
Angle/pitch calculator - enter roof pitch (rise/run or degrees) before drawing roofing materials.
Integrated Workflow: Access the takeoff tool from both the Plans & Takeoffs tab and directly from the estimate costing line-up.
Create multiple categories within a single takeoff by using the Add category button. This helps you organize your takeoffs into specific segments.
All your changes are saved in real-time, allowing flexibility to continue work at any point.
Getting started
In order to complete a takeoff in Buildxact, you must first upload plans.
Drag and drop your plans into the tool to upload them. Once uploaded, you can start measuring right away. For details, see:
Creating a takeoff from Estimate Costings
Creating a new takeoff measurement
Click on your estimate costings tab within your estimate.
Select the line item you want to do a takeoff for.
Click Edit.
4. Click on the takeoff tool symbol in the estimate costing line item.
5. If there is no Unit of Measurement (UOM) included in your line item, you will see the following screen. Click on the Unit of measure drop down menu and select your UOM.
6. Click OK.
7. Using one of the drawing tools (the polygon tool is highlighted below), you can begin measuring the area you want to create the takeoff for.
8. The banner across the top of the screen in the takeoff tool will indicate the estimate costing line item that the measurement will be applied to.
9. Click on the Apply selected button to apply the measurement to your estimate costings line item.
10. The takeoff measurement will appear in the measurements panel.
For more details on how to use the different features included in the takeoff toolbar, see the Understanding the takeoff toolbar section below.
Adding an existing takeoff measurement to your estimate costings
Open the takeoff tool by clicking on the takeoff tool symbol in your chosen line item from your estimate costings (shown in Step 4, above).
In the following screen, select 'Skip.'
You will then be able to view any previously created measurements in the measurement panel.
View or hide the measurements panel by clicking on the drop-down arrow next to Measurements.
Search for an existing measurement from your estimate costings using the Search bar.
Click on the measurement description that you want to apply.
Click Apply selected.
Creating a takeoff from Plans & Takeoffs
Navigate to your estimate and click on the Plans & Takeoffs tab.
Click on Launch takeoffs.
Use the Add measurement button to start a new measurement directly within the takeoff.
Alternatively, click the Add category button (located to the right) to create a new category. Once added, include measurements under this category. Note: Buildxact does not have a final “complete” or “finish run” option. You can continue adding measurements or categories at any time, ensuring a flexible and uninterrupted estimation process.
3. Click on the green '+' button to begin drawing a new measurement.
4. Click on an existing measurement to edit.
Creating a takeoff using the Blu Takeoff Assistant
To use the AI-powered Blu Takeoff Assistant to create a takeoff, see:
Please note: Foundation subscription users and Pro users who have not enabled the Blu: Takeoff Assistant will not have access to the AI-powered Blu: Takeoff Assistant tool.
To enable the Blu: Takeoff Assistant in your Pro subscription account, see:
Understanding the takeoff toolbars
Point edit - allows you to manually change any of the shapes on your plans without needing to start over. This tool is particularly useful when using the Blu: Takeoff Assistant, as it lets you easily refine details after Blu has auto-measured rooms and drawn polygons for you.
Polygon - designed for measuring irregular shapes or sloping rooflines and floors. It's particularly useful when you need to draw around areas that aren't regular rectangles or squares. To use the polygon tool, you create measurements by clicking points to form a shape, and you must always finish the drawing on the green dot where you started.
Rectangle or square - designed for measuring regular shapes.
Circle – designed for measuring circular shapes.
Line - used for measuring walls in takeoffs. When using the line tool, you need to enter the height of the material you're applying to the walls, such as plasterboard or gyprock. When the line tool is selected for square footage (SF) measurements, a Height field becomes available where you can directly enter wall height. The line tool is specifically designed for linear measurements along wall surfaces, making it ideal for materials that are applied vertically to walls.
Continuous line: click once to begin a line drawing and again to anchor a point on the screen. Continue clicking until you're happy with the area you're looking to measure. Double click to end the line measurement.Deduction - for deducting areas you don't want included in measurement. E.g. doors and windows.
Color - allows you to use different colors on the plans to highlight different measurements.
Line thickness - adjust the thickness of your measured lines. This is useful on large plans where lines can be hard to define.
Angle/Pitch - enter the roof pitch here before you start drawing your roofing material. You can enter the rise and run or the degree.
Blu Takeoff Assistant - our AI-powered tool designed to help you complete takeoffs in a fraction of the time. It does the heavy lifting by auto-scaling plans, auto-measuring rooms, and even naming pages based on project areas.
When you have finished drawing a shape on the plan, the measurement for that selected shape will display here.
Zoom in.
Zoom out.
Shrink to fit the plan on the viewing page.
Rotate your plan to the right.
Rotate you plan to the left.
Show or hide the labels applied to shapes on the plan.