Reading plans for takeoff
A takeoff is just reading the plans with a purpose — hunting for quantities. Everything you learned about scale, symbols and schedules is now a measuring tool.
In this series
Reading with a purpose
This is where Course 1 pays off. A takeoff is reading a plan set while hunting for quantities. Scale, dimensions, symbols and schedules stop being things to understand and start being things to measure with.
Four parts of the set do most of the work:
Schedules are free counts. The door and window schedules already list every unit. Counting them is half your takeoff, done for you.
Dimensions are lengths and areas. Wall lengths give you framing and drywall. Room dimensions give you flooring and paint areas.
Symbols are fixture counts. Every outlet, light and plumbing fixture symbol is one more line on your takeoff.
Notes and specs are quality. The specs tell you which material, and price follows quality. Read them before you price anything.
Before you start counting
Read the general notes and the legend first. They tell you what's included in the drawings, what's by others, and what the architect expects you to assume. Every minute there saves you an hour of recounting later, and it's where the scope exclusions you'll write into Building the winning proposal usually come from.
