1. Building Economy ARE 431
Dr. Mohammad A. Hassanain 1
Quantity Takeoff
2
Organization.
Labor, Material, and Equipment.
Measuring Quantities.
Today’s Lecture

2. Building Economy ARE 431
Dr. Mohammad A. Hassanain 2
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Quantity Takeoff - Organization
Preparing an estimate, particularly on a large project,
is a complex organizational task.
Many people will be involved, as well as a variety of
documents.
Information will be coming from a number of different
sources and will have to be catalogued in a variety of
ways.
Putting together a competitive price while minimizing
the number of company hours is a challenge task for
the estimating team.
The key to accomplishing this goal is a good
organizational structure.
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Quantity Takeoff - Organization
The foundation of any detailed estimate is the contract
documents.
It is important to maintain an adequate number of sets
so that interested subcontractors and material
suppliers can review the project.
It is important for the estimator to understand the
project; what it will look like, how it will be constructed,
how the trades will move through the project, and what
the work environment will be.
The drawings will provide a good understanding of the
magnitude and scale of the project, while a site
analysis will provide a good overview of the work
environment.

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Dr. Mohammad A. Hassanain 3
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Quantity Takeoff - Organization
Estimators study the drawings to visualize how the
project will be constructed.
They look at materials used, the amount of repetition in
the project, structural systems used, and mechanical
and electrical systems required.
Analysis of the site is equally important.
Information about conditions around the construction
area will not generally be shown on the drawings.
Gathering of this information will require visits to the
site.
Figure 6-1, is a site analysis form. It provides a
checklist of the kinds of issues that should be
understood about the site before beginning an
estimate.
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Quantity Takeoff – Labor, Material, and Equipment
Once the estimating tasks are identified, categorized,
and organized, the team begins the quantity takeoff,
which is the foundation of the estimate.
The purpose of a quantity takeoff is to accurately
determine the quantity of work that needs to be
performed on the project.
Every work item needs to be measured and quantified
using the same units as the pricing guides.
Most prices are separated into units of labor, material,
and equipment.
The quantities of work should be broken out in these
same categories.

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Dr. Mohammad A. Hassanain 4
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Quantity Takeoff – Labor, Material, and Equipment
Figure 6-3 highlights a standard entry from the R.S.
Means Building Cost Data Book, which illustrates the
typical organization of cost data.
This cost data book is organized in accordance with
the Construction Specification Institute’s 16 Divisions,
which are typical for building construction projects.
The CSI format uses three sets of numbers to classify
items. See Figure 6-4.
This system of numbering is typical of how most
companies involved in the building industry keep their
estimating data bases.
The crew column in Figure 6-3 indicates the
configuration of people and equipment that is typically
assigned to accomplish this task.
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Quantity Takeoff – Labor, Material, and Equipment
Crew sizes are important when using the next column,
“daily output”.
Daily output indicate how many units (for example sq.
ft. of drywall) can be accomplished by the crew (two
carpenters) in a day.
The manhour column indicates how long, in hours, it
will take one carpenter to install 1 sq.ft. of drywall.
The key to accomplishing a quantity takeoff correctly is
recognizing what units are used to record the cost data
for a particular work item.
For line no. 092-608-0150
The material cost for the drywall is $0.15/S.F.
The labor cost for the installation is $0.19/S.F.
There is no equipment cost.

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Dr. Mohammad A. Hassanain 5
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Quantity Takeoff – Labor, Material, and Equipment
The next four columns indicate the price in dollars per
unit for material, labor, equipment and total.
The final column is the total column that includes
worker fringe benefits, workers’ compensation
insurance, and installing contractor’s overhead and
profit.
What is important to remember is that the estimate is
priced using the categories of material, labor and
equipment, and to be accomplished correctly the
quantities must be calculated using the same units as
the unit prices.
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Quantity Takeoff – Measuring Quantities
The goal of the quantity takeoff process is to calculate
every item of the project – no more and no less.
To effectively accomplish this, the take off must utilize
the correct units.
When quantifying the project, it is also important to
think ahead to the scheduling process, as the two are
interrelated.
The quantities used to price the project also dictate the
amount of work required, which will affect duration.
The use of preprinted forms is a common tool used to
help coordinate the take-off process, especially if more
than one person is involved.

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Dr. Mohammad A. Hassanain 6
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Quantity Takeoff – Measuring Quantities
Also if the project being estimated is similar to a past
project, these forms can be set up with all the estimate
items identified, thereby serving as a checklist for the
estimator.
See Figure 6-8.
When measuring dimensions, ensure that the correct
scale is being used.
Be careful that the drawings have not been reduced, or
that the area being worked in is not of a different scale.
Whenever possible, take advantage of repeated
project elements such as multiple floors, elevations, or
interior partitions. See Figure 6-9.
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Quantity Takeoff – Measuring Quantities
It is a good idea when working through a drawing to
mark the drawing using pencil to note what has and
has not been included.
On the preprinted forms make notes, sketches, or
whatever is necessary to make the checking process
easier.
When performing calculations, avoid rounding off until
the final quantity summary.
Work on the front page only, as work on the back of
pages can easily be forgotten.
Be consistent with the dimensions; for example,
specify length x width x height in that order, and
maintain that order.

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Quantity Takeoff – Measuring Quantities
The quantities calculated must be adjusted for waste.
In every construction project more material must be
purchased than is actually needed per the drawings.
As an example, when ordering concrete, some of the
concrete may be spilled when transported from the
truck by bucket or wheelbarrow.
Waste occurs in tilework, wallpaper, and paint.
The only material exceptions are custom building
elements such as windows, precast panels, structural
steel, or compressors.
The uniqueness of the project, transportation, or
sometimes misplacement and vandalism causes
waste. See Figure 6-10.
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Quantity Takeoff – Measuring Quantities
The quantity takeoff process requires a strong
understanding of the work involved in each of the
different disciplines of a project.
For example, when taking off structural steel work, the
estimator visualizes the work and quantifies all the
elements of the activity.
The number of structural steel pieces are counted
by type of steel, with paint requirements, fabrication
requirements, and testing and installation
requirements figured into each type.
The same level of detail needs to be considered in
each of the work areas of the project.
The best approach is to build the project item by item
on the takeoff form, then quantify each item.

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Dr. Mohammad A. Hassanain 8
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Quantity Takeoff – Measuring Quantities
In summary, the quantity takeoff process requires
organized approach to every drawings and building
element to ensure that not a single work item is
missed.
The estimator works drawings by drawings, with
corresponding specification pages, floor by floor, from
plans to elevations to sections to details, marking the
drawings while proceeding.
Care should be taken to cover each item, or a costly
mistake can occur.