AI Estimating Software, Starting at the Takeoff
ContractorCounter brings AI to the part of construction estimating that eats the most time: the takeoff. The assistant counts, measures, and sets the drawing scale from a plain-English chat, then quantities flow into a bill of quantities and a priced quote, with you reviewing each step.
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Verdict
Choose ContractorCounter if the slowest part of your estimate is the takeoff itself — the assistant counts, measures, and sets scale on the drawing, you approve each result, and the quantities land in a live Bill of Quantities from US$14/month. Choose a full cost-database estimating suite instead if you need assembly libraries and pre-loaded labour rates; this is takeoff-first and the pricing layer stays yours.
01
AI where estimating actually slows down
Most estimating time goes into measuring and counting the drawing. The assistant does that first pass (counts and calibrated measurements), so you spend your time checking and pricing, not clicking.
02
From AI takeoff to a priced quote
AI-placed quantities roll into the same bill of quantities and takeoff-to-quote workflow as manual ones, so the estimate — and the bid you send from it — is built on numbers you reviewed, not a black box. For what the AI does and does not decide, AI construction estimating software explained goes through it in detail.
03
AI estimating for every trade on the drawing
The first-pass takeoff works whatever you estimate — electrical, plumbing, HVAC, drywall, concrete, masonry, roofing, and earthwork. Ask the assistant for the counts and measurements on that trade's symbols and runs, review them, and the quantities flow into the same bill of quantities and quote.
04
Ask in plain English, get markups on the drawing
Say "count every power outlet" or "measure the wall lengths on level 2" and the assistant places the counts and calibrated measurements directly on the sheet. No tool-by-tool clicking to start.
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Built on real scale calibration
Accurate quantities need an accurate scale. The assistant detects and sets the drawing scale (using a higher-accuracy model for this step), so areas and lengths are measured against the right reference.
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Bluebeam AI takeoff: what the comparison actually is
Bluebeam brought AI to Revu in 2026, and it only exists on one plan — Bluebeam Max, US$590 per user per year against Complete's US$440. What Max adds is AI drawing review, AI comparison, multi-view stitching, and an integration over the Model Context Protocol that lets Claude read the drawing you have open. It is capable, and the requirements are worth pricing before you commit: the top plan, Revu 21.9 or later, a setup Bluebeam documents for Windows with the Claude desktop app, and your own paid Claude subscription — Bluebeam states it cannot control or budget the token usage on top. The other difference is where the AI stops. Revu's AI reviews and compares the drawing; the quantities still leave for separate estimating software to price. Here the assistant's counts and measurements land in a live Bill of Quantities and carry through to a priced quote, in the browser, on any operating system, included in the plan. The full plan-by-plan breakdown is on the Bluebeam alternative page.
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Honest about scope
ContractorCounter is takeoff-first: it is strongest at marking up, measuring, counting, and turning that into a quote. It is not a full cost-database estimating suite, and it is AI-assisted, so you stay in control of every number. Weighing the wider category, choosing construction estimating software for your trade sets out what each type of package is good at.
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What the AI allowance actually includes
Pro and Team plans include 1,000 agent credits per rolling week (capped at 400 a day so one session can't drain the week). A typical assistant turn costs 3–4 credits, which works out to roughly 250–330 AI requests a week — enough for daily takeoff work without metering anxiety. Heavier weeks can add one-time top-up packs from US$5 for 400 credits (no subscription change), and scale detection always runs on the higher-accuracy model regardless of settings, because a wrong scale would corrupt every quantity.
Sources and review method
Checked against published legal sources
Bluebeam's plan prices and the Max feature list were read from Bluebeam's own pricing and product pages on the date shown. The Bluebeam Max AI requirements — the plan tier, Revu version, operating system, and the separate Claude subscription — were read from Bluebeam's own support documentation for the integration, linked below. Our own prices come from our pricing page.
- Reviewed
- Review owner
- ContractorCounter editorial team
Max is priced as an introductory rate that Bluebeam says holds through the 2027 renewal; standard list pricing after that has not been published, so the long-run cost of the AI tier is not yet knowable. Vendor pricing and requirements change without notice, and regional pricing differs. Open the linked pages before deciding on price alone.
Published sources
- Bluebeam pricingBasics US$260, Core US$330, Complete US$440, and Max US$590 per user per year, billed annually; Max is marked as an introductory price.
- Bluebeam MaxMax is a premium plan that includes everything in Complete plus AI integration via MCP, AI drawing reviews, AI drawing comparisons, AI multi-view stitching, Magic Markups, and Connected Studio Sessions with Revit.
- Bluebeam support: set up Revu and ClaudeThe Revu-to-Claude MCP integration is available only with a Bluebeam Max plan, requires Revu 21.9 or later and the Claude desktop app with a Claude subscription, is documented for Windows, and Bluebeam states it cannot control or provide budget information for Claude token usage.
Common questions
Questions about AI estimating
Does the AI write the whole estimate for me?
No. ContractorCounter uses AI to speed up the takeoff (counts, measurements, and scale) and flows those quantities into a bill of quantities and a quote. You review every result and apply your own pricing and judgment. It is an assistant for estimators, not an auto-estimator, and it is takeoff-first rather than a full cost-database suite.
Can I use this as AI bidding software?
Yes, in the sense that matters: the bid is the priced quote at the end of the chain. The assistant takes the first pass at the takeoff, the quantities land in a [bill of quantities](/quantity-takeoff-software), and rates price it — yours, or AI-suggested with reasoning you can check. What ContractorCounter does not do is auto-submit bids or manage tender pipelines; it builds the estimate behind the bid, with you reviewing every number before it goes out.
Does Bluebeam do AI takeoff?
Bluebeam's AI arrives with the Bluebeam Max plan (US$590 per user per year, 2026 list pricing) and is aimed at drawing review rather than takeoff specifically: AI drawing reviews, AI drawing comparisons, AI multi-view stitching, and an MCP integration that connects Revu to Claude so you can ask questions about the open drawing. Revu's measurement and quantity tools themselves are the same ones it has had for years. Two things to weigh: reaching any of it means the top plan plus Revu 21.9 or later, a Windows setup per Bluebeam's own documentation, and a separate paid Claude subscription whose token cost Bluebeam says it cannot budget for you — and the quantities still hand off to separate estimating software to be priced. In ContractorCounter the assistant does the takeoff pass itself (counts, measurements, scale) and those quantities flow straight into a bill of quantities and a quote.
What is Bluebeam Max AI, and do I need it to get AI on my drawings?
Bluebeam Max is Bluebeam's premium 2026 tier, and its AI is the reason to buy it — there is no add-on that brings AI to Basics, Core, or Complete, so the plan upgrade is the only route. You do not need it to get AI on your drawings, though. The AI assistant here is part of Pro at US$14/month, runs in any browser on Windows, macOS, or iPad, needs nothing installed and no second subscription, and its counts and measurements feed the bill of quantities directly. The honest caveat in the other direction: if you need Revu's depth or the Revit-connected Studio Sessions that Max also includes, that is a real reason to pay for Max and stay.
How much AI usage is included?
Pro and Team include 1,000 agent credits per rolling 7-day window, throttled to 400 per day and 200 per 5-hour session so the weekly allowance spreads across real working days. A typical assistant request costs 3–4 credits (roughly 250–330 requests a week). If you run out mid-bid, one-time top-up packs are US$5 for 400 credits, US$10 for 1,000, or US$20 for 2,400 — no plan change required.