14 September 2026
What's new in ContractorCounter: September 2026
Faster drawing work, more reliable AI takeoffs, cleaner exports, and new workspace actions are now available in ContractorCounter.
Blog
Construction markup and estimating guides
Practical articles for contractors working through drawing review, measurement, takeoff, and quote preparation.
10 September 2026
Bamboo Building Construction: Material Estimating and Takeoff Guide
Learn how to estimate bamboo building construction projects, from structural grading and joint counting to managing unique material takeoffs.
7 September 2026
Construction Takeoff Software: How to Choose a Browser Tool
Discover how browser-based construction takeoff software simplifies drawing measurements and exports without complex desktop installations.
3 September 2026
How Accurate is AI Takeoff Software? The Realist Guide
Wondering how accurate AI takeoff software really is? Learn the truth about AI limitations, the necessity of human reviews, and how to verify your results.
31 August 2026
Construction Estimating for Beginners: A Step by Step Guide
Learn the fundamentals of construction estimating, from reading drawings to building a bill of quantities, with this beginner-friendly guide.
24 August 2026
Estimating Software: How to Build Your First Bill of Quantities
Learn how to use digital estimating software to transition from drawing markups to a complete, accurate Bill of Quantities for your construction bids.
20 August 2026
Estimating Programs: How to Choose the Right Software for Fast Quotes
Discover how modern estimating programs streamline your bidding process with digital takeoffs, smart markups, and instant bill of quantities exports.
18 August 2026
Choosing the Right Construction Estimating Software for Your Trade
Learn how to select the right construction estimating software to build fast bids, organize materials, and win more profitable jobs.
4 August 2026
Construction Takeoff Checklist for Estimators
Seven-step QC takeoff checklist for estimators: verify plans, calibrate scales, separate quantities, apply waste, document exceptions, and validate the BoQ.
27 July 2026
How to Do Takeoff in Bluebeam Revu
Calibrate, measure, read Markups list totals, then Quantity Link to Excel — which needs Complete or Max. The full Revu workflow and where it stops.
27 July 2026
How to Unflatten Markups in Bluebeam
Document > Unflatten only works if Allow Markup Recovery was ticked at flatten time. What to do when it was not, and how reversible flattening differs.
27 July 2026
How to Export Bluebeam Markups to Excel
Open the Markups list, click Summary and choose CSV — that opens in Excel. The steps, the options to set, and what Revu 20 end of support changes.
17 July 2026
Best Construction Takeoff Software in 2026
Compare the best construction takeoff software for 2026. See which tools win on speed, accuracy, and cloud collaboration—and which one to try first.
9 July 2026
Migrating off Bluebeam Revu 20: the practical checklist
Revu 20 support ended July 31, 2026; Studio access ends December 31. Here's the migration itself: what to do before Studio goes, where every Revu habit lands in a browser-based tool, and what genuinely has no replacement.
7 July 2026
Bluebeam Revu 20 end of support: what actually happens, and your options
Revu 20 passed end of support on July 31, 2026; end of life follows on December 31 — two different dates that even Bluebeam's own pages mix up. What just broke, what still works until December, what your perpetual license is still good for, and the real 3-year cost of each option.
7 July 2026
Construction Drawing Markups, Explained: Types, Conventions, and How to Track Them
What markups on construction drawings mean, the types and colour conventions contractors actually use, and how to track markup changes across a project.
7 July 2026
AI Construction Estimating Software: What It Actually Does — and Where It Still Needs You
A plain-English look at what AI estimating and takeoff software actually does on real construction drawings — and the parts of the estimate that still need a human.
23 June 2026
How to measure concrete quantities from drawings
A practical workflow for measuring slab, footing, and path concrete quantities from construction drawings before requesting supplier quotes.
23 June 2026
What to check before sending a takeoff for supplier quotes
A short checklist for contractors turning marked-up drawings into supplier quote requests and bill of quantities inputs.
11 June 2026
7 Bluebeam Alternatives for Contractors in 2026 (Browser-Based and Desktop)
An honest 2026 comparison of seven Bluebeam alternatives for contractors — browser-based and desktop — with pricing, platforms, and the cases where keeping Revu is the right call.