Earthwork takeoff
ContractorCounter is browser-based earthwork takeoff software: upload PDF or image plans, calibrate the scale once, and take off the earthwork quantities directly on the sheet into a live Bill of Quantities that flows through to a priced quote.
Loading workspace preview…
Take off areas of disturbance, trench runs, and height-driven cut and fill volumes in cubic yards or cubic metres. Drive the volume from the calibrated area and a depth, so excavation, backfill, and trenching quantities come off site and grading plans without a spreadsheet.
Every measurement feeds the Bill of Quantities, and editing the geometry on the drawing updates the quantity — no re-keying into a spreadsheet. Each line traces back to the geometry on the sheet, so the earthwork takeoff is auditable.
Measure the disturbed area on the calibrated plan, drive cut and fill volume from a depth, and keep trench runs as linear quantities. Adjust the depth once and the cubic-yard quantity follows, so a grading revision does not mean re-measuring the whole pad.
No Windows-only install and no virtual machine for Mac users. Take off in the office or on the iPad on site — a browser-based alternative to desktop tools like Bluebeam and PlanSwift. Part of the wider construction takeoff software workspace.
A practical comparison for contractors choosing a markup and drawing review workflow.
| Category | ContractorCounter | Bluebeam, PlanSwift & desktop takeoff tools |
|---|---|---|
| Platform | Any browser: Windows, Mac, iPad | Windows desktop install (VM for Mac) |
| Takeoff to quote | Live BOQ to multi-version quotes | Usually a separate estimating step |
| AI assistance | AI counts, markups & scale (you review) | Usually manual |
| Free option | 14-day free trial, no credit card | Trial only |
| Pricing | Free 14-day trial, then US$14/month (from US$5/week) or US$249 one-time lifetime | License + maintenance per seat |
Common questions
Earthwork takeoff software measures excavation and grading quantities from drawings: area of disturbance, trench linear runs, and height-driven cut and fill volumes. ContractorCounter computes volume from the calibrated area and a depth and pushes it into a live Bill of Quantities.
ContractorCounter is free to try: every new account starts a 14-day free trial with calibrated measurement, counts, and a Bill of Quantities — no credit card — so you can take off a real earthwork job before spending anything. You only pay if you subscribe.
Yes. ContractorCounter is browser-based, so it runs natively on macOS and iPad as well as Windows — no virtual machine and no per-platform license, unlike most Windows-only desktop takeoff tools.
Yes. Measurements and counts pulled from the drawing feed a live Bill of Quantities, and those quantities flow into multi-version quotes, so the takeoff and the price stay connected.
Yes. Upload PDF or image drawings, calibrate the scale once, and run the takeoff in a browser workspace, no desktop install.
Yes. Every account starts with a 14-day free trial — no credit card — with full access to clean exports, the bill of quantities, and the AI assistant. You only pay if you subscribe.
Open a plan set, mark it up, and take quantities off the sheet — in your browser, on any device, with nothing to install.
Start free trial14-day free trial · No credit card required