Quantity Takeoff Software
ContractorCounter is built around the quantity, not just the markup. Every measurement taken on the calibrated drawing becomes a line in a live Bill of Quantities that stays in sync as the takeoff evolves.
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Verdict
Choose ContractorCounter if you need the quantity to stay tied to the drawing: every measurement on the calibrated sheet becomes a BOQ line that updates when the geometry changes and traces back to the spot that produced it, from US$14/month. Look at a cost-database estimating suite instead if you need pre-loaded assemblies and labour rates rather than quantities you price yourself.
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A Bill of Quantities that maintains itself
Move a polygon, stretch a run, split a count group, and the linked BOQ quantity updates live. No export-import loop, no stale spreadsheet.
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Every quantity is auditable
Each BOQ line traces back to visible geometry on the sheet, so a reviewer can see exactly what was measured and where.
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Quantities become prices
The BOQ flows into multi-version quotes with snapshots, closing the gap between the takeoff and the number the client sees.
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What is quantity takeoff?
Quantity takeoff (QTO) is the process of measuring the quantities of work from construction drawings — how many metres of wall, square metres of slab, cubic metres of concrete, how many fixtures — so the work can be priced. It sits between the drawing and the estimate: a material takeoff turns those quantities into an orderable material list, and the estimate attaches rates to them. Traditionally each step lives in a different tool with a spreadsheet carrying numbers in between; here the whole chain runs in one workspace, from takeoff software measurement to a priced, versioned quote.
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What to look for in quantity takeoff software
Judge a QTO tool on four things. Calibration: scale set per sheet from a known dimension, so quantities are computed, not eyeballed. Coverage: linear, area, height-driven volume, perimeter, and grouped counts in the same tool. Liveness: when the geometry changes, does the quantity change with it, or do you re-export? Auditability: can a reviewer trace any BOQ line back to the exact geometry that produced it? The last two are where spreadsheet-bridged setups fail quietly — a number that can't be traced or doesn't update is how estimates drift from drawings.
Common questions
Questions about Quantity takeoff
Does the BOQ update when the takeoff changes?
Yes. Measurement geometry edits propagate to linked Bill of Quantities items live, so the BOQ always reflects the current takeoff.
What is the difference between quantity takeoff and material takeoff?
Quantity takeoff measures the work from the drawings (areas, lengths, volumes, counts); material takeoff converts those quantities into the materials to order (sheets, lengths, cubic metres of concrete). They share the same measurements — which is why ContractorCounter treats the [material takeoff](/material-takeoff-software) as a view of the same live Bill of Quantities rather than a separate exercise.
Is quantity takeoff the same as estimating?
No — takeoff produces quantities, estimating attaches rates and margins to them. The handoff between the two is where numbers usually go stale. Here the BOQ built by the takeoff flows directly into multi-version quotes, so re-measuring a revised drawing updates the quote line built from it.
How do counts appear in the Bill of Quantities?
Count markers group by type on the drawing — outlets, fixtures, doors — and each group is a BOQ line with a live total. Split or merge groups as scope becomes clearer and the BOQ follows; see the [PDF count tool](/pdf-count-tool-construction) for how counting works on the sheet.
Can I run quantity takeoff on a Mac or iPad?
Yes — the workspace is browser-based, so macOS and iPad are first-class alongside Windows. No virtual machine, no install, and the same calibrated drawing opens identically everywhere.
