While understanding the process of construction takeoff, one should have a good deal of knowledge of how construction works. First of all, the contractor shares the project plans along with the scope of work with the estimator. The estimator goes through the plans and specifications and prepare an initial grasp on the type of the project. Secondly, starting with architectural drawings, he start working on the takeoff according to the trades. Let’s assume that the estimator needs to do a full scope takeoff of the project. He will start with demolition, goes to structural, then architectural and finalize it with civil plans.

After marking the quantities on construction drawings, the estimator prepares an excel spreadsheet with all the quantities mentioned and broken down according to CSI divisions.