Estimating: Manual Take-Off

A take-off is the action of counting symbols and measuring lengths that we will later use to determine the bill-of-material. A proper take-off ensures there will be little need to refer to the drawings or specifications to complete the estimate. To accomplish this, you must follow an orderly, methodical routine that is complete and consistent for each and every job.

Manual Take-off

Use colored pencils, pens, or highlighters to identify each item that you have taken off on paper documents. The following table contains a sample of a sequence and color code to use to identify those items taken off. Be sure to note what color you use for each step so you won’t forget, or so someone else can pick up where you left off, if necessary. Be consistent between bids to create a system that allows fast reference later if needed.

When you have finished the take-off, your drawings should be a colored representation of the electrical work that needs to be installed like in the following drawing:

Some people prefer to simply place a check mark on the items they have taken off, as shown in the following drawing:

If you didn’t receive a full set of drawings you can mark up, then you need to make a full-size copy, which can be done at most copy centers. Attempting to estimate a job without color coding the drawings leads to mistakes and errors.

The above content is extracted from?Mike Holt's Electrical Estimating Program.

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Mike Holt is an author, businessman, educator, speaker, publisher and?National Electrical Code? expert. He has written hundreds of electrical training books and articles, founded three successful businesses, and has taught thousands of electrical code seminars across the US and internationally. His company, Mike Holt Enterprises, has been serving the electrical industry for over 40 years, creating and publishing books, DVDs, online training and curriculum support for electrical trainers, students, organizations, and electrical professionals.?

Mike has devoted his career to studying and understanding the?National Electrical Code?and finding the easiest, most direct way to share that knowledge with others. He has taught over 1,000 classes on over 40 different electrical-related subjects to tens of thousands of students. His knowledge of the subject matter, coupled with his dynamic and animated teaching style, has made him sought after from companies like Generac, IAEI, IBEW, ICBO, NECA, and Fortune 500 companies such as IBM, Boeing, Motorola, and AT&T. He is a contributing Editor for?Electrical Construction and Maintenance?Magazine (EC&M) and formerly Construction Editor to?Electrical Design and Installation?Magazine (EDI). His articles have been seen in?CEE News,?Electrical Contractor?(EC)?International Association of Electrical Inspectors?(IAEI News),?The Electrical Distributor?(TED) and?Power Quality?Magazine (PQ).