Built for every trade
Builder takeoff and estimating software
Every trade works differently. TrueScale ships with tool sets built for builders and estimators. Markup, measure, estimate and link to Excel in one place.
Draft wording. This page's wording is waiting for approval.
Builders and estimators measure the whole job: floor and roof areas, every wall, the slab, the boundary and every door and window. TrueScale keeps all of it on the plans in one takeoff, so the numbers for every trade package come from the same measured drawings.
What builders and estimators mark up and measure
- Floor and roof areas, traced room by room or roof plane by roof plane.
- External and internal walls as wall runs: give each run its wall height and the wall area comes out with the length.
- The slab as a volume, from its area and depth, and the site boundary as a perimeter.
- Doors and windows as counts, with their own symbols, so openings are easy to check against the schedule.
The builder and estimator tool set
TrueScale comes with a starter builder and estimator tool set in the Tool Chest. Every tool is an example to start from: rename it, change its colour, symbol, spec and rate, or build your own set and share it with your team. Each tool fills in the Markups List (subject, spec and rate), ready to total and price.
| Tool | What it measures |
|---|---|
| Floor area | area |
| External walls | wall run: type the wall height, get the wall area |
| Internal walls | wall run: type the wall height, get the wall area |
| Roof area | area |
| Slab | volume, 100 mm deep to start |
| Site boundary | perimeter |
| Doors | count, with its own symbol |
| Windows | count, with its own symbol |
From drawings to a quote
- The Markups List totals every area, wall, volume and count, grouped by subject, page or layer.
- Price the totals in the Estimate panel with your own assemblies, or link them to your own Excel estimate.
- Send marked up plans to each trade with the quantities you priced, so everyone quotes the same scope.
A typical builder and estimator takeoff
- Open the drawing set and set the scale on every page, then check it against a second dimension.
- Trace the floor areas and roof areas, one subject per finish or roof type.
- Draw the external and internal walls as wall runs and type the wall height on each, so wall areas come out with the lengths.
- Measure the slab as a volume and the site boundary as a perimeter.
- Count the doors and windows and check the totals against the schedule.
- Open the Markups List, group by subject, and price the job or send the quantities to each trade.
How builders and estimators price it
Most builders price from rates per square metre, per metre and per item. Give each subject an assembly in the Estimate panel with materials, labour, waste and your margin, and the estimate updates when a markup changes.
If you already estimate in Excel, link each quantity cell to the subject your tool set uses. When the plans are revised, measure the changes, save, and the linked cells follow.
Step by step: How to link PDF takeoff quantities to an Excel quote, and how to set the scale on a PDF drawing. Prices: TrueScale pricing, pay once and own it.
Builder and estimator takeoff questions
Can I measure wall areas without multiplying by hand?
Yes. Draw a wall run along the walls and type the wall height in Properties; TrueScale shows the length and the wall area, and the area follows if you change the height.
Can I send quantities to my trades?
Yes. Export the Markups List totals to Excel, or send the marked up PDF so each trade sees exactly what was measured.
Can builders change the starter tools?
Yes. Every tool in a starter set is an example marked "(example)". Rename it, change its colour, symbol, spec and rate, delete it, or build your own set and share it with your team.
Do I pay a subscription?
No. You buy one licence, once, with every feature and every future update included. It covers one person on two Windows computers.
Pay once. Own it.
One edition with every feature and every future update. The free TrueScale server and the free 14 day trial launch with TrueScale's first public release.
Founding price $349 USD$559 AUD inc GST was $499 USD$799 AUD inc GST $499 USD$799 AUD inc GST, once.