[Troy DeGroot]

You could create a custom column in the markup list for the “Unit Type”. Then create a custom column for “# Thus”, and finally a custom column for totals where you multiply all your quantities * # Thus. Adding the Unit Type simply allows you to organize your markups and keep things straight.

[Dan Diesing]

It’s more on the side of the actual tracings that I would like to find a faster solution. A lot of the projects don’t have repetitive units, as shown in that screenshot (probably not the best screenshot to use). For instance, it will be 16 units per floor in a 6-story wood-frame building. 2-5 are the same layout, so that’s easy, but every unit on the floor is a different layout.

[Troy DeGroot]

It looks like you are using the Snap to Content, which would be my first suggestion. Is there any way you can measure through each doorway and use that as waste rather than getting into all the fine details of small bumpouts? Just thinking, some of those very small pieces can be very time-consuming to trace over. Others in the group might also have ideas.

[Doug McLean]

I feel you.

Two things I HATE doing. Window Sills and Baseboard. Both very time consuming. Might be something to try when the AI gets better.

When I do these on large scale projects I tend to only do one of each unit type.
Then with two custom columns, Floor Multiplier and Quantity, that will get me close enough for all that I need to take off.

I will also do any odd or custom rooms on their own.

You can also copy/ paste like rooms. And mirror them. Not perfect, but it helps. Any minor adjustments can be made along the way.

I agree with Troy on this, don’t worry about your door openings. Let that be your waste. You’re going to order your base in 16 – 20′ lengths anyways, you’ll be covered.

Anyways, hope this was helpful.

[Dan Diesing]

Thanks for the input.

Sounds like a similar flow to what I’m doing.

Try to do only unit types, but more and more projects are having so many unit types (almost no repeats per floor).

I have gone through doorways, but didn’t find much time savings. I am pretty fast at doing the takeoffs, but as my role expands at my current company, I am trying to find any time savings I can.

I was hoping there would be some solution that I was missing, but it does not seem like we are there yet. Maybe in the near future we will have it.

[Troy DeGroot]

I don’t think this is a solution, but I really hate not having a good answer. If you use Dynamic Fill, you can pull the length measurement from the perimeter of the filled area……

[Doug McLean]

Its a problem with all the finishing trades. There isn’t a easy solution for any of our takeoffs

[Vince]

I think that the move away from ‘standard’ types to virtually everything being bespoke is a universal thing now.

Here in the UK we have housing developers building large schemes – 100 to 1,000 or more homes on a scheme. 20 years ago, each developer would have a set of standard housetypes (less than 10 I would say) with maybe the odd change to elevation treatments but nothing major.

Today, if I get a package for the brickwork on 100 houses, I could well have to measure them as 70+ different housetypes due to changes like windows in different positions, bays being added to the sides of houses, feature courses being added to the brickwork, etc..

It really is becoming a bit of a pain and to make matters worse, no one really acknowledges that this adds so much time to the tendering process.

[Don Walke]

One thing to remember is that an area markup has a length component consisting of the perimeter length. If you click and drag the area of a rectangular room, the length will reflect the base quantity.