Materials
Detailed material quantities and associated costs.
All servicesRequest a Takeoff
Construction Takeoff & Estimating Services
Turn Construction Drawings Into Detailed, Bid-Ready Cost Information
Qostara Estimates provides professional quantity takeoff and construction estimating services for contractors, subcontractors, builders, and developers.
We review drawings and specifications, quantify project requirements, organize the scope by trade, and develop detailed estimates covering materials, labor, equipment, subcontractors, and other applicable costs.
The basics
What Is a Construction Takeoff?
A quantity takeoff identifies and measures the materials and components required to complete a construction project.
Depending on the project, this may include:
- Quantities
- Lengths
- Areas
- Volumes
- Counts
- Assemblies
- Material specifications
- Installation requirements
The resulting quantities provide the foundation for a detailed construction estimate.
Takeoff plus pricing
From Quantity Takeoff to Complete Estimate
A takeoff tells you what is required. An estimate helps determine what it will cost.
Qostara combines both processes to provide a more complete picture of your project. Our estimating process can incorporate:
Labor
Labor quantities, productivity considerations, and applicable labor rates.
Equipment
Equipment requirements and associated costs where applicable.
Subcontractors
Subcontracted scopes and vendor/subcontractor pricing.
Overhead & Markup
Project-specific overhead, profit, and markup calculations.
Allowances
Defined allowances for items where final selections or pricing are not yet available.
Scope
Trades We Can Estimate
Our estimating workflow supports a broad range of construction scopes, including:
- Concrete
- Masonry
- Structural steel
- Metals
- Carpentry
- Drywall
- Roofing
- Doors and hardware
- Flooring
- Painting
- Finishes
- Mechanical
- HVAC
- Plumbing
- Electrical
- Fire protection
- Low voltage
- Sitework
- Excavation
- Civil work
- Other specialty trades
Documents
What We Review
Depending on the project, our estimators can work from:
- Architectural drawings
- Structural drawings
- MEP drawings
- Civil drawings
- Specifications
- Addendums
- Bid documents
- Scope documents
- Schedules
- Existing takeoffs
- Vendor quotations
- Contractor-provided pricing
The more complete the project documentation, the more comprehensive the resulting estimate can be.
How it works
Our Takeoff & Estimating Process
01 Document Collection
Submit your project plans, specifications, scope information, and other relevant documents.
02 Drawing Review
We review the documents and determine the required trades and estimating scope.
03 Quantity Takeoff
Project components are measured, counted, and organized.
04 Cost Development
Quantities are converted into estimated material, labor, equipment, and subcontractor costs.
05 Scope Review
We review the estimate for scope coverage, assumptions, exclusions, and potential gaps.
06 Estimate Delivery
Receive an organized estimate prepared for bidding, budgeting, or project planning.
Why it matters
Built for Better Preconstruction Decisions
A detailed estimate can help you:
- Prepare competitive bids
- Understand project costs
- Compare subcontractor pricing
- Establish project budgets
- Plan material procurement
- Evaluate project feasibility
- Identify scope gaps
- Review cost assumptions
- Improve bid preparation
Need a Takeoff for Your Next Project?
Send your drawings and project information to Qostara Estimates and let our estimating team turn your plans into organized cost information.