Estimating and Takeoff →

Construction estimating and takeoff services, traced to the sheet

Construction estimates and quantity takeoffs from plans and specifications, for a full building or a single trade package. Every quantity links back to its drawing, and every scope gap is flagged before you bid.

Send your plans

See what you receive →

24

Estimate types

34

Trades by division

7

Client types served

5

Steps on every project

Scope control →

A low line-item rate means little if part of the work is missing

AM's work is built around finding that missing work.

A total you have to trust

What a bare number leaves open

? Which sheet did this quantity come from?

? Is waste already inside the measured quantity?

? Who carries the supports, connections and final hookups?

? Was that drawing conflict resolved, or assumed?

? Is this figure measured, or an early allowance?

Estimate types →

Construction cost estimating and quantity takeoff, by need

Pick the estimate that matches the decision you have to make: plan, price, bid, staff up, or review.

Core estimating

Take Off

By market

Bidding

Staffing support

Review and advisory

Full cost estimates for a defined scope, a whole building, or an early budget.

Construction Cost Estimating

Full cost estimates organized around the agreed scope

Scope covered

Material quantities and unit pricing, labor hours, equipment and subcontract allowances, overhead, profit, exclusions

Building Cost Estimating

Whole-building cost plans for owners and design teams

Scope covered

Foundations, structural framing, roofing, exterior enclosure, MEP systems, interior finishes, associated sitework

Blueprint Estimating

Estimates built from cross-referenced plans, schedules, and details

Scope covered

Floor plans, elevations, sections, schedules, specifications, drawing conflicts, missing scope notes

Preliminary Estimating

Early budgets from incomplete design information

Scope covered

Building areas, outline layouts, initial structural and system choices, provisional finishes, allowances for open design items

Budget Estimating

Working budgets while plans and selections develop

Scope covered

Costs by major package, material and finish allowances, labor and subcontract costs, contingencies

Trade estimating →

34 trades, each kept in its own package

Quantities and installation scope stay separate from other packages. Filter by construction division.

Wood and carpentry

Lumber Takeoff

Studs, plates, joists, beams, rafters, headers, sheathing, decking, connectors and framing hardware

Wood and carpentry

Carpentry

Rough carpentry and blocking, interior trim, exterior woodwork and decking, fasteners and labor

Wood and carpentry

Millwork and Casework

Cabinetry, counters, paneling, reception features, finishes, hardware, fabrication and installation

Wood and carpentry

Framing

Wood and metal framing kept separate, connections, blocking, bracing, installation labor

How it works →

From plans to a checked estimate in five steps

Every project follows the same five steps, whether it is one trade takeoff or a full building estimate.

1

Send your files

Plans, specifications, project ZIP code, and deadline. Add supplier quotes or cost codes if you want them used.

2

We confirm scope

Drawing issue and date, divisions, pricing basis, and delivery format.

3

We measure

Plans are cross-referenced with sections, schedules, and specifications. Supplier quotes are checked for exclusions before they enter the estimate.

4

We check coverage

Quantities, rate extensions, and trade boundaries are reviewed. Open questions are recorded beside the affected items.

5

You receive the package

Itemized estimate, quantity schedules, inclusions, exclusions, assumptions, and a clarification log.

Revisions and addenda

Updates start from the revised sheets with a record of what changed. Choose a full revised estimate or a cost comparison for the affected work only.

Accepted inputs

Full drawing sets, partial packages, concept plans, and scanned plans with legible dimensions and scale.

What you receive →

What every estimate includes

Clients can supply their own supplier prices or ask for a priced breakdown.

The estimate package

Concrete package
Illustration of a traced estimate
ItemSourceUnitQty
Footings, F1S-101CY···
Slab on gradeMeasured qty kept apart from waste allowanceS-102SF···
Rebar, grade beamsS-501LB···
Equipment padsScope gap: not in concrete or MEP quoteM-201EA···
InclusionsExclusionsAllowance notesOpen questions: 2

Your cost codes

Share your internal cost codes so the breakdown matches how your team reviews costs.

Your quotes and markups

Supplier quotes, subcontract prices, and markups stay identifiable inside the estimate.

Delivery format [To confirm]

Add file formats here (for example Excel workbook, PDF summary, marked-up plans).

See a sample estimate

Show buyers the output before they send plans. [Add sample file]

Who it's for →

Estimating services shaped to how you price

Seven client types across residential, commercial, industrial, and public work. Each gets a deliverable shaped to how they price or decide.

General contractors

Full bid coverage across subcontract packages and self-performed work

Trade takeoffs, package estimates, subcontract quote comparisons, scope gap checks, alternates and allowances

Subcontractors

A trade bid that matches your responsibility boundary

Quantities by type and location, installation labor, inclusions and exclusions, addenda updates

Material suppliers

Quote-ready quantities by product

Quantities by type, size, grade, and finish, delivery-zone breakdowns, measured quantity separate from ordering allowance

Manufacturers

Product counts tied to specifications and schedules

Product types and dimensions, counts by area, accessories, alternatives and revision changes

Owners and developers

A budget you understand and a check on contractor pricing

Building cost estimates, budget estimates, independent estimate review, competing quote analysis

Architects and design teams

Early cost guidance

Preliminary estimates and design option comparisons

Homebuilders

House and multifamily pricing with clear selections

Residential and single-family estimates, finish allowances, owner upgrade pricing

Why AM Engineering →

Built to find the work that is missing

Six habits that run through every estimate and takeoff.

Scope between trades

Supports, connections, final hookups, trench backfill, and paving restoration that fall between quotes get named and assigned

Traceable quantities

Every quantity links to a drawing, schedule, or detail, so a reviewer can check any line at its source

Measured vs. ordered

Waste, rounding, and packaging stay separate from measured quantities, so no one applies them twice

Conflicts on record

Missing sheets and conflicting notes are logged as questions or stated assumptions, never hidden in a total

Known vs. provisional

Measured costs and allowances are labeled differently, so early budgets are not mistaken for bid prices

Installation visible

Labor, access, and handling assumptions stay separate from material counts for review by the people doing the work

FAQ →

Estimating and takeoff questions

Scope, revisions, drawings, and quotes.

No. Send the divisions you need. AM prices a full building or a single package.

Still have questions?

Send your plans and tell us which divisions you need priced.

Send your plans →

Start with the drawings

✓ Full building or a single trade package

✓ Full sets, partial packages, concept or scanned plans

✓ Scope confirmed before work starts

Share a drawing link rather than uploading files here. Required fields are marked with an asterisk.

Estimating

Construction Cost Estimating

Quantity Takeoff

Commercial Estimating

Residential Estimating

Public Bid Estimating

Trades

Concrete

Rebar

Structural Steel

MEP

All trades

Company

About

Privacy policy

Terms of service

Construction estimating, takeoff and engineering services for contractors, owners, manufacturers and suppliers across the USA.

AM Engineering Group

© 2026 AM Engineering Group. All rights reserved.