The word Takeoff is usually associated with the action of a plane rising from the ground to flying up on the air to get to a destination. When did it get applied to the construction industry is uncertain to me, but it has always been the perfect analogy to what we do.
The construction industry can provide answers to many human needs from housing to transportation. In all of them there is the need to quantify all elements involved that will allow any project to become a reality. It starts from the designing phase – how much space we need? How much load should it resist? and can last until delivering a project – how much time we have? How much clean up we’ll need? Quantifying we’ll help you know how efficient the process is. Allowing you to identify what to improve next time. We like to call this feedback.
We’ve been writing about it on a large scale. There are many activities and scopes involved in an integral construction approach but let’s pin point it to where we are.
We step in when the set of plans are released for permit or construction. These imply that they have completed layouts, elevations, sections and details that can help quantify the entirety of the project as it should be built. The builder or contractor is looking to bid a project and will need to present to the customer a pricing. A bid can be priced by scope (civil, landscape, mechanical, millwork, loose frame, prefabricated components, drywall, cabinets…. etc.) depending on the builder’s or contractor’s specialty.
We partner up with builders and contractors to takeoff on the bidding process with loose frame scope. We are knowledgeable on the extent of this scope in relation to the others which allows us to do a highly accurate list. Our takeoff consists of a material list and geometry which then is used to create the Estimating or Budget for Frame Material on the project.
A contractor or builder will need lists to all the scopes he plans on bidding. So probably they will work with different types of takeoff or material list to allocate their cost. All of these with labor, equipment, transportation, allowances and contingencies amounts will create a full bid price they will need to stand behind when turning in their bid. We understand the responsibility. We don’t just deliver, we partner up with sales force.