Browse any set of Australian house plans and you will almost certainly find floor layouts printed at scale 1:100. The ratio means that one unit on paper equals one hundred units in the real world. In metric terms, 1 cm on the drawing represents 1 m on site. Because most detached dwellings fit neatly on an A3 sheet at this ratio, trades can carry a single plan on site without lugging oversized prints.
• Carpenters can translate a 3 cm wall on paper into a 3 m frame without pulling out calculators
• Electricians anchor switch locations exactly 1.1 m above finished floor by reading 11 mm on the drawing
• Plumbers trace a 900 mm vanity by confirming it measures 9 mm on the plan
• Site supervisors reference one consistent master drawing when coordinating deliveries and inspections
At CountBricks we train new estimators to convert measurements in seconds. Our internal mantra is “move the decimal two places.” Multiply any dimension on the plan by 100 to reveal its real-world size. Need the length of a 42 mm lineset on paper? Shift the decimal: 42 mm → 4 200 mm → 4.2 m. That’s the entire formula.
1. Measure 18 mm window width on paper
2. Add two zeros: 1 800 mm
3. Convert to metres if preferred: 1.8 m
With practice, most CountBricks site foremen perform the calculation in under three seconds.
Even without dimensions, a scale bar or a known building element—such as a 2 400 mm door opening—lets you verify the print accuracy. Place your scale ruler on the known element. If the door does not read 24 mm on a 1:100 sheet, the print has been enlarged or reduced. Mark the discrepancy on your set and enter the variance into the CountBricks plan settings so every subsequent takeoff compensates automatically.
CountBricks.com/ai-takeoffs lets you drag-and-drop PDFs, confirm the scale, and start tracing instantly. Our computer-vision engine recognises walls, openings, slabs, and roof edges drawn at 1:100 and converts them into live quantities.
1. Open the drawing in the CountBricks web app
2. Say “Set scale one to one-hundred.” The system auto-calibrates
3. Trace or click on a wall line. The AI suggests timber plate, stud, and plasterboard counts
4. Speak: “Add painted finish, low-sheen, three coats.” The material is appended with local pricing
5. Review the autogenerated labour tasks, adjust crew productivity, and press “Generate Quote”
• Printed plans folded or laminated can stretch, throwing off the ratio. Always confirm one known dimension before starting takeoffs
• Photocopied sets often shrink 1–2 %. Use the CountBricks on-screen calibration tool instead of trusting the label
• Mixing imperial habits with metric scales causes rounding errors. Keep a dedicated 1:100 metric ruler in your kit
• Over-zooming on tablets can hide the fact that you are no longer viewing at 100 % scale. Lock zoom when checking clearances
Every quantity captured from a 1:100 drawing flows directly into CountBricks.com/services scheduling module. The result:
• Task durations auto-calculate from measured floor areas and wall lengths
• Material deliveries are date-stamped to hit site exactly when needed
• Change-orders update live because quantities stay linked to the original scaled geometry
• Keep a fine-tip highlighter dedicated to each trade colour so walls, services, and joinery can be differentiated quickly
• Export your 1:100 drawing as a layered PDF so CountBricks AI can isolate electrical, plumbing, and structural layers for separate takeoffs
• Use the “mirror plan” feature inside the platform to double-check left-hand vs right-hand variants without redrawing
• When measuring sloping sites, switch to 1:200 for site plans while retaining 1:100 for floor plans to maintain clarity
• Download the CountBricks scale cheat-sheet and tape it to your laptop lid for instant reference in client meetings
By mastering 1:100 interpretation and pairing it with CountBricks automation, residential builders routinely shave three hours off every estimate, cut material overruns by up to 7 %, and win jobs faster thanks to professional quote PDFs generated in under five minutes.
• Explore CountBricks.com/portfolio to see recent homes measured fully at 1:100
• Book a free workflow consult at CountBricks.com/consultation
• Download our printable 1:100 quick-reference card inside your user dashboard
A Newcastle-based builder uploaded a two-storey duplex PDF into CountBricks. The architect supplied only a 1:100 floor layout and elevations—no bill of quantities, no measurements.
1. The estimator confirmed one known 2 400 mm opening. The plan was off by 1.5 % due to office printer scaling. CountBricks auto-corrected the factor.
2. Using voice commands, she traced 87 m of external wall in eight minutes. The platform pushed frame, wrap, brick veneer, insulation, and plasterboard lines straight into the material list.
3. A quick “Copy to Unit B” command duplicated the quantities for the mirrored unit without additional clicks.
4. Roof area detection at 1:100 generated tile, sarking, and truss counts, while the scheduler linked crane hire to the truss delivery date.
5. The final quote—36 pages with branded cover, inclusions, and terms—hit the client’s inbox 42 minutes after the PDF upload.
• Estimating time reduced from the usual 6-hour manual process to under one hour
• Material wastage allowance tightened from 10 % to 4 % because quantities drove directly from the scaled geometry
• The builder won the tender, citing the professional appearance and speed of the CountBricks proposal
• Always verify one known dimension before trusting the stated scale
• Let CountBricks handle duplication—mirrored or repeated units are a single voice command away
• Sync the generated schedule to your mobile so subcontractors see live updates tied to the scaled quantities
Ready to cut hours off your next takeoff? Visit CountBricks.com/services and book a personalised walkthrough.
