Materials are the heartbeat of any residential build. Nail the quantities and you protect your margin. Miss by even 5 % and you eat the cost. That is why the humble take off list sits at the center of profitable projects. It turns two-dimensional drawings into the lumber, rebar and fixings your crew can actually install.
• Hours spent hunched over paper plans or PDF printouts
• Highlighters, rulers and spreadsheets that never match drawing revisions
• Duplication of effort—estimators count, project managers re-count, site supervisors double-check
• Human error that snowballs into blown budgets and schedule overruns
CountBricks replaces manual drudgery with an AI voice assistant that listens while you talk through the drawings. As you call out “90 m² of 90 × 45 MGP10 studs on ground floor,” CountBricks captures the line item, checks local merchant pricing, and pushes it straight into an estimate. Your take off list is built, costed and ready to export before you finish the coffee.
1. Structural timber and steel
2. Cladding, insulation and wrap
3. Fixings, brackets and adhesives
4. Doors, windows and hardware
5. Internal linings and trims
6. Wet-area waterproofing and tiles
7. Services rough-in components
8. Consumables and sundries
Each category must carry quantities, units, waste factors and current buy rates. CountBricks auto-applies regional waste percentages and live merchant feeds so that pricing stays razor sharp.
• Direct API links to leading suppliers keep price lists current to the day
• Automatic comparison highlights substitutions that save money without compromising standards
• Margin suggestions show where you can add markup without losing competitiveness
1. Upload PDF plans or sync a BIM file via CountBricks.com/services
2. Open a live voice session—your phone, tablet or site cabin laptop works
3. Walk through each drawing; the AI highlights, measures and records quantities as you speak
4. Confirm suggested waste factors and supplier selections
5. Review the autogenerated take off list, tweak if required, then one-click export to an estimate or invoice
• Group similar items—studs of the same dimension—in a single voice callout
• Use CountBricks hotwords like “repeat floor two” to copy assemblies instantly
• Apply default markups by trade so profit is baked in from the start
• Tag long-lead items; CountBricks alerts procurement to order early
• Save component libraries so future projects load with one tap
The AI engine does more than count. Once quantities and costs are locked, CountBricks automatically generates polished proposal documents, complete with scope notes, allowances and payment milestones. The system pulls your logo, terms and digital signature blocks from your profile. No cutting-and-pasting between programs—send the quote while the prospect is still excited.
• Real-time clash detection flags when frame quantities exceed engineering tolerances
• Audit trail records every voice command for transparent variation management
• Cloud storage keeps the take off list synced across office and site so everyone is on the same revision
Timber prices shift weekly, and fasteners see quarterly surcharges. Because CountBricks updates pricing live, you can set expiry periods on quotes with confidence. If a homeowner delays approval, regenerate the estimate with fresh rates in seconds—no tedious re-counting.
1. Convert approved quotes to progress claim schedules
2. Trigger stage invoices direct from the platform
3. Sync with accounting packages through CountBricks integrations
4. Match supplier bills back to original take off list quantities for instant cost tracking
A precise, automated take off list is no longer a luxury—it is the entry ticket to profitable residential construction. CountBricks eliminates manual counting, delivers real-time material costs and produces professional documentation, all while you talk through the plans. Trades that adopt this workflow spend less time in the office and more time on tools, winning jobs that others are still measuring.
Visit CountBricks.com/consultation to book a free 15-minute demo and see your own drawings turn into a live take off list before your eyes.
A four-unit townhouse development in Oakridge was blowing out on administration. The framing contractor spent two full days per unit producing manual counts, then another half-day updating numbers when revised plans arrived. They trialed CountBricks for the final two units.
• 16 labour hours per take off list
• 3 % average quantity variance uncovered during site audits
• Quotes issued 72 hours after tender request
• 2.5 labour hours per take off list—an 84 % reduction
• 0.4 % variance between estimated and delivered timber
• Quotes issued same day, increasing acceptance rate to 62 %
1. The estimator used voice commands to capture repeating wall panels, cutting out duplicate counting.
2. Live pricing flagged an alternate LVL size that saved $1,800 per unit without affecting engineering requirements.
3. The automated quote generator attached CountBricks standard terms, eliminating back-and-forth with the client’s contracts team.
• Start with a component library; even partial data speeds up AI recognition.
• Invite site supervisors to the live session; their on-the-ground insights improve waste factors.
• Re-run the take off list when drawings change rather than editing rows manually—the system recalculates in seconds.
Whether you frame one custom home a month or pour slabs for multi-unit infill, the CountBricks approach frees your skilled people from spreadsheets and lets them focus on build quality. Explore more success stories at CountBricks.com/portfolio and imagine the margins you could unlock on your next job.
