Estimator-reviewed counts
Place manual marks or use Find Similar on a selected page. Candidates start pending; accept only the matches that belong in your scope.
Relden Takeoff
A construction takeoff with the scope in view.
For estimators and contractor teams working through an existing drawing set. Measure linear runs, count manually or review similar-symbol candidates, and keep the evidence with each quantity.
Manual + smartOpen Relden
Smart symbol matching is implemented in Relden. Public rollout has not been announced.
Start with scope
A drawing set is more than a list of numbers.
The same item can appear on a floor plan, a detail, and a schedule. That doesn’t mean it belongs in the quantity three times.
Begin by deciding which sheets govern each part of your scope. In Relden, named rows and layers give your takeoff a structure you can return to during review.
Make the boundaries readable
Use row names that identify the item and scope: “Level 1 — new devices” tells a reviewer more than “Count 7.” Separate existing work, demolition, and new installation when the drawings distinguish them.
Takeoff belongs to a plan within a project, keeping the quantities close to the documents and customer context that prompted the work.
A reviewable process
Work through the set in deliberate passes.
Check the document set
Review sheet titles, issue dates, legends, and scope notes. Identify details that use a different scale before measuring.
Separate count and length
Count discrete items with manual points or accepted symbol matches. Calibrate each relevant page before tracing continuous routes in feet.
Organize the work
Create layers for the scopes you need to inspect separately. Give each saved row a name another estimator can understand.
Review against the drawing
Select a row to return to its source geometry. Check omissions, repeated references, and where each measured route starts and stops.
Useful distinctions
Keep quantities ready for the next decision.
Linear quantities
Measure the route visible on the calibrated plan. Vertical work, connections, and allowances need separate consideration in your estimate.
Review
Use the row-to-plan connection to revisit a disputed quantity. A saved number retains its route or marked points for inspection.
A matching run does not reconcile a drawing set
Find Similar works from a reference symbol on one page. It cannot decide whether a detail repeats an item already counted on a floor plan. Review accepted matches against the governing sheet and keep existing, demolition, and new work distinct.
Questions,
answered.
Is this useful for more than one trade?
Yes. Manual points, reviewed symbol matches, and linear routes can represent different trades’ plan items. Matching compares visual similarity, not trade meaning; the estimator identifies and names the work.
Can I measure concrete, roofing, or drywall area?
Area and volume tools are not included. Supported quantities are linear routes in feet, manual counts, and smart counts based only on accepted detections.
Does a hidden layer change my quantities?
No. Hiding a layer changes what you see on the plan, without deleting its rows or geometry. Opening a row still reveals its selected geometry for review.
From plan to quantity
Keep the drawing behind the number.
Already have a Relden account? Open your workspace to continue reviewing your plans.
Open Relden
A Relden account is required.