Estimating services

The Best Takeoff Services for Subcontractors in 2026, Ranked

The right takeoff service for a subcontractor is not the one with the biggest client list. It is the one you can order from on a Tuesday night, at a price you saw first, and have back by Thursday. Eight services, scored on the same five tests.

9 min readPublished October 9, 2026

The short version

Our pick is the one we run: From $50 per takeoff (Small Residential, most trades), fixed by trade and project size and shown on screen before you submit, with no minimum, 48 weekday hours standard, and the marked-up sheets back on your letterhead.
That is 67% less than the lowest published per-set starting price on this list ($150, F&K Estimatings, checked October 2026), and 67% to 88% less than the $150–$400 a single-trade residential takeoff is typically quoted at.
Every service is scored on the same five published-terms tests — order without a quote, a fixed price first, no minimum, a published turnaround inside 48 hours, marked-up sheets back — one point each, half for a partial. The ranking is the score.
Most providers fail the first test. Sending plans and waiting for a quote is the industry norm, and it adds a day before the clock even starts.
A service that returns marked-up sheets and a by-sheet workbook can be checked. One that returns a total cannot.

A general contractor with an estimating department chooses a takeoff service on capacity and price. A subcontractor with no estimator chooses on something else: whether the thing works at all for a company that bids three sets a month and does the measuring at the kitchen table. This list is written for the second company, and the ranking says so.

Our pick — and the one we run#1 · 5 of 5 tests

Opulence Blueprint Takeoff Outsourcing

The only takeoff service on this list you can order on a Tuesday night, at a price you saw first, and have back by Thursday.

Starting price

from$50

per takeoff

Small Residential, most trades

What you save

67%

less than the next-cheapest published price

$150 per set at F&K Estimatings, checked October 2026

Order without a quote. Self-service, online, in about two minutes. No quote, no email.
Price fixed before you commit. The price of the order is on screen before you submit, and a bigger set than you picked is re-priced only with your approval.
No minimum, deposit or contract. Order one plan set or fifty. No retainer, no deposit, no monthly minimum, no contract.
Published turnaround within 48 hours. 48 weekday hours standard; 24-hour and under-12-hour rush any day of the week.
Marked-up sheets come back. Marked-up plan sheets, an Excel workbook by sheet, a priced estimate, an invoice or the full bid package — on your letterhead.

30 days free + $150 in takeoff credit

Card on file at sign-up. Nothing is charged until your 30 days end or your $150 credit is used up, whichever comes first.

Start free See what comes back

We run this service. The five tests are the same for every row, every competitor fact is quoted from its own website, and the scoring is shown so you can check it.

The ranking at a glance

Eight services, five tests, one table. A pass is a point, a partial is half, and the score decides the order. Hover a mark to read the sentence from the provider's own site that earned it; the same marks are explained on each card below.

Service	Starting price	Score
1Opulence Blueprint Takeoff OutsourcingOur pick	From $50 / set	5 / 5
2F&K Estimatings	From $150 / set	3 / 5
3EstimatesPro	From $199 / set	2.5 / 5
4Takeoff Monkey	Not published	2.5 / 5
5Tyler Estimating	From $1,400 / mo	2.5 / 5
6I AM Builders	From $200 / set	2 / 5
7ConstructConnect Takeoff as a Service	Not published	1.5 / 5
8Remote Estimation	From $1,500 / mo	1 / 5

Passes the test, in the provider's own published terms
Partly — the terms meet it with a condition
Does not

Ranked by score (one point per test, half for a partial), then by published per-set starting price, then by name. Every competitor fact is as published on that provider's own website, checked October 2026; prices change, so confirm before you order.

How we ranked them

Five questions, each about the TERMS a provider publishes rather than anything about the quality of its work, because terms can be checked by anybody with a browser and quality cannot be checked by us on your behalf:

1
Order without a quoteCan you upload a set and order it yourself, or do you send an email and wait for a quote? The wait is unpaid time and it moves the real turnaround.
2
Price fixed before you commitIs the figure for your set fixed on screen before you order, or confirmed after you have sent the plans?
3
No minimum, deposit or contractCan you order one set? A deposit, a retainer, a monthly package or a contract all mean you cannot.
4
Published turnaround within 48 hoursDoes the provider publish a standard turnaround of two days or less — in the fine print, not the headline?
5
Marked-up sheets come backDo the documents include the measured sheets, so a quantity can be checked against the drawing it came from? A total with no sheet behind it cannot be.

One point for a pass, half for a partial, none for a fail, out of five; a tie is broken by the published per-set starting price and then by name, so the order can be reproduced by hand. The facts for every third-party provider are quoted from its own website in October 2026 and dated on each card. We run the service ranked first, and it is scored on the same five questions as everybody else; the rest are named competitors a subcontractor is likely to find when searching.

The ranking, service by service

#1Opulence Blueprint Takeoff Outsourcing
5 of 5tests
From $50 / set
Upload a PDF plan set, pick the trade and the project size, see the fixed price, submit. Our estimators measure it in Blueprint Takeoff and your documents come back on your letterhead.
- No quote
- Price first
- No minimum
- 48 hours
- Sheets back
Where it ranks, and why. The only service on the list that passes all five tests: you order it yourself with the price on screen, there is nothing to commit to, and the measured sheets come back with the numbers.
Price
From $50 per takeoff, fixed by trade and project size and shown on screen before you submit
Minimum or contract
None. Order one plan set or fifty; no retainer, no monthly minimum, no contract.
Turnaround
48 weekday hours standard. 24-hour and under-12-hour rush any day of the week, for a flat fee shown before you submit.
How you order
Self-service, online, in about two minutes. The price is on screen before you submit and a bigger set than you picked is re-priced only with your approval.
What comes back
Priced estimate, marked-up plan sheets, Excel workbook, invoice or the full bid package — your logo, your prices, your terms.
To start
30 days free + $150 in takeoff credit
See the documents and start free
2
F&K Estimatings
3 of 5tests
From $150 / set
A quote-first estimating firm with a published price matrix and monthly retainers.
- No quote
- Price first
- No minimum
- 48 hours
- Sheets back
Where it ranks, and why. The strongest of the quote-first firms: a published price matrix, no minimum on one-off work and a 24–48 hour turnaround. You still send the plans and wait for the figure, and marked-up sheets are not listed among what comes back.
Price
Single-trade takeoff $150–$350; full GC scope $450–$1,200; monthly retainers $1,800–$3,000.
Minimum or contract
None stated for one-off work; retainers are monthly.
Turnaround
24–48 hours; 12–24 hour expedited "often" available, fee not published.
How you order
Send plans and wait for a written quote, usually the same business day.
What comes back
Takeoff and estimate in Excel.
Prices and terms as published on fandkestimatings.us, checked October 2026. Providers change their prices; confirm with them before you order.
3
EstimatesPro
2.5 of 5tests
From $199 / set
Per-trade "starts from" pricing for quantities only; you add your own rates.
- No quote
- Price first
- No minimum
- 48 hours
- Sheets back
Where it ranks, and why. Published "starts from" prices per trade and no minimum, but the turnaround runs to five business days, the figure is confirmed by quote, and what comes back is quantities with no pricing and no sheets.
Price
From $199 (drywall) to $249 (concrete) per trade; other trades $149–$349.
Minimum or contract
None stated.
Turnaround
2–5 business days depending on the trade.
How you order
Send PDF or CAD files and wait for a quote.
What comes back
Quantities only, in Excel or a PDF summary; no priced estimate.
Prices and terms as published on estimatespro.com, checked October 2026. Providers change their prices; confirm with them before you order.
4
Takeoff Monkey
2.5 of 5tests
Not published
A US-based takeoff team pricing per sheet, with a flat-rate dedicated-resource option.
- No quote
- Price first
- No minimum
- 48 hours
- Sheets back
Where it ranks, and why. No minimum and a published 48-hour turnaround, but the per-sheet price is quoted on request rather than published, and the documents are described as takeoff files rather than sheets.
Price
A set price per sheet, not published; quoted on request. Monthly dedicated-resource plans, price not published.
Minimum or contract
None stated.
Turnaround
48 hours, with 48–72 hours on larger sets.
How you order
Contact for a quote.
What comes back
Takeoff files, reviewed by two senior estimators before delivery.
Prices and terms as published on takeoffmonkey.com, checked October 2026. Providers change their prices; confirm with them before you order.
5
Tyler Estimating
2.5 of 5tests
From $1,400 / mo
Monthly packages with a dedicated estimator; per-project work is quoted.
- No quote
- Price first
- No minimum
- 48 hours
- Sheets back
Where it ranks, and why. The one quote-first firm that lists marked-up drawings among its documents, with a 24–48 hour turnaround. The per-project price is not published, and the headline offer is a monthly package.
Price
Monthly packages from $1,400 a month; per-project price not published.
Minimum or contract
Pay-per-project carries no contract; the monthly package is a monthly fee.
Turnaround
24–48 hours; same-day on request, fee not published.
How you order
Request a free quote, answered within 24 hours.
What comes back
Marked-up drawings and an Excel estimate; a quantities-only option.
Prices and terms as published on tylerestimating.com, checked October 2026. Providers change their prices; confirm with them before you order.
6
I AM Builders
2 of 5tests
From $200 / set
A Miami estimating firm pricing by project size, with the longest turnaround on this list.
- No quote
- Price first
- No minimum
- 48 hours
- Sheets back
Where it ranks, and why. Prices by project size and confirms the figure before work starts, with no minimum — but six to nine business days is the longest published turnaround here, and the sheets are not part of what comes back.
Price
$200–$300 for a small project, $400–$600 mid-sized, $1,000 and up for large.
Minimum or contract
None stated.
Turnaround
6–9 business days; rush for an added fee, not published.
How you order
Request a quote; the price is confirmed before work starts.
What comes back
Excel and PDF by CSI division, priced to the zip code.
Prices and terms as published on iambuilders.com, checked October 2026. Providers change their prices; confirm with them before you order.
7
ConstructConnect Takeoff as a Service
1.5 of 5tests
Not published
The software vendor's done-for-you takeoff, priced per project and per trade on request.
- No quote
- Price first
- No minimum
- 48 hours
- Sheets back
Where it ranks, and why. Nothing committed up front and no annual contract, but no published price, no published turnaround, a sales follow-up before you can order, and measured quantities only.
Price
Per project, per trade; not published ("ask about founding-customer pricing").
Minimum or contract
None; no annual contract, nothing committed up front.
Turnaround
Confirmed per project; they reply within one business day.
How you order
Request form, then a sales follow-up.
What comes back
Measured quantities only — no labour, no pricing.
Prices and terms as published on constructconnect.com, checked October 2026. Providers change their prices; confirm with them before you order.
8
Remote Estimation
1 of 5tests
From $1,500 / mo
Quote-based estimating with a deposit up front and monthly plans for a set number of projects.
- No quote
- Price first
- No minimum
- 48 hours
- Sheets back
Where it ranks, and why. Fails the three tests about commitment: the price is quoted, half of it is paid before work starts, and the monthly plans cover a fixed number of projects. The turnaround runs 24–72 hours.
Price
Quoted per project; monthly plans from $1,500 covering five projects.
Minimum or contract
50% paid up front, balance on delivery.
Turnaround
24–72 hours.
How you order
Request a quote (answered within an hour), then pay the deposit.
What comes back
Excel estimates and takeoffs.
Prices and terms as published on remoteestimation.us, checked October 2026. Providers change their prices; confirm with them before you order.

What it costs, and what that saves

What it costs

What we charge, and what that saves

One trade at one project size, fixed before you order and charged to your card on file when the documents are delivered. The whole table is below — there is no quote to wait for and nothing to negotiate.

Price per takeoff

One trade at one project size. Rush is a flat fee on top.

Project size	Most trades	Concrete & Framing
Small ResidentialUp to ~2,500 sf — single-family home, ADU, small addition	$50.00	$65.00
Standard ResidentialAbout 2,500–4,500 sf — typical production or custom home	$65.00	$80.00
Large Residential4,500 sf and up — large custom, multi-level, or duplex	$80.00	$100.00
Small CommercialUp to ~10,000 sf — retail suite, office tenant finish, small shell	$100.00	$125.00
Standard CommercialAbout 10,000–50,000 sf — single building, standard construction	$150.00	$175.00
Large / Complex Commercial50,000 sf and up, multi-building, or complex assemblies	from$200.00	from$250.00

Most trades: Insulation, Drywall, Roofing, Flooring, Painting, Siding, Electrical, Plumbing, HVAC, Countertops & Stone.

Standard
48 hours · weekdays
Included
24-hour rush
24 hours · any day
+$25.00
Under 12 hours
12 hours · any day
+$50.00

What you save

67%

less than the next-cheapest published price per set

$50 here, against $150 per set at F&K Estimatings — the lowest published per-set starting price on this list, checked October 2026. Against the $150–$400 a single-trade residential takeoff is typically quoted at, it is 67% to 88% less.

The portal seat

$50/mo

The portal seat is $50 a month, and the first 30 days are free. It holds your letterhead, your price list and every order; takeoffs are charged one at a time, when they are delivered.

30 days free + $150 in takeoff credit

Card on file at sign-up. Nothing is charged until your 30 days end or your $150 credit is used up, whichever comes first.

See the price on your own plans

What the list does not include, and why

Hourly estimating labour at $8 to $18 an hour is a different product: you are buying time, not a document, you cannot see the price before you order, and the estimator's location is usually not stated. Takeoff software — STACK, PlanSwift, Bluebeam, Houzz Pro — is left out because none of them measures the plans for you; they are the tool an estimator uses. And AI takeoff products that price a PDF instantly are left out because the question on this page is who measures the plans, and the answer there is nobody.

The two questions to ask any of them

First: what happens when my set is bigger than you quoted? The answer should be that you are asked to approve a new price before any work continues. Second: who sees my plans? A plan set is a builder's document and some builders care; a provider that cannot answer in a sentence has answered.

Written by the team at Opulence Built, who also run an insulation and concrete contracting business. We mention our own software where it is relevant and say so when we do.

Send us a plan set today.

30 days free + $150 in takeoff credit. Card on file at sign-up. Nothing is charged until your 30 days end or your $150 credit is used up, whichever comes first. No minimum order, nothing to learn.

Start free See how it works

The Best Takeoff Services for Subcontractors in 2026, Ranked

The ranking at a glance

How we ranked them

The ranking, service by service

#1Opulence Blueprint Takeoff Outsourcing

F&K Estimatings

EstimatesPro

Takeoff Monkey

Tyler Estimating

I AM Builders

ConstructConnect Takeoff as a Service

Remote Estimation

What it costs, and what that saves

What the list does not include, and why

The two questions to ask any of them

Send us a plan set today.

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