A take-off is the process of reviewing the drawings and design information for a project and breaking the scope down into individual line items with measured quantities.
Taking off is a core quantity surveying skill. The surveyor works through each drawing systematically, recording dimensions and descriptions for each item of work in accordance with the measurement rules being used, usually NRM2 in the UK. Traditionally this was done by hand on dimension paper and then worked up into an abstract and a bill of quantities. Today most take-offs are carried out with on-screen measurement software or extracted from BIM models, but the principles are the same. A good take-off should:
- follow a logical order, so it can be checked and audited
- record assumptions where design information is missing
- note locations and drawing references for each item
- avoid double counting between trades or packages
Related terms: quantify, bill of quantities, material take-off, NRM2.
