My first article about this topic was in the May 2014 issue of Electrical Contractor. I wrote, “Many of us bring our work home. One weekend, my young daughter was watching me do a takeoff; I was counting, measuring and highlighting the plans as I went. She got very excited and, with big, round eyes, asked me, ‘Daddy, is that what you do at work? Can I help?’ At that moment, I had an epiphany: I color for a living.”

Digital “coloring”

Ten years later, things have changed. I still color for a living, but I do it with digital takeoff software instead of paper plans. I have traded in my measuring tools and highlighter collection for a computer mouse. I have not had paper plans in the office for many years, and I do not miss them at all. 

There are quite a few digital takeoff programs available, with many associated with popular electrical estimating programs. For those not familiar with these programs, they display your plans on a computer screen and allow you to count, measure and perform many other functions.

I was taught at my first estimating position to mark off everything as I counted it with a highlighter. There were only four highlighter colors at that time, so the colors had to be shared. The colors were yellow for fixtures, green for wiring devices, blue for motor connections and pink for everything else. We also used an orange pencil to mark off branch and feeder conduits. I eventually came to call that method “If it’s not marked off, you missed it.” 

Counting the plans was simple. I used a thumb wheel in my left hand to count each item while I marked it off with a highlighter in my right hand. For conduit, I measured it with a mechanical Minerva rotometer in my right hand, and then set the rotometer down to mark off the lines with my orange pencil.

Digital takeoff

Counting and measuring items on digital takeoff software is similar to doing it on paper plans, but with several improvements. Let’s look at the steps for counting on paper plans: (1) Write the description of the item to be counted on a paper form or in a spreadsheet. (2) Count each item. (3) Highlight each item. (4) Record the counts. 

Now let’s look at the same process using digital takeoff software: (1) Write the description of the item to be counted on the screen. (2) Click on each of the items. The program will count, highlight and record the counts every time you click on an item. Therefore, you complete three functions with one click of the mouse.

Digital takeoff software can also undo actions. Have you ever tried to erase a highlight on a paper plan? It doesn’t work so well. Anything you count or measure on a digital takeoff program can be undone. You can also edit each item to correct typos and change the color or line width. 

The digital takeoff programs I have used allow for organizing takeoff according to preference, using folders or labels. I organize my digital takeoff the same way my electrical estimating software is organized. As I mentioned above, some of the digital takeoff programs are associated with an electrical estimating program. This can save time, as counts can be sent to your estimating software digitally rather than inputting your takeoff manually.

More than four colors

Another benefit of using digital takeoff programs is the number of colors available for highlighting the takeoff. The programs I use have an infinite color palette. However, there are only so many shades of each color you can easily differentiate. I use an average of four shades of most colors.

Using digital takeoff software may also have a health benefit. Some people, including me, have suffered neck damage from looking down at a desk for too many years. For me, my pain ended when I switched to digital takeoff. I made sure to raise my monitors so I was looking straight forward and not down at all. My chiropractor misses me.

Speaking of monitors, I have seen two popular options. I have always used two monitors, one for the digital takeoff software and another for whatever else I may need. I currently use two 32-inch curved monitors, which is my first suggestion. 

The other option some of my customers use is a single large screen, 55 inches or greater. Keep in mind that some sources say you should not use televisions for computer monitors, as they will be harder on your eyes.

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