AI Estimating

AI Takeoff Software for Australian Builders and Tradies

Upload your plans and let AI read them, measure quantities, and build your estimate — automatically. No more manual measuring, no more highlighters and rulers.

The basics

What is AI takeoff software?

AI takeoff software reads construction plans and extracts quantities automatically. Instead of a builder printing the plan, grabbing a highlighter and scale ruler, and manually counting every outlet, fixture, and linear metre, the AI scans the plan, recognises the items, and produces a takeoff in minutes.

Traditional takeoff is one of the most time-consuming parts of quoting. A single residential plan can take an hour or more to measure by hand, and the risk of miscounting is high — miss a row of downlights and your materials are short, overcount tiling and you eat the difference. AI takeoff removes both problems: it is fast, and it is consistent across every plan.

The output is the same thing you would produce manually — a list of quantities by item, area, and trade — but generated in a fraction of the time and ready to be turned into a priced estimate with live supplier rates.

How it works

How FMN's AI takeoff works

1

Upload your plans

Drag in a PDF plan, an image file, or a photo of a printed plan taken on site. The AI accepts the formats tradies actually work with.

2

AI reads the plan

FMN's AI scans the plan, recognises dimensions, fixtures, outlets, and areas, and identifies the trade-specific items relevant to your work.

3

Quantities extracted

The AI produces a takeoff — counts, linear metres, square metres, and areas — organised by item so you can see exactly what was measured.

4

Estimate built with live supplier prices

Quantities flow into an estimate priced with live Australian supplier rates, so your quote reflects real, current material costs — not a price list you last updated six months ago.

5

Review and send

You review the takeoff, confirm or adjust quantities and line items, then send the quote to your client. You always have the final say before anything goes out.

Why it wins

Why AI takeoff beats manual measuring

The case for AI takeoff is simple — it does the slowest, most error-prone part of quoting faster and more consistently than a human can:

  • Speed — a takeoff that takes 60 minutes by hand takes about 5 minutes with AI. That is 55 minutes back per quote, and it compounds across every job you tender for.
  • Accuracy — the AI counts and measures consistently every time, so you are not second-guessing whether you missed a fixture on a tired Friday afternoon.
  • Consistency — every plan gets the same method, so your quotes are comparable across jobs and your margins do not drift because one takeoff was rushed.
  • Cost transparency — because quantities are extracted item by item, you can see exactly what is driving the cost of the job and price it with confidence.

Who benefits

Who benefits most

AI takeoff helps any trade that quotes off plans, but it is especially powerful for:

  • Builders — full plan takeoffs across multiple trades, with quantities ready for a priced estimate.
  • Plumbers — fixture counts, pipe runs, and sanware quantities pulled from the plan automatically.
  • Electricians — outlet, switch, light, and circuit counts without manually marking up the plan.
  • Carpenters — linear and square metre quantities for framing, decking, cladding, and trim.
  • Tilers — floor and wall square metres, plus edge and trim allowances, measured from the plan.

FMN vs others

FMN vs traditional estimating software

Most estimating software used by Australian builders — Buildxact and Buildsoft included — still require you to do the takeoff manually. They give you digital tools to mark up the plan and count items yourself, but the measuring work is still yours. You are paying for software that organises your manual takeoff, not one that does it for you.

FMN is AI-first. The takeoff is done by the AI, not by you with a digital ruler. You get the speed and consistency of automation, plus a priced estimate with live supplier rates ready to send — not just a counted-up plan that still needs pricing.

Pricing

Pricing

AI takeoff is included in every FMN plan. There is no separate takeoff charge:

  • Starter — $49/month (single user)
  • Foundation Member — $79/month (single user, 90-day free trial)
  • Pro — $99/month (single user)
  • Company 10 — $399/month (10 users, flat-rate)
  • Company 25 — $599/month (25 users, flat-rate)
  • Enterprise — custom pricing for 50+ users

No per-plan fee, no takeoff add-on. If you are on FMN, you have the full AI takeoff.

Get started with AI takeoff

Upload a plan, get an AI-built estimate in minutes. 90 days free, no card required, full access to every feature.

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FAQ

Frequently asked questions

FMN's AI takeoff reads PDF plans, image files, and even photos of printed plans taken on site. You do not need a perfectly scanned architectural PDF — a clear photo from your phone works.