Quote builder — from measurements to a priced .xlsx
The Quote builder turns a finished takeoff into a priced bid: bind each measured condition to a trade assembly, fill in its geometry parameters and your unit price, and the total prices live. Measuring, assemblies, unit prices and the live quote preview are free. Pro ($15/month or $144/year) exports a priced two-tab .xlsx — a Quote tab formatted for the client and a Basis tab showing exactly how every number was computed.
The flow
After measuring at least one condition, open Report from the canvas toolbar, then click Quote in the Report toolbar. The Quote button is unavailable until there is a report row.
In the Quote builder, every measured condition appears as a row with its color chip, tag, and measured quantities (SF · LF · EA). For each row:
- Pick an assembly from the dropdown — or leave it at Not on this quote to keep it off the bid.
- Fill the geometry parameters the assembly needs (footing width and depth, slab thickness).
- Set your unit price ($/CY, $/EA — the unit follows the assembly).
Rows missing a parameter or a price stay out of the total and are listed as awaiting params/price, so a half-bound quote can’t quietly under-count. The bar at the bottom shows the live Total and line count as you type.
What an assembly computes
An assembly converts what you measured into what you charge for. Concrete ships first:
| Assembly | Takes | Formula | Unit | Waste preset |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strip footing (continuous) | LF | LF × width (ft) × depth (ft) ÷ 27 | CY | 10% |
| Slab on grade | SF | SF × thickness (in) ⁄ 12 ÷ 27 | CY | 8% |
| Hold-down anchor (supply & install) | EA | EA, straight through | EA | 0% |
Dividing by 27 converts cubic feet to cubic yards — concrete’s pricing unit. Each assembly has an editable waste preset, a starting value rather than a project-specific recommendation; the quoted quantity is the computed quantity × (1 + waste %), and the line’s extension is quantity × your unit price.
Worked example: 27 LF of strip footing
This synthetic example follows one condition with a measured total of 27 LF. It matches the fixed sample workbook, not the separate product demonstration. Dimensions, waste and price below are illustrative inputs, not structural specifications, local market prices or a customer bid.
1. Measure the footing length
Open a PDF you are allowed to use. Verify the sheet scale against a known printed dimension before measuring. Create or select a condition, such as FTG-24, and use Linear (L) to trace the footing run. Check the condition’s measured LF total in Report.
The calculation below assumes that total is 27 LF. Use the length you actually measured on your plan; do not change the scale just to make it match this example.
2. Open Report → Quote and fill one row
In Report, click Quote, find the measured condition, and choose Strip footing (continuous) instead of Not on this quote. Enter:
| Quote builder input | Illustrative value | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Footing width (ft) | 2 | Width of the concrete section, entered in feet |
| Footing depth (ft) | 1 | Depth of the concrete section, entered in feet |
| Waste % | 10 | Quote assembly allowance; edit it for your own task |
| Unit price ($/CY) | 200 | Your price per cubic yard; TakeoffQuote does not supply market rates |
These width and depth inputs belong to the quote assembly. They are not the condition’s H or T measurement fields. The quote uses the measured LF and its own waste input; do not apply the Report’s quantity-with-waste again.
3. Check the free preview
| Calculation | Expected result |
|---|---|
| Base volume: 27 LF × 2 ft × 1 ft ÷ 27 | 2 CY |
| Volume with the illustrative 10% allowance: 2 × 1.10 | 2.2 CY |
| Line amount: 2.2 CY × $200/CY | $440 |
For a quote containing only this line, the preview total is $440. Other bound conditions add their own lines, so the total can differ. If the row is still awaiting parameters or price, check its assembly selection, dimensions and unit price; incomplete rows stay out of the total.
4. Compare the sample before choosing an export
The fixed example XLSX is free to download. Its Quote sheet shows the priced line and total; Basis keeps the measured quantity, dimensions, waste and calculation for review.
Measuring, entering the inputs and checking your own preview are free. Report → Excel is a free quantity/audit report. Export quote (.xlsx) creates your own priced Quote + Basis workbook and requires Pro: $15/month or $144/year. Downloading the fixed sample does not export your project or require Pro.
Projects save locally in this browser by default. Keep an exported backup before clearing site data. Optional shared-folder sync is off by default and uses storage you choose; see storage and backups.
The export
Export quote (.xlsx) downloads 〈project〉-quote.xlsx with two tabs:
- Quote — the client-facing page: your company masthead, project and date, grouped lines with quantity, unit, unit price, and extension, the total, and a terms line (“Quote valid 30 days. Excludes permits, testing, and winter protection.” by default).
- Basis — the audit trail: for every line, which measured condition it came from, the measured quantity, the parameters you entered, the waste applied, and the math. When a GC questions a number, this tab is the five-minute answer.
Remembered on your device
Your company name, assembly bindings, and unit prices are stored locally in your browser (where exactly) — the next takeoff opens the Quote builder already knowing your prices. Local storage is the default. If you enable optional shared-folder sync, project files are sent to the storage provider you choose; see storage and backups.
Measuring and building your quote are free; downloading your priced XLSX is the Pro plan: $15/month or $144/year. The free Report Excel export contains quantities and audit tabs, not the priced Quote + Basis workbook. Inspect the fixed synthetic sample free.