AI-Powered MEP Estimation
HVAC Takeoffs.
Done in Hours,
Not Days.
InTakeoff reads 2D construction PDFs the way experienced estimators do — faster, consistently, without fatigue. Confidence-scored BOQ, ready for costing. Works alongside Bluebeam — no BIM or CAD files needed.
Days→Hrs
Typical time saved
70%+
Symbols auto-identified
12+
HVAC symbol classes
Bill of Quantities
Floor L03 — HVAC Package
Live
Supply Diffuser SD-300
13
Return Diffuser RD-200
8
VAV / FCU Unit
4
Duct Elbow 90°
22
Total Detected
47
Built on Transparency
The AI identifies the majority of HVAC symbols automatically and scores every detection with a confidence percentage.
You review, adjust, and approve before the BOQ is finalised. The AI counts — you decide.
70%+
Auto-identified
100%
Confidence-scored
Human
Final approval
How It Works
From Drawing to BOQ in 7 Steps
Your path from raw construction PDFs to structured, costing-ready quantities.
01
Create a Project ›
Set up a mechanical project the way estimators already think — by building, floor, or scope. No new mental model required.Project Setup
02
Upload HVAC Drawings ›
Digital PDFs deliver the best detection accuracy. Scanned drawings are supported — lower-confidence detections are automatically flagged for your review.PDF Ingestion
03
Enter the AI Workspace ›
A professional ruler-guided canvas — familiar like a PDF viewer, but the drawing is now intelligent and interactive.Intelligent Editor
04
Start AI Detection ›
One click. HVAC components, ducts, diffusers, VAV units — identified, classified, and overlaid on the drawing. Runs at 1–2 minutes per page at full resolution.AI Classification
05
Review and Validate ›
Every detection shows its confidence score. Accept, adjust, reclassify, or add manually. Nothing enters the BOQ without your approval.Human-in-the-Loop
06
Teach Custom Symbols ›
Found a project-specific symbol? Annotate it once in the workspace. Your corrections are queued for the next model update.Symbol Feedback
07
Generate the BOQ ›
A structured bill of quantities, export-ready. PDF summary, CSV, or detailed XLSX for costing, bidding, or procurement.Deliverable
01 — Project Setup
01
PROJECT
Name by building, floor, or scope
Our Story
Built by an HVAC Estimator
Not a software company that discovered construction. An estimator who built the tool he needed.
Every project was the same — hours of manually counting symbols, cross-checking schedules, and hoping nothing was missed under deadline pressure. There had to be a better way.
K
Kaleeswaran
Founder, InTakeoff — Former HVAC Estimator
Before InTakeoff, our founder spent over a year as an HVAC estimator — manually counting supply diffusers, return diffusers, VAV units, and duct fittings across project after project. The repetition was relentless. The margin for error was real.
That firsthand experience is why InTakeoff is designed differently. Every workflow decision was made by someone who has actually done the work. The confidence scoring, the human review step, the way symbols are classified — none of it was designed from the outside.
We built InTakeoff to eliminate the counting workload while keeping estimators in full control. The AI handles the repetition. You handle the judgement.
The Difference
Traditional vs InTakeoff
Traditional Method Current
Hours of manual counting — often days for large packages
Duplicate counting risk in split or overlapping drawings
Manual schedule review, cross-referenced separately
Output quality varies with workload and time pressure
Bidding capacity limited by your team's hours
Requires BIM model or CAD files on some platforms
With InTakeoff AI-Assisted
AI processes drawings in minutes — estimator reviews and approves
Duplicate-aware logic substantially reduces double-counting across split sheets
Equipment schedule linked to detected symbols — gaps flagged explicitly
Same drawing, same quantities every time — no estimator variance
Take on more projects without growing headcount
Works alongside Bluebeam — just upload PDF drawings, no BIM needed
Why Teams Choose Us
Built for MEP Estimators
Every feature designed around real HVAC pre-construction workflows.
01 ——
Faster Takeoffs
Estimation time drops from days to hours. AI reads and classifies HVAC drawings at a speed no human team can match — consistently, project after project.
02 ——
Lower Bid Risk
Duplicate-aware detection and schedule-linked identification reduces missed items. More competitive, more defensible bids on every project.
03 ——
Consistent Output
Same drawing, same quantities every time. No variance from estimator experience, workload, or time of day. The AI is the constant.
04 ——
Scales Without Headcount
Take on more projects without growing your estimation team. The platform absorbs the counting workload — you keep the margin.
Early Access
Let's Talk About
Your Workflow
We're onboarding our first cohort of MEP subcontractors. No contract. No setup fee. Pricing is discussed after we understand your drawing volume and workflow — so you only pay for what actually makes sense for your team.
30
Day refund window
Try it on real projects. If it doesn't save meaningful time, you pay nothing.
5
Pilot spots available
Direct access to the founding team. Your feedback shapes the product.
PDF
All you need to start
No BIM model. No CAD files. Just your existing HVAC drawing sets.
Pricing discussed after workflow review — no surprises.
How accurate is the detection?+
The AI identifies over 70% of HVAC symbols automatically on standard drawing sets, with a confidence score on every detection. That's a meaningful reduction in counting time — but it's not infallible. Human review is central to the workflow: you accept, adjust, or override before anything enters the BOQ. Think of it as the AI doing the first pass, and you doing the final call.
Can it detect custom or project-specific symbols?+
Yes. If the AI doesn't recognise a symbol, you can annotate it directly in the workspace. That annotation is queued for the next model update — so the system learns your drawing style over time. Custom symbols flagged by you are also manually addable to the BOQ immediately, without waiting for the model to be updated.
Does it work on scanned drawings?+
Yes, with caveats. Digital PDFs give the best accuracy. Scanned drawings are supported but typically produce lower-confidence detections — these are automatically flagged in the workspace so you know exactly where to spend more review time. The workflow is identical regardless of drawing type.
How does scale calibration work?+
Scale is set in the AI workspace using a ruler-guided calibration step before detection runs. You define the drawing scale once per page — the system uses it to correctly interpret symbol sizes and spatial relationships. If a drawing has multiple scales across sheets, each page is calibrated independently.
What if the AI misses equipment or counts something wrong?+
Every detection is editable. You can accept, reclassify, delete, or manually add items the AI missed — directly in the workspace. Nothing enters the BOQ without your approval. Low-confidence detections are flagged automatically so they're easy to find and review first.
Can I edit quantities manually and export to Excel?+
Yes on both. The BOQ is fully editable before export. Export formats include XLSX (detailed, for costing), CSV (for import into other tools), and PDF (for submission or review). The XLSX output is structured for direct use in bid pricing — no reformatting required.
How does it handle split floor plans or multi-sheet drawings?+
The system uses duplicate-aware detection logic across sheets in the same project. Items near sheet boundaries are flagged for review to prevent double-counting. You can process multiple pages as part of a single project, and the BOQ aggregates across all sheets — with per-page breakdowns visible in the workspace.
Where are my drawings stored? Is my data secure?+
Your drawings are stored on secure cloud infrastructure, encrypted in transit and at rest. They are never shared with other clients and are not used to train models across workspaces — your project data stays yours. Full data processing terms are available on request before you commit to anything.
Get in Touch
Book a Demo
for Your Team
Send us an email with your company name and a brief note about your estimation workflow. We'll reply within one business day to schedule a walkthrough on your actual drawing sets.
Response Time
Within one business day
We read every email and reply personally — no automated responses.
What to Include
Your company name, approximate monthly drawing volume, and what tools you use today (Bluebeam, PlanSwift, Excel, etc.). That's it — we'll take it from there.
What Happens Next
We'll schedule a 30-minute walkthrough using your own drawing sets — not a generic sales demo. Pricing is discussed after we understand your workflow.
Contact Us Directly
Two ways to reach the team
Email us directly — no forms, no bots. A real person reads and replies to every message. Mention your company and drawing volume and we'll set up a demo on your actual projects.
No contract. No setup fee. Pricing discussed after workflow review.