Educational content for structural steel estimating and takeoff teams. It is not engineering, legal or commercial advice. Review quantities against the project drawings, specifications and qualified professional judgment.
Before takeoff
- Confirm the drawing revision and addenda.
- Check the drawing index against the PDF set received.
- Define the structural steel scope and exclusions.
- Confirm units, scale and drawing standard.
- Set up source columns for sheet, grid, detail and notes.
Member checklist
- Member marks are captured or stable review IDs are assigned.
- Section sizes are resolved through schedules where necessary.
- Columns, beams, girders and bracing are listed separately.
- Angles, channels, HSS and plates are checked in plans and details.
- Detail-only callouts are reviewed and not double counted.
- Duplicates between enlarged plans, details and schedules are resolved.
Dimensions and quantities
- Lengths come from explicit dimensions or grid spacing before scaling.
- Scaled PDF measurements are calibrated on the same sheet.
- Missing or broken dimensions are logged as queries.
- Repeated members are checked before lengths are copied.
- Counts reconcile against schedules and highlighted drawings.
Final review
- Every quantity points back to a drawing source.
- Every highlighted member appears in the takeoff list.
- Unresolved assumptions and RFIs are visible.
- A second reviewer can follow the list without rebuilding it.
- The final takeoff is saved with the drawing revision used.
This page is structured as checklists so it can be printed from the browser or copied into an internal bid template. For a broader bid checklist that includes estimating handoff, see the existing structural steel estimating checklist.
SteelBox supports this style of review by keeping member evidence, measurement status and confirmation close to the drawing. Explore SteelBox takeoff software or request a demo.
FAQ
What should be included in a steel takeoff checklist?
Include drawing revision, scope, units, member marks, sections, counts, lengths, source references, exceptions and final review.
Is this the same as an estimating checklist?
No. A takeoff checklist focuses on quantities and drawing evidence, while an estimating checklist also covers pricing, allowances and handoff.
Should connection material be included?
It should be included where relevant to the scope, either as a detailed takeoff or as a documented allowance reviewed by the estimator.