A civil takeoff is specifically related to civil engineering projects such as roads, bridges, water supply systems, and other infrastructure. The takeoff involves reviewing and analyzing construction plans to determine the quantities of materials like concrete, steel, asphalt, pipes, and various other components needed for the project. Civil takeoffs may also be referred to as earthwork takeoffs if in reference to the process of calculating the volume of earth (soil, rock, etc.).

Calculating earthwork takeoffs typically involves three main steps:

1. Plan and Data Review: This step involves reviewing the construction plans, including cross-sections, grading plans, and site details. You'll need to identify the areas where earthwork will take place, along with any cut or fill slopes, embankments, and other relevant information.
2. Takeoff Measurement: Once you've identified the areas for earthwork, you'll need to measure the dimensions of these areas accurately. For simple shapes like rectangles or circles, you can use length × width × depth calculations. For more complex shapes, you might need to break the area into smaller segments and measure each segment separately. It's important to include compaction factors and allowances for over-excavation or under-excavation, if applicable.
3. Volume Calculation: Once you have the dimensions, you can calculate the volume of earthwork. The formula for calculating the volume of a simple shape like a rectangular prism (assuming uniform depth across the entire area) is: Volume=Area×Depth. For more complex shapes, you might need to use the trapezoidal rule or Simpson's rule to estimate the volume. These methods involve breaking the area into smaller sections and calculating the volume for each section separately.

It's essential to document all assumptions and calculations, as these can affect the accuracy of the earthwork takeoff. Working with experienced engineers or using civil construction takeoff software like Houzz Pro can also help ensure accurate calculations.

Houzz Pro’s earthwork or dirt takeoff software works in minutes by allowing contractors to either manually upload measurements or import plans. From there, you’re able to mark plans up on screen, measuring lengths, width heights and calculating volumes or areas. Because Houzz Pro’s sitework takeoff software also comes with a built-in estimator, you can quickly turn your takeoffs into professional estimates so you can get your bid in first.

Yes, Houzz Pro’s earthwork and civil takeoffs are compatible with both Mac and Windows computers.

When you subscribe to Houzz Pro’s civil takeoff software, you also gain access to other features built to make your business stand out from the crowd and win more jobs:

• Estimate builder
• CRM
• 3D floor planner
• Selections

You can find more information about what features are included with each of our plans here.

When you subscribe to Houzz Pro’s civil takeoff software, you gain premium access to our support team. That means you get an exclusive phone number that directs you to an onshore team member and you get pushed to the top of the queue.

You also get personalized on-demand onboarding support, showing you how to properly use the specific features you want, when you want, to help get your business up and running with Houzz Pro. We also have a wide variety of help articles available in our Help Center and in-depth how-to videos on our YouTube channel.