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How much does a lumber takeoff cost?
Short answer: it depends on the size of the building, how complete the plans are, and how much you want counted. Here's how pricing works here, what pushes any takeoff price up or down, and when the free takeoff from your lumberyard is all you need.
Our prices, flat and by square footage
Prices here are flat, set by finished square footage, and shown before you order. You pay nothing until I've checked your files and approved the job.
| Finished sq ft | Framing-Only | Full Material |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 3,000 | $150 | $500 |
| 3,001-4,000 | $225 | $650 |
| 4,001-5,000 | $300 | $800 |
| Over 5,000 (quoted) | from $500 | from $1,200 |
Launch price: the first 3 Full Material Takeoffs up to 3,000 sq ft are $400. Standard turnaround is 2-3 business days. Rush (1 business day, when my schedule allows) is +30%.
A Framing-Only takeoff is the lumber takeoff most builders mean: framing lumber, sheathing, headers and beams, and structural hardware. A Full Material takeoff covers every building material from foundation to shingles. Upgrade from Framing-Only to Full within 7 days and the framing fee is credited.
What drives the cost of any lumber takeoff
Whoever does your takeoff, these are the things that make it take longer and cost more:
- Size and number of levels. More wall, floor and roof area means more to count. Each level has its own plate heights, openings and headers.
- Complexity. Lots of corners, bump-outs, vaulted ceilings, tall walls, varied plate heights and stepped foundations all add lines.
- Plan quality. Clean vector PDFs with a full structural set are faster than scans, or sets with the engineering missing. Missing information has to be flagged as a question rather than guessed.
- Scope. Lumber only is a smaller job than every material. Trusses or panels by others, a framed floor versus slab, and sheeting all walls versus exterior only change the count.
- Repetition. Multifamily with repeated unit types can be efficient. Many unique units can't.
- Turnaround. Faster delivery usually costs more.
- Output. A bare quantity list is quicker to make than one where each line shows where it came from. The sourced version is the one you can check.
Free lumberyard takeoff vs a paid independent takeoff
Many lumberyards and building suppliers will do a takeoff for free when you're pricing a package with them. That's a real service, and for a lot of jobs it's enough. It's worth knowing what you're getting, though:
- It's part of selling you that order. The takeoff and the quote come from the same place, so there's no one checking the quantities from the other side.
- It covers what that supplier sells. Usually lumber and related items, not concrete, roofing, siding or insulation unless the yard carries them.
- Each yard counts differently. If three yards each do their own takeoff, the three quotes aren't priced on the same list, so the cheapest number may just be the shortest list.
- You often can't see the math. Many supplier takeoffs come as a quantity list without the plan sheet or dimension behind each line.
A paid independent takeoff isn't tied to any supplier. You hand the same list to every yard, so the quotes come back apples to apples. Here, every line shows the plan sheet, detail or schedule it came from and the dimension or count used, plus a High, Med or Low confidence flag, so you can check anything you doubt.
When the free one is enough: a simple build, one supplier you trust, and no plan to shop the package around. When a paid one pays for itself: you're comparing several quotes, the job is big enough that a few percent matters, or you want your own number to check a supplier against.
Already have quotes? Check them instead
If the takeoffs are done and you have quotes in hand, you may not need another takeoff. A Quote Check ($150, up to 3 quotes, 2 business days) gives you a one-page summary of the gaps and what to ask each vendor. A Bid Review ($450 for up to 3 quotes, $550 for 4) prices what each quote leaves out and shows adjusted totals. See also how to check a lumber quote yourself.
Questions
How much does a lumber takeoff cost?
Here, a Framing-Only (lumber) takeoff is $150 up to 3,000 finished sq ft, $225 for 3,001-4,000 and $300 for 4,001-5,000. Larger, multifamily and light commercial jobs are quoted from $500. A Full Material takeoff is $500 / $650 / $800 for the same sizes, quoted from $1,200 above that.
Is a free lumberyard takeoff good enough?
Often, yes, for a simple job with one supplier. It's tied to that supplier's order and usually covers only what they sell. If you're comparing several quotes, one independent list priced by every yard makes the quotes comparable.
How long does a lumber takeoff take?
Two to three business days from approved, complete files for buildings up to 5,000 sq ft. Rush is 1 business day for +30% when the schedule allows.
Do I pay before you look at the plans?
No. You send the order form and files. I check them, and only after I approve the job do you get an invoice or payment link.
Second Look Bids does residential and light commercial takeoffs and bid reviews, materials only, anywhere in the US. Advisory only; not engineering or plan review.