Guides
Takeoff guides and trade takeoffs
How to check a takeoff before it becomes a bid, what Portravo reads off the drawings for each trade, and short answers to the questions contractors ask before they upload a plan.
How-to guides
Worked steps you can use on any job, with or without Portravo.
Trade takeoffs
What Portravo reads for each trade that can run on its own, what comes back, and what you still check. Other trades are done by our team by hand.
- Electrical takeoffReceptacles, Switches and controls, Lights and fans, Life safety and low voltage, Service.
- Framing takeoffStud walls and plates, Floor joists and rim, Beams, girders and headers, Posts and columns, Roof framing, Sheathing.
- HVAC takeoffEquipment, Registers and grilles, Ventilation.
- Plumbing takeoffFixtures, Appliance hookups, Water, Drain, waste and vent, Fuel gas.
- Landscape and irrigation takeoffPlanting, Areas, Mulch and topsoil, Existing trees, Irrigation, Irrigation pipe, Edging.
Want to see real output first? The electrical sample is a public house plan run through the same takeoff.
Questions
Each answer starts with the answer. All questions
- Why is RSMeans wrong for my city?National books lag the shelf.
- Can I trust AI takeoff on a bid?Use it as a first pass; confirm every line.
- PlanSwift vs STACK vs getting one priced bid tonightSeats vs one bid.
- What should a line item show the customer?Source, basis, date, or don't ship the number.
- Where does Portravo work?Built for contractors across the U.S., with pricing tied to your metro.
- Does Portravo do HVAC and mechanical takeoff?Yes. The upload page shows which, today: Automatic or Done by our team.
- How accurate is the count?Source on every line; nothing prices until you confirm.