Material Takeoff vs Quantity Takeoff: What’s the Difference?

Material Takeoff vs Quantity Takeoff: What’s the Difference?

A material takeoff identifies and quantifies the physical materials required for a construction project.

A quantity takeoff measures the broader construction scope shown in the drawings and specifications. It may include material quantities, but it can also cover measurable work such as excavation, demolition, formwork and other items that will later receive labour, plant or subcontractor rates.

In practice, the terms are often used interchangeably. A builder may call the document a takeoff, a supplier may call it a material takeoff, and a quantity surveyor may refer to the measurement process as a quantity takeoff.

For this reason, the name of the document is less important than its agreed scope.

Before ordering a takeoff, confirm what will be measured, how the quantities will be presented and whether pricing, waste allowances or marked-up drawings are included.

Estimating Australia provides professional construction takeoff services for builders, subcontractors, developers and estimating teams throughout Australia.

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What Is a Material Takeoff?

A material takeoff, sometimes abbreviated as MTO, is a detailed measurement of the physical materials required to complete a defined part of a construction project.

For a roofing project, the material takeoff may include roof sheets, tiles, insulation, sarking, gutters, downpipes, flashings and cappings. A plasterboard takeoff may identify standard board, wet-area board, fire-rated board, cornices and associated lining areas.

The purpose is to translate the drawings and specifications into quantities that can be used for supplier pricing, material planning or procurement.

A useful material takeoff should separate products where their size, specification, finish or installation method affects the price. A single figure such as "400 square metres of cladding" may not be sufficient when the elevations contain several profiles, colours or facade systems.

The material takeoff may present net drawing quantities, adjusted material quantities or both. The report should clearly explain which type of quantity is being shown.

What Is a Quantity Takeoff?

A quantity takeoff, commonly abbreviated as QTO, records the measurable work represented in the construction documents.

It may include materials, but its purpose can be broader than producing a purchasing list.

A quantity takeoff measures the scope. A construction estimate converts that measured scope into a price.

For example, a quantity takeoff may measure concrete in cubic metres, formwork in square metres, reinforcing steel by weight, pipes in linear metres and fixtures by number. These quantities provide the foundation on which an estimator later applies labour, material, plant and subcontractor rates.

The quantity takeoff may later be organised into a Bill of Quantities, particularly where the project requires a formal and consistently structured schedule of work.

The Practical Difference

The simplest practical distinction is that a quantity takeoff generally measures what is shown in the project documentation, while a material takeoff may take those measurements further toward supplier pricing or purchasing.

Consider a roof with a measured area of 250 square metres.

The quantity takeoff may record the 250-square-metre roof area together with the measurable lengths of ridges, valleys, gutters and flashings.

A material-focused report may also consider the selected sheet cover width, available sheet lengths, laps, cutting patterns and product packaging. The final quantity ordered may therefore be greater than the geometric roof area.

This is a useful distinction, but it is not a universal rule. Some material takeoffs show net quantities only, while some quantity takeoffs include separately stated waste allowances.

The safest approach is to ask the estimator to define the deliverables before work begins.

Net Quantity, Waste and Ordering Quantity

These are three related but different figures.

The net quantity is the amount measured from the drawings using the agreed measurement method.

The waste allowance accounts for cutting, laps, breakage, offcuts and installation losses.

The ordering quantity converts the measured requirement into the sheets, boards, rolls, packs or standard lengths available from a supplier.

For example, a floor may have a net tiled area of 72 square metres. The contractor may then add a waste allowance based on the tile size, laying pattern and room layout. The final order must also account for the number of tiles contained in each box.

Net quantity tells you what the design requires. Ordering quantity tells you how much of a specific product may need to be purchased.

Waste should not be hidden inside an unexplained total. Showing it separately allows the builder or subcontractor to adjust the allowance when the product, supplier or installation method changes.

Does a Material Takeoff Include Pricing?

A material takeoff does not automatically include prices.

It may provide quantities only, or it may be extended to include supplier rates and estimated material costs. Because different providers use the term differently, clients should not assume that a material takeoff is a priced document.

Estimating Australia's takeoff-only service is intended for builders and subcontractors who already have their own supplier rates, labour costs and commercial margins.

We complete the measurement while the client retains control of the final price.

For a service that combines quantities with material rates, labour, plant, overheads and profit, see our construction estimating services.

Does a Quantity Takeoff Include Labour?

A quantity takeoff may measure the work used to calculate labour, but it does not necessarily include labour hours or labour costs.

For example, the takeoff may identify 800 square metres of plasterboard lining. The estimator can then apply an installation productivity rate to determine the expected labour hours.

The same principle applies to painting, brickwork, excavation, concrete and many other trades.

The takeoff establishes how much work exists. The estimate determines what that work is expected to cost.

Example: Roofing Takeoff

A roofing quantity takeoff may identify the roof areas, ridges, hips, valleys, gutters, downpipes, penetrations and flashings shown in the project documents.

A more material-focused takeoff may separate roof sheets by profile, colour, thickness or length and identify the quantities required for sarking, insulation, cappings and associated accessories.

The report should state whether the quantities are net measurements or whether product-specific waste and lap allowances have been applied.

For specialised measurement of these systems, see our roofing, cladding and insulation takeoff services.

Example: Plasterboard Takeoff

A plasterboard quantity takeoff may measure wall linings, ceilings, bulkheads, cornices and different board systems.

It should separate standard plasterboard from wet-area, acoustic or fire-rated products where those distinctions affect pricing.

A material takeoff intended for procurement may go further by considering board sizes, wall heights, double-layer systems, sheet orientation and cutting waste.

A single square-metre total may be enough for early budgeting but insufficient for final purchasing. The required level of detail should therefore reflect how the report will be used.

Material Takeoff vs Bill of Quantities

A material takeoff focuses mainly on the physical materials required for a defined scope.

A Bill of Quantities provides a more structured schedule of measurable construction work. It can include material-intensive items as well as demolition, preparation, formwork, temporary work and other activities that are not simply material lists.

A BOQ may be priced or unpriced, depending on its purpose. It is commonly used to obtain consistent tender pricing, compare contractors or document a broader construction scope.

The Australian Institute of Quantity Surveyors recognises quantification, measurement and documentation as a core professional competency. AIQS also publishes the Australian and New Zealand Standard Method of Measurement, which supports consistency in the way construction work is described and measured.

Not every trade takeoff needs to become a formal Bill of Quantities. However, every professional takeoff should use clear descriptions, appropriate units and a transparent measurement basis.

What Should a Professional Takeoff Include?

Regardless of whether it is called a material or quantity takeoff, the report should make the quantities understandable and reviewable.

It should identify what has been measured, the relevant unit, the project location and the drawings used. Different materials, ratings and systems should remain separate where they require different rates.

The report should also state important inclusions, exclusions and assumptions. If waste or another adjustment has been added, it should be visible rather than incorporated into an unexplained total.

Where marked-up drawings form part of the agreed service, the reviewer should be able to trace the major quantities back to the relevant plan, elevation or detail.

Why the Drawing Revision Matters

A construction quantity is only reliable in the context of the drawing revision from which it was measured.

A takeoff can be accurately measured and still be wrong for the current project if it is based on an outdated drawing set.

Professional takeoffs should identify the drawing numbers and revisions used.

When revised documents arrive, the estimator can compare them against the original set and determine which quantities have changed. Without this record, it may be difficult to know whether a changed roof layout, wall construction or window opening has been incorporated.

Which Takeoff Does a Builder Need?

Builders usually need quantities organised around how the project will be priced and delivered.

For early budgeting, broad trade quantities may be sufficient. A tender may require the work to be separated by building, level, trade or construction stage. Procurement may require product-specific quantities and waste allowances.

A builder with established supplier and labour rates may only need the measurement completed. This allows the builder to retain control of its commercial pricing while reducing the time spent measuring drawings.

Our article on outsourcing construction estimating explains when this approach may be useful.

Which Takeoff Does a Subcontractor Need?

A subcontractor usually needs a takeoff structured around the way that particular trade is priced.

A painter may need walls, ceilings, doors, frames and trims separated. A roofer may need roof areas, sheet lengths, gutters and flashings. A bricklayer may need different brick and block types, wall heights, openings and piers.

The report should allow the subcontractor to apply its own labour output, supplier rates, access costs, overheads and margin.

This is why the required trade structure should be discussed before measurement begins.

Why the Scope Matters More Than the Software

Digital takeoff software can improve speed and consistency, but it does not decide what belongs in the report.

The estimator must still interpret drawings, identify trade boundaries, recognise conflicting information and decide how quantities should be organised.

Software cannot reliably determine whether a flashing belongs to the roofing or cladding contractor, whether an opening should be deducted or whether an unclear specification requires an assumption.

The Australian Institute of Quantity Surveyors identifies quantification, measurement and documentation as a professional competency because construction measurement requires judgement as well as software.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are material takeoff and quantity takeoff the same thing?

They are often used interchangeably, but they can describe different deliverables.

A material takeoff usually focuses on physical products. A quantity takeoff may measure the broader construction scope used to prepare an estimate or Bill of Quantities.

Because usage varies, clients should confirm the scope rather than relying on the document name.

What is the simplest difference between an MTO and a QTO?

A quantity takeoff generally measures the work shown in the drawings. A material takeoff may translate those measurements into the materials required for pricing or purchasing.

This is a practical distinction rather than a universally applied industry rule.

Does a quantity takeoff include materials?

Yes. Material quantities are normally a major part of a quantity takeoff.

The report may also include other measurable construction work, such as excavation, demolition, formwork and individual installation items.

Does a material takeoff include labour?

Not normally. A material takeoff focuses on physical materials.

The quantities may later be combined with labour productivity rates to calculate installation hours and costs.

Does a takeoff include prices?

Not necessarily.

A takeoff-only report provides quantities. A priced estimate applies material rates, labour, subcontractor costs, plant, overheads and profit.

Which takeoff is best for supplier pricing?

A material-focused takeoff is usually most helpful when it identifies the product specification and the quantities requiring supplier prices.

Final purchasing quantities may still need to be adjusted for pack sizes, sheet lengths and supplier requirements.

Which takeoff is best for tendering?

A quantity takeoff is generally suitable for tendering because it provides the measurable basis for applying labour, material and subcontractor rates.

The required quantities should be separated in a way that reflects the project's trade packages and pricing structure.

Can one report be both a material and quantity takeoff?

Yes.

One report can show net construction quantities alongside adjusted material requirements. The figures should be clearly labelled so the user can distinguish the drawing measurement from waste and ordering adjustments.

What is the most important thing to specify when ordering a takeoff?

Explain how the report will be used.

A takeoff for early budgeting, tendering, supplier pricing and final procurement may require different levels of detail.

Material Takeoff or Quantity Takeoff: Which Do You Need?

You may not need to choose between the two terms.

You need to define the required outcome.

If you need a reliable basis for estimating or tendering, request clearly organised net quantities.

If you need to approach suppliers or plan procurement, request product-focused material quantities and confirm whether waste or packaging adjustments are required.

If you need the quantities converted into a complete project price, request a construction estimate.

If you require a formal schedule for consistent pricing and tender comparison, a Bill of Quantities may be more appropriate.

Do not commission a takeoff based on its name alone. Confirm what will be measured, what will be excluded and how the quantities will be delivered.

Need a Material or Quantity Takeoff?

Send us the latest drawings, specifications and schedules. Tell us which trades need to be measured, how the quantities will be used and when the report is required.

Estimating Australia will review the documentation and confirm the scope, fee and delivery date before work begins.

Keep control of your supplier rates, labour costs and margins while we complete the measurement.

Call today on to get started.