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How Beam AI Automates HVAC Takeoffs
Estimating and winning HVAC jobs shouldn’t come with the grind of endless takeoff tasks. Yet, for many estimators, hours are spent glued to the screen—clicking, tracing, and counting ductwork, piping, fittings, and equipment on digital site plans.
It’s tedious, time-consuming, and takes you away from the strategic work that actually moves the needle: refining estimates, value engineering, coordinating with GCs or suppliers, and chasing new opportunities.
The current process feels like running on a hamster wheel—takeoffs dominate your time, leaving little bandwidth for work that truly benefits your bottom line.
That’s where Beam AI comes in. By automating HVAC takeoffs for ducts, piping, fittings, and equipment, Beam AI frees up your schedule so you can focus on what matters. With takeoffs completed automatically, you save up to 90% of the time previously spent doing them manually.
Let’s dive in to see how Beam AI transforms your workflows, letting you bid smarter, faster, and more efficiently.
What Is HVAC Takeoff Software?
HVAC Takeoff Software is a tool used by contractors and estimators to quantify the materials required for HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning) systems in construction projects. This is where you calculate the ductwork, pipes, vents, and other components needed for the system. With this data, you create estimates that account for labor and overhead costs alongside materials.
Most digital takeoff software widely used in the construction industry while useful, require extensive manual input—tracing lines on plans, clicking endlessly, and leaving little room for strategic work.
By automating this process, modern-day AI-based HVAC can help you record incredible time savings while guaranteeing accuracy. In the next section, we’ll explore how Beam AI stands out against your current takeoff software.
Things That Help Beam AI– HVAC Takeoff Software Stand Out
Beam AI stands out with its ability to automatically track and update HVAC site plan revisions, instantly reflecting changes in takeoff calculations. Let’s understand this better in detail.
1. Completely Automated HVAC Takeoffs
Unlike your current takeoff software that requires poring over site plans, you can simply upload site plans, define the scope of work, and hit submit. That’s all. AI extracts quantities from plans and factors in all specs and keyed-in notes. Then, an experienced estimator validates the takeoff before it reaches you.
What this means for you is that you no longer have to spend hours stuck in front of a screen. Your estimating team can invest this time into coordinating with GCs and suppliers, refining estimates, and value engineering.
2. Automatic Change Detection across addenda
Every estimator’s nightmare: the GC issues a last-minute addendum, leaving you scrambling to redo the entire takeoff. It’s a frustrating reality—manually remeasuring, recalculating, and rechecking everything, doubling your workload just to keep up with changes.
Beam AI, however, automatically tracks and updates revisions from addenda. The AI-based software identifies the changes and updates the HVAC takeoff calculations. Whether it’s a shift in duct routes or additional equipment specs, the AI identifies the differences, recalculates quantities, and ensures your data is always current. You can resubmit takeoff in 3 simple ways, as shown in the image below.
a. Multiple Export Options for HVAC Takeoffs
Traditionally, sharing the HVAC takeoff data often meant juggling multiple software. Beam AI changes the game with its cloud-based approach, enabling you and your team to work on the same takeoff in real time—anytime, anywhere.
i. Custom Excel Reports - Streamline your workflow by exporting your takeoff quantities directly to an Excel file that aligns with your estimating workflows. This allows estimators to easily build their estimates based on the takeoff data and import this Excel file into their estimating software.
ii. Sharable Link: With multiple export options, you can share HVAC takeoff across your team to ensure every communication and change stays on the same page. Gone are the days of juggling spreadsheets and emailing outdated files. With Beam AI’s cloud-based view-only link feature, share your HVAC takeoffs with general contractors, suppliers, or any other stakeholders in one click. They can access and review site plans in real time, from anywhere.
iii. PDF Reports: Beam AI’s PDF reports help you present your takeoffs to clients during the bidding process by allowing you to export annotations directly onto the original plans. This makes it easier for project owners and stakeholders to see the exact site plan. With Beam AI, you’re not just submitting numbers; you’re presenting a detailed, visually compelling report that speaks for itself and helps you make a lasting impression.
b. Advanced Takeoff Library
Managing multiple HVAC takeoff projects can be challenging for contractors since they have to look after multiple projects at the same time. That’s where Beam AI’s “Takeoff Library” comes in—it keeps all your completed HVAC takeoffs in one central, easily accessible location.
But that’s not all. Beam AI’s Takeoff Library isn’t just for storage; it’s built for collaboration. Your team can access HVAC takeoffs in real-time, ensuring everyone is on the same page.
c. Editing Toolbar
Beam AI’s editing toolbar puts the power of customization in your hand. The toolbar offers a variety of features—edit, add features, rotate, split, cut holes, and more.
One standout feature in the editing toolbar is Tags. You can divide your quantities using tags. Tags help you easily sort, filter, and organize quantities—whether it's by phase, trade, or any other category.
Each takeoff can be assigned a tag or subtag from a specific category, giving you the flexibility to categorize data in a way that makes the most output for your workflow. And here’s the best part—you can apply multiple tags to a single takeoff, ensuring quantities stay well-organized across your entire takeoff.
How to Set Up HVAC Takeoffs with Beam AI In 4 simple steps.
Unlike the manual takeoff software, you won’t have to spend hours clicking and dragging or going through complicated training sheets to understand the software. Beam AI’s user-friendly interface makes setting up takeoffs super easy. You can set up your takeoff in under 2 minutes.
Here’s how it works:
- Upload your site plans in PDF format
- Confirm your scope of work & hit submit
- AI analyzes your plans & the takeoff,
- Once validated by an experienced QA team, it reaches your inbox in 24-72 hours
All you need are your project plans, specs, and any other details you want to include in the scope of work. This streamlined process allows you to spend time refining estimates and working with suppliers instead of spending hours drawing polygons on manual software.
Benefits of Using Beam AI over Other HVAC Takeoff Software
With takeoffs done for you end to end, you can:
- Focus on high-value tasks like refining estimates, value engineering, and building client relationships.
- Reduce bid turnaround times and manage multiple projects simultaneously, as the AI can set up several takeoffs in parallel without additional input.
By streamlining the takeoff process, Beam AI boosts productivity and efficiency, saving a lot of their time so that they can focus on what truly matters for your business: securing new projects, refining estimates, and enhancing customer relationships.
Final Thoughts
Say goodbye to the endless hours of manual measuring and recalculating with every plan revision. Beam AI not only automates this process but tracks changes in real-time, ensuring your HVAC takeoffs are always accurate and up to date. For estimators and contractors, this means faster turnaround times, fewer errors, and more focus on refining estimates and coordinating with suppliers—driving your projects forward without the hassle.
With Beam AI saving you 90% of the time previously spent on manual takeoffs, your estimators can now bid on 2x more jobs. Ready to transform your HVAC takeoffs? Let Beam AI help you get there. Book a personalized demo with us to get your first AI takeoff.
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