3 Tasks Estimators Can Safely Automate with AI Today

The real value of AI in construction estimating isn’t in replacing estimators, it’s in giving them time back. This is because many of the most time-consuming parts of an estimator’s day are also the safest to automate. These are tasks where speed, consistency, and pattern recognition matter more than judgment, and where AI can free estimators to focus on what actually wins work.

And now that you’re wondering, here are 3 tasks estimators can confidently automate today.

First, quantity takeoffs. This is where AI delivers the most immediate value. Reading drawings, identifying symbols, and extracting quantities are repetitive, visual tasks that machines excel at. AI can now scan plan sets, recognize scopes, and produce structured takeoffs far faster than manual workflows. Estimators still review and adjust, but instead of starting from a blank slate, they start with 80–90% of the work already done. That alone can cut days out of a bid cycle.

Second, RFI drafting and creation. Before or during takeoff, estimators often run into conflicting information, missing details, or unclear design intent, for which they raise RFIs. With AI, estimators can draft the core question in plain language and let AI clean it up, hence making it clearer, more professional, and easier for architects, designers, or suppliers to respond to. The estimator still decides what to ask; AI just helps say it better and faster.

Third, document review and change detection. Large bid sets often include hundreds of pages, revisions, and addenda. AI can quickly flag what changed, what’s new, and which sheets actually impact quantities. Instead of rechecking everything, estimators can focus only on the areas that matter, reducing late-stage surprises and burnout.

And a bonus point. One of the most overlooked time-wasters in estimating happens before takeoff even starts: sorting through bid invitation emails. Important ITBs often get buried in inbox clutter. And now that you’re wondering, here are 3 tasks estimators can confidently automate today., a Beam AI feature, pulls every ITB into one centralized dashboard, giving estimators a clear, organized view of all bid invitations. From there, relevant bids can be sent straight to the Bid Board to track deadlines, RFIs, addenda, and bid status in one place, so nothing slips through the cracks.

The key takeaway is simple: AI works best when it handles the heavy lifting. When routine, repetitive work is automated, estimators stay firmly in control, just with more time, clarity, and confidence to focus on higher-value decisions.

And platforms like Beam AI are designed around this philosophy: automating takeoffs and preconstruction workflows while keeping estimators like you in the driver’s seat.