AI Mechanical Estimating Software Built for Subcontractors
ScopeTakeoff pairs an AI plan assistant with a real mechanical estimating engine. Ask your plan set questions — equipment schedules, GPM, pipe materials, scope — and get answers with the source sheet, while piping-to-fittings and duct-by-the-pound auto-calc do the busywork. AI measuring is in early access now — trained on verified takeoffs, it proposes equipment counts you confirm. AI that measures and answers mechanical work with you, never a black box you can’t check.
Mechanical subs across GA, AL, MS, LA & SC use ScopeTakeoff’s AI daily
| Assembly | Source | Qty | Unit | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hydronic Piping (steel) → fittings | Auto-calc | 2,400 | LF | $71,000 |
| Chiller / AHU (equip + rigging) | 4 | EA | $92,000 | |
| Rectangular Duct by weight | Auto-calc | 7,300 | lb | $46,000 |
| Pumps + Specialties | Auto-calc | 8 | EA | $37,000 |
AI that answers. Automation that calculates.
ScopeTakeoff’s AI mechanical estimating tools work inside a real Division 23 takeoff and bidding engine. The AI reads your plan set and answers questions; the automation turns every pipe run into derived fittings, welds, and hangers, every duct run into weight, and every unit into its rigging and startup labor. You stay in control of the count — and the busywork disappears.
AI Plan Chat
Ask your mechanical plan set in plain English: “Which sheets are the equipment schedules?” “What’s the chilled water GPM?” “What pipe material and spec is called out?” “Summarize the mechanical scope.” The AI reads your sheets and answers with the source.
Visual Plan Answers
Ask “how many units are on this mechanical plan?” or “where does the main piping run?” and the AI looks at the drawing to help you scope and sanity-check — and in early access it proposes the count for you to confirm.
OCR-Searchable Plan Sets
Every sheet is text-extracted automatically. Full-text search finds the equipment schedule, riser diagram, or spec section in seconds — instead of paging through the set by hand.
Automatic Sheet & Scale Detection
ScopeTakeoff reads the title block on every page — pulling the sheet number (M-101, M-601), sheet name, and scale automatically. Your set arrives named, numbered, and measure-ready without manual calibration.
Piping & Equipment Auto-Calc
Measure piping once and fittings, welds, hangers, and insulation derive from the run; equipment carries rigging and startup, and ductwork computes by weight. Per-system assemblies span hydronic, process, and refrigerant piping — all with Division 23 labor.
Aerial Takeoff
Measure site mechanical from satellite imagery by address — equipment pads, rooftop units, and site piping runs. Areas and lengths compute automatically, so plant and site scopes start before the plans even arrive.
From plan set to AI-assisted mechanical bid in minutes
ScopeTakeoff is AI mechanical estimating software built around how mechanical estimators actually work. The AI accelerates every step — and every number is yours to see, confirm, and override.
Upload your plans
Drag in your PDF plan set. Every sheet is OCR’d for search, and the sheet number, name, and scale are read from the title block automatically.
Ask the AI
Chat with your plans — equipment schedules, GPM, “what pipe spec is called out?” Get answers with sources before you measure a thing.
Measure — fittings auto-derive
Take off piping and the fittings, welds, hangers, and insulation derive themselves. Confirm the AI-proposed equipment count; each unit carries its rigging and startup labor.
Overhead, versions & SOV
Add overhead and profit, snapshot change-order and addendum versions, then export a one-click Schedule of Values and a branded proposal ready to send to the GC. No reformatting required.
Built for how mechanical estimators bid
Division 23 assemblies, piping-to-fittings and duct-by-the-pound automation, and an AI plan assistant that reads the M-sheets — whether you’re bidding plant, central systems, or design-build.
Commercial Mechanical Subs
Hydronic, process, and refrigerant piping, ductwork, and equipment — with the AI answering schedule, GPM, and spec questions from the plans.
Plant & Central Systems
Chillers, boilers, AHUs, and pumps with rigging and startup lines, plus piping that derives welds and hangers — priced with Division 23 labor.
Design-Build & Plan-Spec
Pull equipment schedules straight from the AI, then price piping and duct-by-the-pound in one flow with labor attached.
Trained on verified takeoffs, not the open internet
ScopeTakeoff trains its own construction models on real, verified takeoffs across 10+ trades — the data flywheel behind AI measuring. Every unit counted and pipe run confirmed sharpens the next bid. It’s a dataset a general-purpose chatbot doesn’t have and a competitor can’t buy.
Purpose-built for the trades
Models trained on how mechanical elements appear on plans — piping, equipment, duct, and pumps — not generic text. They read a plan set like an estimator, because they learned from estimators.
Accuracy you confirm
AI measuring proposes the count; you confirm it. Because the models learn from verified takeoffs, the proposals sharpen over time — and every number on your bid is one you signed off on.
Priced to include
Running purpose-built models keeps AI cost low enough to include at $100/person/month — no enterprise AI add-on, no upsell to get the intelligence.
AI assistant vs. auto-takeoff AI vs. Excel
“AI mechanical estimating software” means different things. Some tools attempt a black-box equipment count you audit after the fact. ScopeTakeoff’s approach: the AI answers, derives fittings and labor, and — now in early access — proposes equipment counts trained on verified takeoffs, which you confirm. The estimator owns the count. Here’s the honest difference.
| Feature | ScopeTakeoff | Auto-takeoff AI tools | Excel |
|---|---|---|---|
| AI plan Q&A (schedules, GPM, scope) | ✓ With sources | Rare | ✗ None |
| AI-proposed equipment counts | ✓ Early access — you confirm | Black-box, you audit | ✗ None |
| Piping-to-fittings + labor | ✓ Auto-calc | Quantities only, labor varies | ✗ Manual |
| OCR search + auto sheet & scale | ✓ Every sheet | Varies | ✗ None |
| Estimate versions & change orders | ✓ Addendum snapshots | Varies | ✗ Manual copies |
| SOV output for GC submission | ✓ One click | Rare | ✗ Manual |
| Pricing | $100/person/mo, self-serve | Typically quote-based | $0 (but slow) |
What mechanical subs say about ScopeTakeoff’s AI
“Piping that derives welds and hangers, plus duct by the pound, is the whole estimate for me. I measure and it builds.”
“The AI finding the equipment schedule and citing the sheet saves the flip-through on every plan set.”
“It proposes the unit count and I confirm it. Fast, and the number is still mine.”
Common questions about AI mechanical estimating
AI mechanical estimating priced for subcontractors
$100 per person per month with AI credits included. No annual contract, no implementation fee, no quote-based pricing games.
- 1 estimator seat
- AI plan chat + visual answers
- OCR search + auto sheet & scale detection
- Division 23 + all 16+ trade assemblies
- Piping & Equipment Auto-Calc
- Aerial takeoff
- Unlimited projects
- SOV + proposal export
- 2–5 estimator seats
- AI plan chat + visual answers
- OCR search + auto sheet & scale detection
- Division 23 + all 16+ trade assemblies
- Piping & Equipment Auto-Calc
- Aerial takeoff
- Unlimited projects
- SOV + proposal export
- Bid review workflow
14-day free trial. No credit card required. Cancel anytime.
Try AI-assisted mechanical estimating
with ScopeTakeoff
14-day free trial. No credit card. No sales call. Cancel anytime.
Start free trial →AI Plan Chat · OCR Search · Auto Sheet & Scale · Piping & Duct Auto-Calc · AI Measuring (beta) — included at every plan