Buyer's guide
How to compare AI steel takeoff software
The right tool reads your drawing sets accurately, lets your estimators review and correct every member, handles revisions, and exports to the systems you already use. The way to find out is to run the same drawing set through each tool and time the cleanup, not the demo.
Before the demo
Five questions to ask every takeoff vendor.
Bring these to every demo and write down each vendor's answer, so you can compare them side by side afterwards.
01
Is it built only for structural steel?
Why it matters
Steel drawings have their own conventions: piece marks, column schedules, camber and stud callouts. Ask whether the tool reads them or leaves them for your estimator to type in.
SketchDeck's answer
Yes. All of our R&D goes into structural steel. SketchDeck reads shape, size, length, stud counts, camber and piece marks from the labels.
02
Can estimators edit and override results?
Why it matters
Your estimator signs off on the number. If they can't check and correct each member, they have to redo the takeoff before they can trust it.
SketchDeck's answer
Yes, at the member level. Every line in the bill of materials traces back to its highlight on the sheet, and anything unclear is flagged for review instead of guessed.
03
Does it export to your fab systems?
Why it matters
If the quantities have to be retyped into your estimating or fabrication system, you add a step and another chance for errors.
SketchDeck's answer
Yes. Tekla PowerFab, STRUMIS, E.J.E., FabTrol, Excel or your own BOM template, plus a marked-up PDF. We map the export to your import file before you start.
04
How often does it ship updates?
Why it matters
Your drawings, scopes and bid schedules change. Ask what shipped in the last year and how customer requests make it into the product.
SketchDeck's answer
Our latest release is SketchDeck 3.0, with connection material, new markup tools, section-cut linking and improved bid management.
See what's new in SketchDeck 3.005
Can you test it on your own bids?
Why it matters
A canned demo runs on drawings the vendor picked. Your own bids show how a tool handles your drawing quality, your scope and your exports.
SketchDeck's answer
Yes, trial access follows the demo.
Run a side-by-side test
Run the same drawing set through every tool.
A side-by-side test on one of your own bids tells you more than any feature list. Keep everything the same except the tool.
01
Pick a real bid
Choose a recent drawing set you have already taken off, so you have a number to check against. Include scanned sheets and schedules, not only the clean pages.
02
Run it through each tool
Use the same set, the same scope and, if you can, the same estimator for every tool. Note how long setup takes before the takeoff starts.
03
Time the cleanup, not the demo
Clock the time from the first result to a takeoff your estimator would put in a bid. Count the members they had to correct, add or delete.
04
Send a revision through
Load a revised set or an addendum. Check whether the tool shows what changed, member by member, and keeps the work you already did.
05
Export into your own system
Import the bill of materials into your estimating or fabrication system. A clean import with no retyping is part of the result.
Record the results for each tool on one sheet, so the comparison is the same for all of them.
- Same drawing set
- Same scope
- Same estimator
| Record for each tool | Tool A | Tool B | Tool C |
|---|---|---|---|
| Setup time before the takeoff starts | |||
| Time from first result to a takeoff you would bid | |||
| Members corrected, added or deleted | |||
| Unclear items flagged for review | |||
| Revised set: changes shown by member | |||
| Export imported without retyping |
Fill one column per tool. Only the tool changes between columns.
Software or a takeoff service
In-house software and takeoff services suit different shops.
Some shops send drawings out to a takeoff or estimating service. Others run the takeoff in-house with software. Here is how the two compare.
| In-house takeoff software | Outsourced takeoff service | |
|---|---|---|
| Control | Your estimator runs the takeoff and decides what goes in the bid. | The service takes off the job to its own method. You check what comes back. |
| Turnaround | You start when the drawings arrive, on your own schedule. | Depends on the service's queue and how busy it is at bid time. |
| Review | Your team sees every member and where it came from on the sheet. | You get finished quantities. Checking them in detail means going back to the drawings. |
| Revisions | Your team runs the comparison when the addendum lands. | Each revision goes back to the service as a new request. |
| Cost structure | Usually a subscription. Your estimators' time stays part of the cost. | Usually paid per job or per drawing set, so the cost grows with your bid volume. |
| Suits | Shops that bid regularly and want the method, the data and the skills to stay in-house. | Shops that need overflow help on occasional jobs, or have no estimator in-house. |
SketchDeck is software. Your estimators run the takeoff in SketchDeck. No drawings are sent out and there is no turnaround queue.
Who SketchDeck is built for
SketchDeck is built for commercial structural steel.
Where SketchDeck fits best
- Commercial structural steel fabricators in North America with a dedicated estimating team
- Erectors doing their own takeoffs
- Bids that start from 2D PDF drawing sets, scanned sets included
- Jobs like data centers, warehouses, hospitals and hotels
A weaker fit today
- Shops that work only from 3D models
- Mostly misc and ornamental metals, such as stairs and handrails
- Residential and mixed-material buildings
See how SketchDeck's steel takeoff software works, how it handles revision management, or what it does for erectors. For a deeper evaluation framework, read the buyer's guide to AI estimating software.
See it on your drawings
Put SketchDeck in your side-by-side test
Bring a drawing set from a current bid to the demo. Trial access follows, so you can run SketchDeck on your own bids next to the other tools you are testing.
Questions about comparing takeoff software
Have a question that isn’t listed here?
How should I compare AI steel takeoff software?
Run the same drawing set through each tool and time the cleanup, not the demo. That's where the differences show up. Send a revised set through and test the export on the same job, then use trial access to repeat the test on your own bids.
How accurate is SketchDeck on real drawings?
Test it on your own drawings and judge for yourself. SketchDeck detects beams, columns, braces and joists, reads sizes and piece marks from the labels, and flags anything unclear for review instead of guessing. Your estimator reviews every member, and each line in the bill of materials traces back to its highlight on the sheet.
Is SketchDeck software or a takeoff service?
Software. Your estimator runs the takeoff and controls the output. No drawings are sent out and there is no turnaround queue.
What happens when the drawings get revised?
Upload the new set and SketchDeck compares it against the previous revision, member by member. You see what was added, changed or deducted, with the weight difference, and the work you already did carries over.
Will I need new computers or a specific detailing platform?
No. SketchDeck runs in the browser on standard office computers, and you don't need a detailing platform. It exports to Tekla PowerFab, STRUMIS, E.J.E., FabTrol, Excel and your own BOM template, plus a marked-up PDF.
What does onboarding look like?
We pair you 1:1 with a solutions engineer during onboarding. After that, we offer ongoing training online, plus on-site training for larger teams. In-app support and a help center with articles and videos are there from day one.
What does it cost?
It depends on your team size and bid volume. We'll give you a quote on the call.
Can I try it before I buy?
Yes. Book a demo with a product expert and you'll get trial access to run SketchDeck on your own bids.