What's New
Recent changes, biggest first. The short version: TradeForge no longer guesses at your prints โ every number is measured, traced, or read from real geometry, and AI does what AI is actually good at.
A full duct estimating program
Duct mode now stands on its own: rectangular, round/spiral, and flex; metals with real weights (galvanized, aluminum, stainless, carbon/black steel); and stock priced by weight, by the foot, or by the joint/box per size. The fitting set is complete โ dampers, access doors, turning vanes, taps, spin-ins, boots, flex connectors, terminations โ each priced per piece (and per size if you want). Grease / black-iron duct is supported with a welded joint and per-foot continuous-weld labor. There's a full Duct price list for all of it.
One bid for the whole job โ labor + material
Trace each page, then combine the sheets into one material list, price it from your book or a pasted rep quote (it matches & extends the line items), and generate one combined bid โ labor + material + your markup, tax, overhead, profit, and equipment/sub quotes. It warns when a rep quote looks partial so material can't be silently undercounted. The weld-labor model is an explicit choice (built into your units, or a separate weld count). Sanitary now prices real DWV fittings (P-traps, cleanouts, closet flanges, AAVs) instead of treating them as elbows, and fire suppression got the same treatment โ heads, drops, and riser/pump-room valves (alarm/dry/deluge, backflow, OS&Y, FDC) price for real, with NFPA 13 hanger spacing and a full pump-room vocabulary.
Faster, harder to get wrong
A live on-canvas HUD (footage ยท fittings ยท hangers ยท rough bid) updates as you trace; a loud "scale not set" banner means footage is never silently missed; full Undo / Redo (Ctrl+Z / Ctrl+Y); an on-canvas shortcut cheat sheet; custom fittings you can key and price; and job templates so a new bid starts set up.
The Analyzer is now a precision-import tool
PDF and image vision analysis has been retired. Counting symbols off a rasterized print was never accurate enough to bid from, so we stopped pretending. The Analyzer now takes DXF, DWG, and IFC only โ formats where quantities come measured from the file geometry, not estimated from pixels. PDFs and images load in Draw Takeoff as snap-assisted underlays you trace yourself. AI still works the text side: spec books, addenda reviews, size-callout reading in DXF dual mode, and generated material lists.
Draw Takeoff โ five tabs that match how you actually estimate
Pipe Types is the setup tab โ pipe list plus the Detection & counting settings (auto-detect toggles, valve connections, pipe-length couplings) you set once before tracing.
Runs โ everything you've traced, per run.
Quantities โ what's on the drawing and how much of it: footage, fittings per run, hangers, and the Generate material list block. Not a dollar sign on it.
Bid โ the money room in rollup order: Labor & welding crew, Material, Bid Recap with quotes and burdened rate, Proposal & Export, Scope Check, Addenda Review.
Fit-Out โ equipment drop kits, applied per end run.
Edit your numbers where you see them
In the Bid tables, click any Cost cell to set that exact item's unit price, click any Hrs cell to set its labor unit โ both write straight into your price and labor books. Click a fitting Qty to override the count (orange dot marks it; โ reverts to the detected number). Overrides flow through material and labor and save with the job.
Faster tracing
Drag & drop: drop a PDF, image, or DXF/DWG straight onto the canvas to load it (or use Load Print). Zoom to separate: snapping is a fixed on-screen distance, so on tight drawings just zoom in โ close parallel runs stop grabbing each other, and dropped fittings land on the exact line under the cursor. Drop Fit tool: arm a fitting and stamp it along a run with single clicks โ it snaps to the line and inherits the size. Editable action keys: every action (Finish, Undo, Riser, End, P-trap, Hanger, Fit-out, Iso direction) now lives in the same editable key list as your fitting shortcuts. Ctrl+click finishes a run or opens segment edit. Backspace is single-key undo while drawing.
Quality-of-life
Custom materials: "๏ผ Custom material" at the top of the pipe picker โ type any name, it persists on your device. Thirteen new stock materials joined the list, from Med Gas Copper (NFPA 99) to PVC C900. Collapsible everything: every section header and breakdown table in the sidebar folds away (collapsed tables still show their subtotal) and remembers how you left it. Quotes: no more + buttons needed โ one blank line always waits at the bottom; fill it and the next appears. Double-click confirms: destructive buttons arm on first click instead of throwing popups. Duct mode: the rate buttons open the duct book ($/lb, per-fitting, liner/wrap) instead of the pipe CSVs; grille/register/diffuser drops (press E) now show by size on the Quantities tab, not just the bid; turning vanes & louvers are in the duct fitting set. Per-trade type lists: pipe and duct each keep their own type list, so switching trades or loading another sheet brings back the types you last used. No duplicate saves: saving a sheet name that already exists in the job asks to overwrite or rename.
The product promise, in one line: we don't guess at your prints. You trace it or the geometry measures it โ and either way, you can defend every number on bid day.
Blueprint Analyzer
The Analyzer tab is where every job starts. You upload your file, set your project details, and hit Analyze. What happens under the hood depends entirely on what file type you drop in.
The single biggest thing you can do for accuracy is use the right file type. A clean IFC or DXF from the engineer gives exact measured quantities; anything rasterized (PDF, photo) belongs in Draw Takeoff where you trace it yourself. See the File Types & Accuracy section for the full breakdown.
The upload process
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Drop or choose your file โ DXF, DWG, or IFC. (PDFs and images now load in Draw Takeoff as traceable underlays.)2
TradeForge detects the file type and switches modes automatically โ DXF loads the layer panel, IFC loads the BIM panel3
Review the detected data (layers for DXF, pipe segments for IFC) and make any corrections before running4
Set your project details, trade type, and any pre-analysis instructions5
Hit Analyze โ results appear on the Takeoff tab automatically
DXF dual mode โ getting the most out of CAD files
When you load a DXF, a second upload zone appears below it. If you also have the matching PDF print of that same drawing, drop it in there. The DXF handles measuring exact lengths from geometry, and the PDF handles reading pipe size callouts, hanger notes, and written annotations that engineers often put on the plot but don't include in the DXF layer data. Using both together is the best non-IFC option available.
What gets analyzed on every run
Measured / extracted
Pipe run lengths by system and size
Pipe materials from layer names, callouts, or BIM properties
Written text and callouts from the drawing
AI-estimated on top
Fitting counts by type (elbows, tees, reducers, caps)
Hanger counts and spacing
Specialty items โ PRVs, unions, drip legs, test ports
MCA labor hours by task and trade level
Draw Takeoff
Trace pipe runs by hand directly over a print and TradeForge measures the footage, counts the fittings, and figures the hangers for you. This is the manual counterpart to the AI Analyzer โ you stay in full control of every line, and it's the most accurate way to take off a busy mechanical sheet.
Draw Takeoff is the home for every PDF and image print, when you only need part of a sheet, or any time you want a verified hand takeoff you can stand behind on bid day.
The workflow, start to finish
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Load Print โ drop in an image or PDF of the sheet. Multi-page PDFs ask which page to load. Loading a new print starts a clean sheet (it clears the previous runs so old work never carries over).2
Add pipe types โ pick a material and the sizes you'll be tracing. Each size gets its own color so runs are easy to tell apart. Pipe, electrical conduit, and ductwork are all supported (see below).3
Set Scale โ click the Set Scale tool, click two points a known distance apart on the print (a dimension string or scale bar), then type that real distance in feet. Everything measures off this.4
Draw Run โ pick a size, then click point-to-point along the pipe. Runs snap to existing runs so you can tie branches in cleanly.5
Finish the run โ press Enter or Spacebar, double-click, or hit the Finish Run button. Start the next run.6
Open the Quantities tab โ footage by material/size, fittings per run, detected fittings, and hanger counts are all there, ready to save or export.
Enter or Space โ finish the current runS โ change pipe size (mid-run it changes the segment you're drawing; otherwise it switches the active size)R โ drop a riser at the cursor ยท E โ mark an end run / equipment drop at the cursorCtrl/โ+Z โ undo the last point / runEsc โ cancel the run in progress (or exit point-edit mode)
As you draw, TradeForge places a colored dot on every fitting it detects. A 90ยฐ bend in a run reads as a 90ยฐ elbow, a shallower bend reads as a 45ยฐ, an inline size change reads as a reducing coupling, and where one run ties into another it reads as a tee โ a reducing tee when the branch size is different from the main. The Symbol key in the bottom-left corner of the canvas explains every dot; collapse it with the chevron or hide it with the โ (a small "Key" tag brings it back).
Tie-ins: snap the end of a branch onto another run โ onto a corner point or anywhere along it โ and that junction is counted as a tee, overriding any elbow or coupling that would otherwise land there.
Fix a misread: right-click any fitting dot โ Change fitting type to set it manually. Your override sticks through re-detection and reloads.
Plumbing fixtures: in plumbing mode the fitting menu includes a Fixtures group โ water closets, urinals, lavs, sinks, drinking fountains, floor drains, water heaters, carriers and more. Drop them where they land on the print and they're counted and priced (set + trim labor) like any other item; edit the defaults in the price books.
Edit the line: right-click a run โ Edit points to drag corners; right-click a corner to delete it or insert a new one.
The Quantities tab figures hanger / support counts using the governing national-code spacing for whatever material you're tracing โ no manual lookups. The default Auto (by code) setting picks the right spacing automatically:
Pipe โ IPC 308.5 for copper, cast iron, PVC, CPVC, and PEX; MSS SP-69 size-graduated spacing for steel; IFGC / NFPA 54 for gas pipe.
Electrical conduit โ NEC: EMT & IMC at 10 ft, rigid metal (RMC) graduated 10โ20 ft by size, PVC conduit graduated 3โ8 ft by size, flexible (FMC/LFMC) at 4.5 ft.
Ductwork โ SMACNA: rectangular 8 ft, round 12 ft, flexible 5 ft.
Each hanger row shows the exact code basis it used. Need a different field spacing? Use the Spacing dropdown to force 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, or 12 ft, or a custom value โ set once and it becomes your default.
Carbon / black steel reads as general steel (MSS) unless the type name includes "gas" or "CSST" โ name it accordingly to pull the tighter gas-code spacing. Code spacing drives the per-foot count; remember the within-3 ft-of-fittings termination supports aren't part of that number.
Save stores the print, runs, and takeoff to a Job so you can reopen it later. Export CSV drops the takeoff into a spreadsheet.
Generate material list turns the takeoff into an email-ready list you can save to your library, merge with other lists, copy, or download.
Clear Takeoff (Quantities tab) wipes the runs, fittings, and numbers but keeps the print and scale loaded so you can re-trace. Clear All wipes everything, print included.
File Types & Accuracy
Your file type is the single biggest accuracy variable. Here's every format ranked from best to worst โ with honest numbers and plain explanations of why.
Quick reference โ ranked best to worst
| # | File Type | Engine | Pipe Footage | Pipe Sizes | Fittings | Best For |
| 1 |
.ifc IFC BIM |
BIM data reader |
97โ99%+ |
98โ99%+ |
92โ96% |
Final bids, full projects |
| 2 |
.dxf + img DXF Dual |
Geometry + vision |
90โ96% |
90โ96% |
80โ88% |
CAD with annotated prints |
| 3 |
.dxf / .dwg DXF |
Geometry reader |
88โ95% |
82โ92% |
75โ85% |
CAD-only jobs, no print |
| 4 |
.pdf / img Draw Takeoff |
You trace, it counts |
100%* |
100%* |
100%* |
Any print โ *it's your takeoff |
An IFC export from a BIM model (Revit, Trimble, ArchiCAD) is essentially a pre-built takeoff. The engineer already modeled every pipe segment, fitting, and piece of equipment with all their properties filled in โ size, material, system type, and often exact length. TradeForge reads that data directly. There's nothing to estimate from a picture. It's like reading the answer off the answer key.
What happens when you drop in an IFC
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The IFC text file is parsed entirely in your browser โ every IfcPipeSegment, IfcPipeFitting, and equipment entity is extracted2
Pipe sizes, materials, and system names are read directly from the BIM object properties โ no guessing3
If the IFC was exported with quantities, exact pipe lengths are used and a green banner confirms it. If lengths weren't exported, a yellow warning appears and AI estimates from segment count and system type4
You review the extracted pipe segments in a table, check or uncheck items, and correct anything before sending to the AI5
AI adds specialty items, labor hours, and any fittings not explicitly in the BIM model
Accuracy is limited only by how completely the engineer modeled the system. Some BIM models have every elbow and reducer; others just have centerlines. Always ask the GC or engineer for the IFC file โ not the PDF โ whenever it's available.
After loading a DXF, a second upload zone appears. Drop in the matching PDF print of the same drawing and TradeForge runs both simultaneously โ exact geometry measurements from the DXF, plus visual annotation reading from the PDF. Engineers frequently write pipe sizes, hanger specifications, and revision notes directly on the print that never get encoded in the DXF layer data. Dual mode catches both.
When to use dual mode
You have both a DXF and the printed PDF of the same drawing โ always use both
The DXF has pipe runs but sizes are not in the layer names โ the PDF callouts will fill them in
The print has hanger specs, detail notes, or revision clouds that don't appear in the DXF
DXF files contain actual drawing coordinates โ every line has a precise start and end point. TradeForge reads those coordinates, calculates real lengths in feet, organizes them by layer (each layer typically represents a pipe system), and extracts any TEXT or MTEXT annotations written on the drawing. This is fundamentally different from looking at a picture โ we're measuring actual geometry, not estimating from pixels.
How the layer panel works
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Every layer in the DXF is listed with its total measured length2
TradeForge auto-maps layer names to pipe systems (e.g. "P-CWS" โ Cold Water Supply, "M-HWS" โ Hot Water Supply)3
You can edit any system assignment before analyzing โ if a layer is mislabeled, fix it here4
Uncheck any layers you want to exclude (title borders, structural grids, survey lines, etc.)
DWG files are first converted to DXF via CloudConvert (takes about 10 seconds) then processed the same way. Footage accuracy depends on how the engineer drew the pipe centerlines โ if pipes are drawn as blocks or 3D solids instead of polylines, coverage will be lower. Check the layer totals in the panel to verify everything got picked up.
PDF and image vision analysis has been retired โ AI guessing at symbols on a rasterized print was never accurate enough to bid from, and a takeoff you can't trust costs more time to verify than doing it right. Instead, PDFs and images load in Draw Takeoff as a crisp underlay: set the scale with two clicks on a known dimension, trace the runs with snap-assist, and every fitting, hanger, and foot of pipe is counted from your tracing. It's not an estimate of the drawing โ it is the drawing, with your name on the count.
Why this beats AI vision
Defensible: when a GC questions a number, you point at the line you traced โ not at a neural network's hunch
Deterministic: fittings auto-detect at your traced corners and tees, hangers compute at code spacing, length-joint couplings count per lengths โ same input, same answer, every time
Fast where it counts: tracing a sheet takes minutes; verifying an AI's wrong takeoff takes longer than that and you still don't trust it
Congestion-proof: overlapping trades, cloudy backgrounds, and handwritten revisions don't confuse a human with a snap tool
*100% of what you traced โ the tool never adds, drops, or guesses. Accuracy is yours to own, which is exactly how a bid should work.
Project Details
Project details tell the AI exactly what kind of job it's looking at before it starts analyzing. Getting these right makes a meaningful difference in output quality.
The most important setting. The AI uses your trade selection to determine what systems to prioritize, what materials are standard, what specialty items to add, and how to calculate labor. A plumbing trade will count CWS, HWS, sanitary, and vent runs. HVAC piping will focus on chilled water, heating hot water, and refrigerant. Setting the wrong trade will produce a takeoff for the wrong scope entirely.
Use Mechanical (All) if the drawing covers multiple trades and you want everything counted in one pass. You can sort it out by system on the Takeoff tab.
For DXF and IFC files, scale is embedded in the file geometry โ no scale setting needed, ever. In Draw Takeoff, you set scale once by clicking two points of a known dimension (or it comes free with a DXF underlay).
Tells the AI how to interpret what it sees. Plan view counts all horizontal pipe runs. Elevation counts vertical runs only. Isometric is used for verification rather than primary takeoff โ the AI knows it'll see the same pipe from a different angle and won't double-count. Combined / single line diagram is for overview drawings that show systems schematically rather than at scale.
Increases the image analysis token budget for large-format, high-resolution drawings. Enable this for clean CAD-exported PDFs at 1/4" or 1/8" scale with a lot of content. Leave it off for simple sketches or rough photos โ it uses more tokens without improving accuracy on low-quality source material.
System Label Mapping
Mechanical drawings use abbreviations that mean nothing without a legend. This card lets you define them before the AI reads the drawing so it assigns the right material and labor to each system.
Every contractor abbreviates their pipe systems differently. CWS might mean Cold Water Supply on one job and Chilled Water Supply on another. HHR could be Heating Hot water Return or Hot water Recirculation depending on who drew it. Without knowing what these mean, the AI will make its best guess โ and it'll be wrong often enough to matter on a real bid.
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Common abbreviations are pre-loaded (CWS, HWS, SAN, VNT, GAS, etc.) โ check them against your drawing's legend2
Click Add custom for any abbreviation on your drawing that isn't in the defaults3
The system mapping is sent to the AI before it sees your drawing โ it won't guess at abbreviations that are defined here
On jobs with a lot of systems (full hospital mechanical, data center, etc.) spending two minutes here to map every abbreviation will noticeably improve how the AI categorizes pipe runs in your takeoff.
Crew Builder
Set your actual crew and TradeForge calculates how the AI-estimated man hours translate into real cost and duration for your specific team.
After analysis, the AI returns a total MCA labor hour estimate broken down by task (pipe installation, fitting installation, hanger installation, etc.). The Crew Builder takes those hours and distributes them across your crew based on headcount, then multiplies by each person's pay rate to get total labor cost.
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Add each trade level (Journeyman, Apprentice Year 2, etc.) with headcount and hourly rate2
Pay rates auto-fill from your Settings tab โ set your default rates once and they load every job3
After analysis, total hours are split proportionally across the full crew headcount4
Total labor cost = (hours per person ร rate) summed across all crew members
The AI uses MCA labor standards as a baseline. Adjust with productivity factors on the Commit tab for height, temperature, congestion, and other field conditions that affect real productivity.
Pre-Analysis Instructions
A direct line to the AI before it analyzes your drawing. Use this to tell it things about the job that aren't visible on the print.
This text is prepended to every analysis request as a system briefing. The AI reads it before it sees your drawing. Think of it as talking to the estimator before they pick up the print. Anything you know about the job that isn't shown โ scope carve-outs, existing conditions, material overrides, zone notes โ goes here.
Examples of useful instructions
Fit-out scope: "Include fit-out for (3) AHUs on roof and (1) boiler in mechanical room โ connections, isolation valves, unions, and flexible connectors"
Hidden runs: "Count 4 risers โ they run in the north chase and are not shown on the plan view"
Material override: "All mains are Sch 40 black iron. Branches 2" and under are Type L copper."
Scope exclusion: "Exclude all gas piping โ separate subcontract"
Labor conditions: "Zone A (mechanical room) is ground level. Zone B (above ceiling) is 12-foot ladder work throughout."
Waste factor: "Add 10% waste on all copper fittings and 15% on solder"
Instructions persist between sessions. If you use the same boilerplate on every job (waste factors, standard fit-outs, preferred materials) set them once here and they'll be there every time.
Equipment Fit-Out Scope
List the mechanical equipment on the job and let the AI build the connection packages automatically โ valves, unions, flexible connectors, strainers, and specialties for each piece.
When you add a piece of equipment here โ pump, AHU, boiler, chiller, heat exchanger โ the AI adds a complete connection package to your takeoff based on what that equipment type typically requires. A pump gets suction and discharge isolation valves, a union or flexible connector, a balancing valve, a strainer, and pressure gauges. A boiler gets supply and return isolation, pressure relief valve, expansion tank connection, and drain valve.
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Click Add equipment and enter the equipment type (pump, AHU, boiler, chiller, etc.)2
Enter a tag number if you have one (P-1, AHU-3, etc.) โ this shows up in the equipment schedule3
Add connection size if known โ the AI will estimate from equipment type if not provided4
On analysis, the AI builds a complete fit-out package per piece and adds it to the specialty items section of your takeoff
Equipment fit-out is one of the most commonly under-priced scopes in mechanical contracting. The valve and specialty count on even a simple pump package adds up fast โ letting the AI build it means nothing gets missed.
Scope Sheet
Your inclusions, exclusions, assumptions, and special conditions โ formatted and exported with every bid package so the GC knows exactly what's in your number.
A scope sheet is your paper trail. When a GC calls to say "why wasn't the rooftop disconnect included?" you pull up the scope sheet and point to the exclusion you wrote. It protects you from scope creep, change order disputes, and assumptions that turn into your problem. Every bid should have one.
Inclusions: What labor and material is in your number
Exclusions: What is specifically NOT included (permits, equipment by others, gas tie-ins, etc.)
Assumptions: What you assumed that isn't clearly stated on the drawings
Special conditions: Access restrictions, phasing, hazmat, existing systems, prevailing wage, etc.
Takeoff Results
Everything the AI found is organized into editable tables. Nothing is locked โ you're expected to review and correct before using the numbers.
Every cell in the takeoff tables is editable โ click any value to change it. Pipe footage, material, size, fitting counts, hanger quantities, labor hours โ all adjustable. Items flagged with a yellow "Field verify" checkbox are things the AI estimated rather than measured directly. These are your priority review items.
Items with Field Verify checked were estimated โ verify these in the field before finalizing
The notes column on each row explains where the number came from โ "From DXF geometry" vs "AI estimate"
Use the material library (book icon on pipe rows) to swap materials and auto-update the row
Export to CSV anytime โ CSV exports the entire takeoff including all edits
Spec Book Analyzer
Drop in the full project spec book and the AI reads every section, pulling only the requirements that apply to your trade.
Spec books are typically hundreds of pages covering every trade on the job. Most of it doesn't apply to you. The Spec Book Analyzer reads the whole document and surfaces only the sections relevant to the trade type you select โ approved materials, hanger spacing requirements, insulation specs, testing and commissioning requirements, submittals, and any special conditions.
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Upload the spec book PDF โ multi-page, full document works fine2
Select your trade type to filter what's relevant3
Hit Read spec book โ the AI works through every section and extracts your trade's requirements4
Results are organized by category: materials, installation, special conditions, submittals, testing5
Hit Apply to Takeoff to update your material list to match spec-approved materials automatically
Run the spec book before you run the blueprint analyzer. That way Apply to Takeoff can correct materials on your fresh takeoff in one shot instead of you hunting through 300 pages manually.
Best time to run spec books: Late nights and weekends. Anthropic's API servers see dramatically less traffic at 10pm Saturday than at 2pm Thursday. The same 957-page spec book that takes 10+ minutes and hits timeouts during peak hours can run clean in 5-6 minutes on a Saturday night. If you're running a big job, queue it up before bed.
Commit & Reporting
Turn your completed takeoff into a formatted bid package with productivity adjustments, labor totals, and a printable PDF report.
The Commit tab applies zone-level productivity multipliers to your AI-estimated labor hours. The base estimate assumes normal working conditions. Real jobs rarely have normal conditions โ above-ceiling work, high overhead, confined mechanical rooms, extreme temperatures, and congested areas all reduce productivity and increase actual hours. Set multipliers per zone and the system recalculates total labor automatically.
1.0 = normal conditions (ground level, clear access, comfortable temperature)
1.2โ1.4 = above ceiling, ladder work, moderate congestion
1.5โ2.0 = extreme height, confined space, hazmat, temperature extremes
The PDF report exports takeoff, labor breakdown, scope sheet, and project details as a single printable document
What TradeForge Can't Do
Honest limitations. Knowing where the tool falls short is just as important as knowing where it excels.
These are hard limits that apply in every mode โ no file format or setting can work around them. Always do a field walk or involve a qualified estimator for final bid pricing.
Pipe hidden inside walls, above ceilings, underground, or in chases โ unless that geometry exists in the file, it isn't counted
Field-run pipe added by the superintendent that was never drawn
Existing rough-in locations or as-built deviations from the design drawings
DXF layers that contain pipe drawn as blocks or external references instead of polylines โ these don't parse as geometry
Fittings are always estimated from run lengths and system type โ they are never counted from drawing symbols in any mode
Labor hours are based on MCA standards adjusted for your trade โ they don't account for your crew's specific skill level, local jurisdiction, or job-specific conditions you haven't described
Site-specific conditions (soil type for underground, seismic requirements, unusual support conditions) require a qualified estimator to interpret
Drawings without a readable scale or with no clear pipe system differentiation will produce unreliable results regardless of file type
TradeForge produces estimates, not certified takeoffs. The output is a starting point for a qualified estimator โ not a finished bid. All numbers should be reviewed by a licensed professional or experienced estimator before being used for a submitted bid. TradeForge LLC assumes no liability for estimating errors, missed scope, or project losses. See the full Terms of Service in Settings for details.