Material Take-Offs

[PaperStreet SoapCO]

Ok - I know this subject has a ton of questions already attributed to it but I couldn't seem to find the answer I was looking for. I am trying to do a material take-off schedule so that we can do some preliminary cost estimating for a project.

I went to View -> New -> Material Take-off

You get all the options for Material schedules but what if I want to create one for linear feet? How would I go about doing this? Is this the appropriate way to do a cost-estimate in Revit? Once upon a time a while ago I did something similar to this but for the life of me I can't remember how I did it . I guess that's what happens when you only attempt something once every 5 years.

[PaperStreet SoapCO]

After some thought, here is what I'm thinking about doing - you guys tell me if I'm off my rocker:

I'm starting with a material take-off schedule over multiple categories. I am then adding the parameters of material: area, material: volume, material: comments, manufacturer and name. I am then creating a parameter called Cost PSF, Cost PLF, and Cost PCF to calculate length, area and volume. I am then adding calculated values and formulas that multiply the number I enter in the schedule for cost by its length, area or volume depending upon how the material is calculated. The one thing I'm missing is the Material: Length parameter. Anyone know how to add something that calculates material length? or height? I can't figure it out since Revit won't let me edit the default Material parameters you have to choose from.

Or maybe I'm going about this completely wrong

Sorry, these posts seem redundant but this second post kind of states a bit more clear what I'm trying to do

[dimitri]

I actually have the same issue Chad. I'm trying to quantify a sweep profile i have at the top of most of my walls. I need to know the length of a particular material (which the sweep is supposed to represent), but I can't seem to figure out how to get length as a parameter either.

I guess i could go through a long winded calculation, but there must be an easier way no?

[twiceroadsfool]

I was going to blog about material and quantity take offs in the near future, because of questions just like this. Im sure the heavy hitters who are actually doing it could chime in with much more authority, but...

In my opinion, there would be a major inherent flaw in a schedule that purely described all of the "material" in the project. Especially the way revit handles materials, unless youve circumvented it yourself. Case in point:

Gypsym Board or Metal Framing. As we declare the materials in Revit, its not by thickness, which gets defined in the wall assemblies themselves. That is to say, if you quantify it, it will tally all gypsum together... An issue if youre paying more for 5/8 over 1/2. Ive started seperating out all of these different items, which is adding in a manual control to something Revit is already controlling- something i normally am completely against doing. But for intelligent and differntiated tagging, as well as decent costing, etc, its very necessary in my humble opinion.

That said, i would be more inclined to try using assembly schedules than a material takeoff, for costing anyway. I could see the takeoff for quantifying materials on site, or whatever, but for costing i would go with schedules. Concrete being assembled as a floor is bound to be cheaper than concrete getting poured in tilt up panels... I wouldnt want them costed together...

[PaperStreet SoapCO]

Nor would you have to either. I have made a material for each different item that needs to be quantified. So I have a grade beam material, floor slab material, caisson material, etc. So I can quantify them each how I want. The grade beam as LF, floor slab as SF, etc. All I need to do is figure out how to create a parameter that reads LF of material.

[twiceroadsfool]

I dont think it will. How would it figure out LF of materials that are specified at varying thicknesses? Thats what im saying, anything (material)thats going to get costed in linear feet, youll need a schedule of that object, like walls...

[Norton_cad]

I'd recommend Costx to do this material take off. Have a look at the demo on the attached link...
http://www.exactal.com/images/demo_costx-revit.html

[PaperStreet SoapCO]

I appreciate the link - I'll take a look at it. We may in the end have to look at a 3rd party program but for this particular project I was seeing if a rough estimate could be completely done within Revit.

[STHRevit]

Once again Autodesk have provided and promoted a product with a feature that doesn't do what most people need it to do. But hey, we get ribbons so that makes up for it i guess.