Residential takeoff services · Contractor bid reviews · Anywhere in the USA
Framing and lumber takeoff services, with every line cited to your plans.
Send your plans and spec sheet. You get a framing takeoff, or every building material from concrete to shingles, and every line shows the plan sheet it came from, so you can check any number fast. AI does the first count. Then I check every line by hand, with over 20 years in the trade. Houses, multifamily, light commercial, garages, shops, barns, additions and decks: if it has wood in it, I can take it off. Takeoffs are back in 2-3 business days. Already have quotes? I put them side by side, price what each one leaves out, and show you the real total.
No charge until I review your files and approve the job. Then you get an invoice.
What a lumber takeoff costs
Quote Check
- Up to 3 quotes, written$150
2 business days. Quotes compared on a one-page written summary. Credited toward a Bid Review if you upgrade within 7 days.
Bid Review
- Up to 3 quotes$450
- 4 quotes$550
5 business days. Any material quotes: lumber, panels, concrete, roofing, siding, windows. Priced gaps and written vendor questions.
Framing-Only Takeoff
- Up to 3,000 SF$150
- 3,001-4,000 SF$225
- 4,001-5,000 SF$300
- Larger quotedfrom $500
2-3 business days. Framing lumber, sheathing, headers and beams, hardware. Every line sourced.
Full Material Takeoff
- Up to 3,000 SF$500
- 3,001-4,000 SF$650
- 4,001-5,000 SF$800
- Larger, multifamily or commercial quotedfrom $1,200
2-3 business days. Every material, foundation to shingles. Every line shows its plan sheet.
Launch price: the first 3 Full Material Takeoffs up to 3,000 SF are $400 (list $500).
Upgrade a Framing-Only Takeoff to the Full Material Takeoff within 7 days and the framing fee is credited. Rush: takeoffs within 1 business day for +30%, if my schedule allows. Garages, shops, barns, additions, decks and light commercial buildings are quoted from the plans and sized like these tiers. Large jobs are quoted. Turnaround is in business days from approved, complete files. Full scope and what's not included
Why pay for a takeoff when the lumber yard does one free?
A yard's free takeoff is part of selling you that yard's order. Mine isn't tied to any supplier. It covers every material, not just what one yard stocks, and every line cites the plan sheet it came from. Send the same list to three suppliers and their quotes come back apples to apples. If the free one is all you need, use it.
Bidding a lot of jobs? Ask about a corporate account.
Builders who send regular work get volume pricing. Email me to set it up.
Email about a corporate account
hello@secondlookbids.com
How it works
- Send your files.Plans, your spec sheet, and every page of any quotes, on the order page. No account needed.
- I review them.Within 2 business days I approve the job or tell you what's missing. Nothing is charged.
- Pay.Once approved, you get a Stripe invoice or payment link. Card or bank transfer. The clock starts when it's paid.
- Get the results.Files by email, every number sourced to your plans. Questions? Reply by email.
Contractor bid review: the real total, side by side
Every quote is entered as written. Every gap gets a cost. Here's a small, made-up example from a lumber package review.
| Made-up example | Vendor A | Vendor B | Vendor C |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quoted price | $38,400 | $41,200 | $36,900 |
| Wall sheathing | Included | Included | +$3,100 |
| Structural hardware | +$1,850 | Included | +$1,850 |
| Glulam and LVL beams | Included | Included | +$2,200 |
| Headers | +$1,350 | Included | Included |
| Delivery (vendor's stated charge) | Included | +$600 | Included |
| Deposit | 50% | 30% | 20% |
| Adjusted total | $41,600 | $41,800 | $44,050 |
Every takeoff line shows where it came from
| Made-up example | Qty | Source on your plans | Conf. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Foundation wall concrete | 8.2 CY | S-101 Foundation Wall Schedule, tag FW2: 8" x 8'-0", 41.5 LF | Med |
| Window W3, 3050 single hung | 4 EA | A-101 Window Schedule W3, count 4 | High |
| Exterior wall batts | 1,850 SF | A-301 wall section 1. No R-value on plans: sized to code minimum, sent to you as a question | Low |
Run by a framer with over 20 years in the trade.
Homes, hotels and apartment buildings. AI-assisted takeoffs, and every number is checked by hand before it goes out.
Before you send anything
Your files stay confidential
Used only for your job. Not shared. Deleted 12 months after delivery, or sooner if you ask.
Advisory only
Not engineering and not a guarantee of any vendor's price. You make the final call and confirm with the vendor.
Liability capped at the fee
If I get something wrong, my liability is limited to what you paid. I fix my own errors free for 30 days.
No charge until approved
You pay only after I've reviewed your files and approved the job. Full refund if you cancel before I start.
Plans or quotes on your desk? Get a second look before you order.
No charge until I approve your files. Work is done from PDFs, so the job can be anywhere in the USA.