Division 03: Concrete reinforcing
Rebar takeoff and estimating services from your structural drawings
Bidmere measures reinforcing steel by element and bar size from the structural drawings: bars, laps, hooks and dowels, in pounds and tons. Pricing uses your material and placing rates.
Fixed price in 2 business hours. Pay only after you accept.
- Fixed price and delivery date before any work starts
- Plan review is free, and no files are needed to get a quote
- You pay only after you accept the fixed price
- Single-trade estimates in 48 hours from complete documents
- Priced at your rates; your team sets the final number
Quick answer
Bidmere rebar takeoffs list every bar by element, size and length, with laps, hooks and dowels, and total the weight in pounds and tons from your structural drawings. Takeoffs are from $149 and single-trade estimates from $195, ready in 48 hours.
Quick answer
Bidmere rebar takeoff and estimating services give concrete contractors, rebar placers and general contractors a bar-by-bar takeoff from the structural drawings: bar size, grade, count and length by element, with laps, hooks and dowels, totaled in pounds and tons. Takeoff-only work is from $149 and single-trade estimates are from $195, ready in 48 hours.
What does a rebar takeoff list?
A rebar takeoff turns the structural drawings into a list a supplier or placer can price. Ours lists, by element:
- Bar size and grade from the schedules and general notes
- Count and length of each bar, from spacing and dimensions
- Laps and splices at the lengths the drawings show
- Hooks, bends and dowels as separate lines
- Weight in pounds per bar size and in tons for the job
- Accessories: chairs, bolsters and mechanical splices where shown
Elements are kept apart: footings, grade beams, slabs on grade, elevated slabs, walls, columns and piers, so you can price placing labor by element.
What units does a rebar estimate use?
| Item | Unit |
|---|---|
| Bars by size and element | EA and LF |
| Laps and splices | EA |
| Weight by bar size | LB |
| Job total | Tons |
| Mechanical splices and couplers | EA |
| Chairs and supports | EA or LF |
Pounds come from linear feet times the bar’s unit weight, for example 0.668 lb per ft for #4 and 1.043 for #5. The rebar calculator has the full weight chart.
How is a rebar takeoff done?
- Read the general notes for grade, cover, lap and hook rules.
- Tag each element from the foundation and framing plans, sections and schedules.
- Count bars from spacing and dimensions, element by element.
- Add laps where runs exceed the stock length, at the lap lengths on the drawings.
- Add hooks, dowels, corner bars and trim bars at openings.
- Convert to weight by bar size and total the tons.
- List open questions where the drawings conflict or are silent.
We do not produce shop drawings or placing drawings. The takeoff is for bidding and buying.
Which drawing conflicts change a rebar estimate?
- Lap lengths missing, or different between the general notes and the details
- Bar size or spacing that differs between the schedule and the section
- Dowels into walls or columns shown on one sheet only
- Slab reinforcing called out as mesh on one sheet and bars on another
- Epoxy coating or a different grade required in some elements only
Each one is written up as an open question with the sheet numbers, so you can price it or exclude it.
Have plans for this scope? Send them over. Fixed quote within 2 business hours. Plan review is free, and you pay only after you accept.
Get a fixed quoteRebar with the concrete, or on its own?
Most concrete bids carry the rebar. If you price both, a concrete estimate measures volumes, forms and reinforcing together. If you place or supply rebar only, order the rebar takeoff on its own: it is one trade, priced as one.
What should you send for a rebar takeoff?
- Structural drawings: foundation and framing plans, sections, details and schedules
- General notes with grade, cover, lap and hook requirements
- The concrete and reinforcing specification sections
- Addenda, and the bid form if you price by unit
Single-trade estimates are from $195 and takeoff-only work from $149, ready in 48 hours after you accept a fixed quote. You get the fixed price and delivery date within 2 business hours, plan review is free, and you pay only after you accept.
Takeoff format
What a rebar takeoff looks like
| Element | Bar | Count | Length (ft) | LF | LB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Slab on grade, bars along the length | #4 | 31 | 40 | 1,240 | 828 |
| Slab on grade, bars along the width | #4 | 41 | 30 | 1,230 | 822 |
| Continuous footing, 3 bars with 2 laps each | #4 | 3 | 125 | 375 | 251 |
Quantities worked from the rebar calculator example; weights at 0.668 lb per ft, rounded.
Before you send plans
Common questions about handing off the work
Do you do shop drawings?
No. Bidmere takeoffs are for bidding and buying, not for fabrication.
Whose lap lengths do you use?
The drawings’ lap lengths. Where they are missing, it goes on the open questions list.
Who sets the price?
You do. We price at your rates per ton or per pound if you want pricing.
Rebar takeoff and estimate pricing
Rebar takeoffs from Bidmere start at $149, and single-trade rebar estimates at $195. The fixed quote for your job usually lands in these ranges:
| Job size | Takeoff only (quantities) | Single-trade estimate (quantities and pricing) |
|---|---|---|
| Small job: up to 10,000 SF | $149 to $295 | $195 to $395 |
| Mid-size job: 10,000 to 50,000 SF | $295 to $695 | $395 to $895 |
| Large job: over 50,000 SF, or several buildings | From $695 | From $895 |
Single-trade estimates are ready in 48 hours. Rush (24 hours) adds 30%. 25% off your first estimate. Every job gets a fixed quote within 2 business hours, and you pay only after you accept. Every estimate is delivered as an Excel estimate with live formulas, color-coded marked-up PDF plans, and a written list of assumptions, exclusions and open questions. See pricing for the full price list and scope conditions.
Monthly estimating plans
Bid concrete and rebar every week? Put estimating on a monthly plan
A monthly plan suits contractors who price this work every week. Starter is $1,395 per month for up to 6 bids. Pro is $2,595 per month for up to 12 bids. Scale is $4,795 per month for up to 25 bids. Each bid follows the same process as a single order: your documents, your rates, your review and your final number. Ask about monthly estimating plans to compare the tiers.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
How much does a rebar takeoff cost?
Takeoff-only work is from $149 and single-trade estimates with pricing are from $195. You get a fixed price and delivery date within 2 business hours, plan review is free, and you pay only after you accept. See pricing.
How long does a rebar takeoff take?
Single-trade estimates are ready in 48 hours from your accepted quote and complete documents. Rush (24 hours) adds 30%.
Do you include laps, hooks and dowels?
Yes. Laps at the lengths on the drawings, hooks and bends as separate lines, and dowels by element.
Can you price the rebar too?
Yes. A single-trade estimate prices the takeoff at your material and placing rates, per ton or per pound, with assumptions and exclusions written out.
Is there a free rebar calculator?
Yes. The Bidmere rebar calculator counts bars for slabs, footings and walls and converts linear feet to pounds and tons.
Get a fixed quote
Share the project basics. You get a fixed price and delivery date within 2 business hours. Plan review is free, and you pay only after you accept.
Sources
- South Dakota DOT Structures Construction Manual, Chapter 7, Table 7.1 (bar weights): https://dot.sd.gov/media/fe553ec1/Chapter7ReinforcingSteel.pdf