Compare Electrical Takeoff Software vs. SteelTally

Electrical Takeoff Software is a web-based service designed for electrical contractors and estimators to facilitate the takeoff and estimation process from electrical drawings. Users can upload either vector files or scanned PDFs of their plan sets, which encompass power, lighting, systems layouts, one-line diagrams, schedules, and notes. The platform efficiently identifies and highlights electrical devices on each sheet, tracks branch circuits and homerun paths, and calculates wire and conduit lengths. It then transforms these counts and measurements into material and labor estimates, categorized by CSI sections, while utilizing customer-specific rates and job-cost configurations. Furthermore, counts are validated against available panel and fixture schedules for accuracy. The software streamlines the workflow by flagging any ambiguities in the drawings and addressing open scope questions that might affect the bids, ultimately providing a comprehensive bid recap, along with exports for counts and lengths, RFI letters, and an evidence sheet for documentation. Users can conveniently review their results directly in the browser and export the data in various formats, such as XLSX, CSV, or PDF, to integrate seamlessly with their existing estimating processes. This ensures that estimators have all the necessary tools to create accurate and competitive bids.

SteelTally is a specialized software for Windows tailored for the structural steel industry, catering to needs of fabricators, detailers, and estimators. It has the capability to interpret PDF and DXF drawings, efficiently identifying beam and column identifiers on framing layouts while also highlighting any missing marks. The software comes equipped with measurement tools that accurately capture lengths for straight, curved, and polyline beams. Additionally, it features column diagrams that accommodate welded caps, connection plates, and base plates, while truss tools effectively decompose assemblies into their respective chords, verticals, and diagonals. Estimators benefit from the ability to input their rates for steel, galvanizing, and paint, generate stock-length cut lists prioritizing offcuts, and assess crane reach for logistical planning. The revision comparison function allows users to juxtapose different drawing versions, pinpointing newly added, removed, renamed, or resized members. Outputs such as member lists, cut lists, and revision summaries can be exported to Excel or PDF formats for easy sharing. SteelTally also includes specifications for Australian section sizes and weights, operates locally on Windows, and does so offline without the necessity for cloud-based drawing uploads or AI. Users can explore a fully functional 30-day trial without needing to provide credit card information, making it an accessible option for those in the structural steel sector. Furthermore, this software's intuitive interface enhances productivity for those involved in steel estimation and detailing tasks.