# Masonry take offs



## part&pieces (Jul 1, 2009)

Anyone have an excel spreadsheet for CMU wall take offs? Or just a simple formula for doing take offs that you use? 

I'm redoing some spreadsheets for work and need something easy and reliable. I've got one that someone else made but it's not that user friendly and want one I can get a better understanding of.

Thanks!:thumbsup:


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## Alan Greenway (Aug 3, 2009)

Take Wall Length x Wall Height to get Square Footage of Wall.
Multiply this area by 1.125 to get block count.


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## dakzaag (Jan 6, 2009)

Or, figure linear ft and multiply by number of corses. Not too complicated I actually do a new spread sheet for every bid. Makes me think it through and catch any odd detail I might have missed. 

The formulas are easy to make and any changes can be plugged in quickly. If you don't know how to make the formulas you probably don't know how to figure the job in the first place.

I would be glad to share mine, but I don't use labels or anything, so the numbers don't mean much to anyone but me.

If I have a customer ask for my take off, I just print the sheet (shrink to fit one page) and that is the last question they ask.:thumbsup:


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## 4th generation (Mar 28, 2008)

When I am pricing something I usually divide by .8 per sq ft for a block count , that way I have a certain amount of wastage already built in, of course our blocks in Canada are metric & are a tad smaller too.


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## allteck (Aug 6, 2009)

Just registered on this site and I must say, I don't think I've ever seen such a positive, helpful, wonderful group of people supporting an industry in this manner. Kudos to everyone on here! I look forward to contributing.


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## dakzaag (Jan 6, 2009)

> When I am pricing something I usually divide by .8 per sq ft for a block count , that way I have a certain amount of wastage already built in, of course our blocks in Canada are metric & are a tad smaller too


That is about 25% more block, I hope your not wasting that much!


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## stacker (Jan 31, 2006)

i used to have a calculator on my computer that you entered length and height and width of the wall and it told you how many block were needed.it also gave you the amount of sand and mason that would be need.you could put in how much the block cost as well as cost of sand and cement and labor.it would calculate all of it for you.but alas..i have lost it.:sad:


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## 4th generation (Mar 28, 2008)

Its supposed to work out to around 10% extra blocks (remember our blocks are metric but 75% of the plans are still imperial). I like to go over on my quantities for the estimate then cut back on the order when we get the job. Of course it all depends on how badly you need the work and how close you want to dance with the devil ......


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## concretemasonry (Dec 1, 2006)

If you worry about the details, rounding off and minor conversions, you are getting lost in the numbers.

The most important thing is is the labor and job site conditions since, in 40 years, I have never seen a profitable contractor make money by splitting hairs on materials - it is the job control, planning and scheduling that really make the money.

We sold about 1, 500,00 to 2,000,000 block a year to a contractor that operated on a set price for the year with a maximum escalations at 6 months and one year, so we never knew what he was bidding and where it was. - All he asked was to never sell any cheaper to another contractor on projects in the area he had jobs. there was no rice cutting and he could buy where he wanted if the supplier could handle the job for him. That way he could run his real business by looking at bidding, scheduling and completion. One time, he/they called for 14 loads (about 10,000 12" block) to be delivered on Thanksgiving day so his crews could start fresh with all materials on Friday and work Saturday and Sunday to do the masonry on a K-Mart and never asked about the premium. We were able to throw in some loads a day early and schedule trucks for Friday if needed. He saved a bunch of money by eliminating heat and cover and ultimately speeded up the flat work under reasonable conditions since the steel erectors were able to get on the job and cover it.

They threw a party for all suppliers, subs and the employees.

This principal is for all contractor, no matter what size, because contractors make their profit on labor control, scheduling, material handling, quality and acceptable completion.


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## 4th generation (Mar 28, 2008)

Organization is definitely one of the keys to success both in pricing , planning and execution , I also believe that missing the details can sink your boat , but what I dont get is what has "rice cutting" got to do with it ? !!! have I been missing something?


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## concretemasonry (Dec 1, 2006)

4th generation -

The "rice cutting" was due to my fat fingers was intended to be "price cutting". We never had to cut out prices and the contractor's price was known and up to him to decide on the supplier. There are always jobs that the GC will try to twist the sub's arm until he realizes the sub knows more about building the masonry than he does.

As a major supplier, we could not afford to cut our prices below our established prices except the 5% to 7% below published list prices based on the contractor's volume, payment for materials and ability to run a god job that was easy to schedule and deliver to. - In other words, a two way street.

When the price shoppers would for quotes we usually offered to give them the prices of our competition (always below ours). If we went down, they would also go down since they had to eat.


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