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Guides for marking up drawings, measuring to scale, running counts and takeoffs, and exporting a bill of quantities.

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The first session, in order: open a drawing, set its scale, count what is on it, and send the marked-up set back out.

  1. 01Your First Takeoff7 min read
  2. 02Setting Drawing Scale5 min read
  3. 03Counting Items on Drawings4 min read
  4. 04Exporting Drawing PDFs5 min read

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FAQ

Common questions

Accuracy, units, sharing, credits, and what happens to your drawings if a subscription lapses.

Do I need to install anything?

No. ContractorCounter runs entirely in your web browser on Windows, macOS, and Chromebook. There is no desktop download, license server, or plugin to manage.

How accurate are the measurements?

Measurements are calculated from the drawing geometry, so their accuracy comes down to the calibration you give each page. Set the scale from a printed dimension you trust, zoom in before clicking the endpoints, and the length, area, perimeter, and volume tools stay as accurate as that reference. Scale is stored per page, so a set with mixed printed scales needs each sheet calibrated separately, and any page you rotate or replace is worth rechecking.

Can I work in feet and inches instead of metric?

Yes. Both unit systems are supported end to end. Calibrate in whichever units the drawing is printed in, and the Bill of Quantities carries the imperial set (ft, ft², ft³, yd, yd², yd³, in, in², in³, mi, lb) alongside the metric one (m, m², m³, km, kg). Cubic yards are there for concrete takeoff.

Does marking up a drawing change the original PDF?

No. Markups are stored alongside the drawing rather than burned into the page, and File > Export > Download Original PDF gives you back the untouched file at any time. Even flattening is reversible here: it stops markups behaving like editable objects, but Unflatten restores them with their geometry and styling intact.

Does everyone I share a workspace with need their own subscription?

No. Access rides on the workspace owner's plan, so a collaborator can open and edit a shared workspace even if their own trial has ended, for as long as the owner's plan is active. A workspace holds up to 50 collaborators, all of them full editors for markup, measurement, counts, and the Bill of Quantities. AI agent credits stay personal to each account, and only the owner can manage sharing or delete the workspace.

How many AI credits do I get, and what happens when they run out?

Pro and Team, including the trial, include 200 credits per 5-hour session, 400 per 24 hours, and 1,000 per 7 days. Lifetime includes 150, 300, and 700 across the same windows. A typical Standard turn costs about 3 credits and a Pro turn about 4, and attaching several drawing pages costs more. Settings > Usage shows live meters and reset countdowns, plus top-up packs that never expire. Running out pauses AI chat only; markup, measurement, counts, and exports are unaffected.

If my subscription lapses, do I lose my drawings?

No. Your drawings and project data are never deleted for a billing lapse; only access changes. If a renewal fails on a subscription that has paid before, you keep editing while clean exports, custom branding, BoQ, and AI chat pause until the payment clears. If the first charge after a trial fails, or a subscription is cancelled, the workspace turns view-only instead: you can still open and read everything and download the original PDFs. Paying restores editing exactly where you left off.

How do I report a bug or request a feature?

Use the form below and choose 'Bug Report' or 'Feature Request' as the type. Signed-in users can track the ticket's status inside the app.

How is my drawing data handled?

Your drawings and project data stay in your private workspace and are not shared with other users.

Contact

Still need help?

Send us a message and we will come back to you by email. Bug reports and feature requests land in the same queue.

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Get your first takeoff done in minutes

Open a plan set, mark it up, and take quantities off the sheet, all in your browser, on any device, with nothing to install.

Free to start — no card · 3-day Pro trial unlocks exports & sharing