Masonry takeoff that converts wall area to brick and CMU counts.
Trace each masonry wall on the architectural elevations with BidScreen XL's Area tool. Square footage drops into your Excel bid; per-square-foot brick or CMU counts, mortar quantities, and labor hours follow as Excel formulas.
| A | B | C | D | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | MATERIAL | SF | UNITS | MORTAR CY | $/SF |
| 2 | Modular brick veneer | 8,420 | 56,835 | 71.6 | $24.50 |
| 3 | 8" CMU structural | 3,640 | 4,095 | 38.2 | $16.20 |
| 4 | Cast stone accent band | 420 | ea pieces | — | $48.00 |
| 5 | Lintel — LF over openings | 184 | LF | — | $28.50 |
| 6 | Control joints (LF) | 260 | LF | — | $6.20 |
| 7 | TOTAL | 109.8 |
Illustrative masonry estimating workbook. Wall SF flows live from BidScreen XL; unit counts and mortar derive in Excel.
The bottlenecks every masonry estimator knows.
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Counting brick and CMU units from elevation drawings is tedious without measurement tools.
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Different unit sizes (modular brick, queen brick, 8" CMU, 12" CMU) and bond patterns generate different per-SF unit counts.
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Mortar quantities, masonry ties, reinforcing, and bond beams all derive from the wall area but have their own cost lines.
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Plan revisions for changed elevations or veneer specifications send you back to retrace.
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Architectural details (control joints, expansion joints, lintels) need separate linear-footage tracking.
The masonry quantities every bid needs.
Wall area by material
Trace brick, CMU, stone, and accent material areas separately on the elevation. Per-material SF drives unit counts.
Brick / CMU unit counts
Wall area × units-per-SF factor in Excel. Modular brick ~6.75 units/SF; queen brick ~5.6/SF; 8" CMU ~1.125/SF; 12" CMU ~1.125/SF.
Mortar quantities
Wall area × mortar-per-SF factor. Standard joint widths and unit types drive different mortar volumes per SF.
Lintel and bond beam linear footage
Trace lintels above openings and bond beam courses on the elevation. LF per size with steel reinforcing detail.
Control and expansion joints
Trace vertical control joints and expansion joints on the elevation. LF rolls into accessory cost lines.
Reinforcing and ties
Per-wall horizontal joint reinforcing and vertical bar counts. Wall ties to adjacent structure tracked separately.
Built for how this trade actually estimates.
Area tool traces each masonry surface on the elevation; per-material SF lands in Excel.
Excel formulas convert SF to unit counts, mortar quantity, and reinforcing using your standard factors — change a factor, the bid updates everywhere.
Per-material rows in Excel let you price brick, CMU, and stone separately with their own waste and labor rates.
Continuous Length traces lintels, joints, and accessory linear footage; all in one workbook.
Same workflow handles veneer applications, structural CMU walls, and mixed-material elevations.
BidScreen XL
PDF and CAD measurement directly inside Microsoft Excel. Trace the drawing, the quantity lands in your estimating cell as a live formula.
$400/yr rental · $799 perpetual
Considering BidScreen XL against another masonry takeoff product?
Honest side-by-side comparisons — feature matrix, 5-year cost, and a fair note on when the competitor is actually the right choice.
- Switching from
Bluebeam Revu
PDF tool with measurement features. BidScreen XL adds the same measurement inside Microsoft Excel — quantities land as cells, not exports.
See comparison - Switching from
PlanSwift
Standalone takeoff at $1,749/yr (perpetual retired). BidScreen XL is $400/yr or $799 perpetual and feeds Excel directly.
See comparison - Switching from
STACK
Cloud-only at $2,988/yr Premium or $3,588/yr Pro. BidScreen XL is a desktop Excel add-in at $400/yr.
See comparison - Switching from
On-Screen Takeoff
ConstructConnect bundle-only (~$1,850/yr+). BidScreen XL is sold standalone at $400/yr, lives in Excel.
See comparison
Frequently asked
Can BidScreen XL handle different bond patterns and unit sizes?
Yes — the workflow is identical, just with different per-SF unit factors in your Excel template. Build a master table of bond-pattern × unit-size factors (modular brick running bond, modular brick Flemish bond, queen brick, 8" CMU stack bond, etc.) and reference the appropriate factor per wall row.
How do I handle veneer vs structural masonry?
Trace each separately. Veneer typically applies over a stud wall and is measured as SF of wall face. Structural CMU has structural reinforcing, bond beams, and grout. Use different Excel rows with different unit costs and labor rates per type.
What about stone and CMU accent bands?
Trace each accent band as its own Area on the elevation. Per-area SF lands in Excel with the accent material's unit cost. For complex elevations with multiple accent bands, build a template with rows per material.
Does BidScreen XL calculate mortar quantities automatically?
Indirectly. BidScreen XL gives you SF; Excel formulas multiply by your mortar-per-SF factor (e.g., 8.5 CY of mortar per 1,000 SF of brick veneer). Different unit sizes and joint widths drive different factors; build the factor lookup into your template once.
Try BidScreen XL on a real bid for 14 days, no card.
The fastest way to know if Vertigraph fits your workflow is to install it and run one bid. The honest answer for your bid mix shows up after two or three real estimates.