Dimension Take-Off Tutorial
Tutorial Overview
This training guide covers the Dimension Take Off Basic feature in Dietrichs International's 3D building software. This powerful tool is designed for construction professionals including architects, builders, and estimators who need accurate measurements and quantity takeoffs from 3D building models.
What You'll Learn
How to extract square footage, roof line lengths, and dimensional data from building models
How to generate professional reports with calculations and documentation
How to create material lists and export data for ordering
How to use filters to manage large amounts of building data
Target Audience
Architects and designers
Construction estimators
Builders and contractors
Project managers working with 3D building models
Software Introduction
Key Features of Dimension Take Off
The Dimension Take Off feature allows you to calculate and extract dimensional information from building models during initial design stages, even before adding materials to the model. This includes:
Floor Areas: Calculate square footage for all floor areas
Wall Measurements: Linear lengths and areas for exterior and interior walls
Roof Data: Ridge lengths, eave lengths, roof areas, and slope calculations
Opening Schedules: Automated window and door lists with specifications
Material Quantities: Volume calculations for insulation and other materials
Project Data Program
A companion tool that organizes all calculated information into structured categories, generates reports, and provides export capabilities to Excel and other formats.
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Floor Plan Analysis
Objective: Calculate floor areas and set up basic parameters for the entire takeoff process.
Steps:
Navigate to floor plan view in your project
Access menu option 1-9-4 (Dimension Take Off)
Configure the following settings:
Minimum Area Threshold: Set to 2 square meters (or appropriate unit) to ignore very small spaces that aren't worth including in calculations
Minimum Length for Subtraction: Set to 24 inches (or 3 feet) to ignore minor wall segments
Control Pictures: Select "Yes" to generate visual documentation of calculations
Click OK to proceed with floor calculations
Important Notes:
These initial settings will affect all subsequent calculations
Control pictures are essential for verification and professional documentation
2. Floor and Ceiling Calculations
Objective: Generate detailed floor and ceiling area calculations with different building properties.
Steps:
Navigate to Floor and Ceiling section using menu 1-2-3
Select 1-9-4 for dimension take off
Apply the same settings configured in step 1
Click OK to calculate ceiling areas and floor buildups
What This Generates:
Ceiling areas organized by different properties (5½ inch buildup, 9½ inch buildup, etc.)
True top areas (accounting for openings like skylights)
Floor area calculations with different construction types
3. Roof Calculations
Objective: Extract comprehensive roof measurements including linear footage and areas.
Steps:
Navigate to Roof section using menu 1-2-5
Select Roof Calculation 1-9-4
Configure roof-specific settings:
Minimum Line Lengths: Set to 4 inches to ignore very short roof segments
Minimum Area: Set to 2 square feet for roof surface calculations
Control Pictures: Enable for documentation
Select "All roof sides" for complete roof analysis
Click OK to generate roof calculations
Roof Data Generated:
Eave lengths by roof section
Ridge and valley measurements
Gable end calculations
Hip line dimensions
Roof surface areas
Opening calculations (skylights, chimneys, etc.)
Working with the Project Data Program
Accessing Your Results
Opening the Program:
Click the Project Data Program icon (appears as a data disc symbol)
Alternatively, use menu option 1-9-1
Allow the program to update with your latest calculations
Understanding Data Organization
The Project Data Program organizes your takeoff results into logical categories:
Wall Information Structure
Exterior Walls: Separated by wall types (e.g., "Art 30 12-inch wall", "Garage wall")
Interior Walls: Organized separately from exterior walls
Wall Slices: Individual components like insulation, framing, sheathing
Data Provided for Each Wall:
Total linear length (e.g., 315 feet of exterior walls)
Outer area: 2,246 square feet (with opening considerations)
True outer area vs. calculated area (showing difference between ignored small openings and actual measurements)
Inner area calculations
Individual wall segment breakdowns
Floor Information Structure
Organized by ceiling properties and construction types
Different floor buildups (5½ inch, 9½ inch systems)
Top area calculations with opening considerations
Roof Information Structure
Eave Information: 157 feet of eave length (example from video)
Ridge and Valley Data: All ridge lines with true lengths
Roof Surfaces: Areas calculated for each roof plane
Gable and Hip Details: Linear measurements for ordering materials
Opening Information: Skylights, chimneys, and other roof penetrations
Using the Filter System
Why Filters Are Critical: The software generates enormous amounts of data. Without proper filtering, reports can become overwhelming and unusable.
How to Use Filters:
In the Project Data Program, you'll see checkboxes next to different data categories
Check boxes for information you want to include in reports
Uncheck boxes for information you want to exclude
Save your filter settings for consistency across reports
Use Cancel to exit without saving changes
Filter Strategy:
Create different filter sets for different purposes (estimating vs. ordering vs. documentation)
Turn off detailed slice information if you only need overall quantities
Focus on specific building components (roofing, framing, etc.) as needed
Generating Professional Reports
Picture Print Reports
Purpose: Create detailed documentation showing how calculations were performed, complete with visual verification.
Steps:
Select the information category you want to document
Click on the Picture Print option
Configure report settings:
Logo: Choose to include or exclude company logo
Maximum Image Height: Set size of control pictures in report
Additional Information: Select extra data to include
Click Output to generate Word document
What You Get:
Professional report with calculations for every wall, floor, and roof component
Control pictures showing exactly how each measurement was calculated
Formulas and mathematical verification
Ground floor and upper floor breakdowns
Opening calculations with detailed specifications
Window and Door Lists
Accessing Window/Door Schedules:
From the floor area menu, access the window and door list function
Click OK to generate the schedule
The system will sort openings by type and location
Information Generated:
Quantity: Total count of each window/door type
Opening Types: Different window and door specifications
Rough Opening Dimensions: Critical for framing
Wall Location: Which walls contain each opening type
Detailed Specifications: Size, operation type, and other properties
Integration with Material Lists:
Window/door information can be transferred to the materials side of the program
Generates both dimensional takeoff data and detailed material specifications
Provides rough opening calculations for wall framing
Excel Export Capabilities
Available Export Options:
All wall, floor, and roof calculations
Window and door schedules
Material quantity lists
Custom formatted reports
Export Process:
Select the data category you want to export
Choose Excel Export option
Configure export settings:
Information fields to include
Sizing and formatting preferences
Additional specifications
Generate Excel file for further analysis or integration with other systems
Advanced Features and Tips
Working with Different Wall Types
The software automatically recognizes and separates different wall constructions:
Multiple Wall Types: Exterior walls with different thicknesses are calculated separately
Slice Calculations: Individual components (insulation, framing, sheathing) can be calculated independently
Volume Calculations: Insulation and other materials calculated by volume, not just area
Opening Threshold Management
Small Opening Handling:
Openings smaller than your set threshold (e.g., 2½ square meters) are automatically ignored in area calculations
Larger openings are properly subtracted from wall areas
You can see both "ignored opening" calculations and "true area" calculations
Benefits:
Prevents over-calculation of material waste
Focuses on significant openings that actually affect material quantities
Provides flexibility for different project requirements
Quality Control Features
Control Pictures:
Visual verification of every calculation
Shows exactly which building elements were included/excluded
Provides audit trail for estimate verification
Helps identify calculation errors before they become costly mistakes
True Length Calculations:
All measurements are "true lengths" accounting for angles and slopes
Critical for accurate material ordering
Eliminates manual calculation errors
Best Practices for Professional Use
Always Set Up Filters First: Before generating any reports, configure your filters to show only relevant information
Use Control Pictures: Enable visual documentation for all calculations to provide verification and professional appearance
Consistent Threshold Settings: Use the same minimum area and length settings across similar projects for consistency
Verify Critical Measurements: Use the control pictures to spot-check important calculations manually
Export for Integration: Take advantage of Excel export to integrate with your existing estimating and project management systems
Save Filter Templates: Create and save different filter configurations for different types of reports (owner reports vs. subcontractor takeoffs)
Troubleshooting and Common Issues
When Data Seems Overwhelming
Problem: Too much information in reports
Solution: Use filters more aggressively; focus on one building system at a time
Missing Information
Problem: Expected calculations don't appear
Solution: Check minimum threshold settings; verify building model completeness
Verification Questions
Problem: Need to verify calculation accuracy
Solution: Use control pictures; compare slice calculations to overall totals
Training Summary
The Dimension Take Off feature in Dietrichs International's 3D building software provides comprehensive quantity surveying capabilities for modern construction projects. Key takeaways:
Efficiency: Automates complex calculations that would take hours manually
Accuracy: Provides true length measurements and accounts for all openings and angles
Documentation: Generates professional reports with visual verification
Integration: Exports to Excel and other systems for broader project management
Flexibility: Configurable filters and thresholds adapt to different project needs
Next Steps for Users
Practice with sample projects to understand the interface
Develop standard filter templates for your typical project types
Integrate the export capabilities with your existing estimating workflows
Train team members on consistent threshold and reporting standards
This comprehensive approach to building takeoffs can significantly improve accuracy and efficiency in construction estimating and project planning.
Last updated
Was this helpful?