Bluebeam Tip: Accurate, Defensible Quantity Takeoffs with Bluebeam Revu

Master Revu’s Measurement tools for fast, defensible quantity takeoffs.

• Calibrate once, verify often: Use Calibrate with two known points, then lock the Page Scale in the Measurements panel. For multi-scale sheets, apply Scale Regions to detail areas. Set Precision and units early to avoid rounding drift.
• Make snaps work for you: Enable Snap to Content, Snap to Markup, and Intersection/Endpoint snaps. Turn on Grid/Snap when tracing curvilinear objects to keep vertices tidy.
• Pick the right tool for the task:
  • Polylength for centerlines and linear runs (duct, pipe, curb).
  • Perimeter for boundaries; Area for slabs/rooms—add holes/exclusions for shafts and islands.
  • Dynamic Fill to capture irregular rooms quickly, then convert to Area/Perimeter.
  • Count with custom Scaled Symbols for fixtures; apply Count Labels for contract-ready outputs.
• Standardize with the Tool Chest: Save color-coded Length/Area/Count tools with preset line styles, hatches, and labels. Share Tool Sets for team consistency via Studio or export. See Bluebeam solutions at NOVEDGE.
• Make quantities visible on the sheet: Turn on Measurement Labels (units displayed), and drop a Markup Legend with live counts and totals. Use Color Rules to flag thresholds (e.g., highlight walls > 100 LF).
• QA before reporting: Filter the Markups List by Subject (e.g., “Area – Slab”), sort by Sheet, and confirm scale/precision columns are consistent. Group/ungroup where needed and Align/Distribute to clean up takeoff graphics.
• Report and connect:
  • Use Measurement Summary for per-sheet or set-wide totals.
  • Add Custom Columns (trade, phase, cost code) and formulas for wall area (LF × height) or concrete (Area × thickness).
  • Push live totals to Excel with Quantity Link for dynamic estimates—explore licenses at NOVEDGE.
• Speed boosters: Assign custom keyboard shortcuts to measurement tools, use the Properties Toolbar to tweak attributes on the fly, and save your measurement setup in a Profile for repeatable results. For procurement and upgrades, visit NOVEDGE.

You can find all the Bluebeam products on the NOVEDGE web site at this page.