On-Screen Takeoff® Reviews & Product Details

What is most helpful is the ability to create and customize my takeoff conditions and assign them to groups and sections. Also having OST in conjunction with Quickbid is a very powerful way to create a bid. And once I have bid something, I can track plan changes fairly easily. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What I dislike the least is handling a masonry takeoff, which I sometimes have to do. Specifically CMU walls and such items. There is a lot of customizing I have to do and often enough it doens't work the way I want it to. Like rebar takeoffs are very easy or accurate.

Another dislike, which is linked to masonry takeoffs, is the inability to have multiple scale on the same page and/or split horizontal v vertical scales. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

I use OST for lath and plaster takeoffs, which can be very detailed and have a lot of different components. One of the most useful features is the ability to have a quantity two and quantity three all in one condition, it is efficient and leaves my takeoff looking clean and easy for the field to understand. Using the layers feature is also helpful in isolating certain aspects of my takeoff so I can check their accuracy quickly and provide specific material layouts to the field. Overall, my takeoffs can be extremely accurate, which allows for me and my team to know our exact costs and manipulate profit margins to land jobs and stay profitable in the process. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

There aren't many downsides to using OST, although there are some features that I think can be improved. One of the things that impacts me the most is the measurement tool's tendency to auto-snap to measurements and other linear condition takeoffs on an elevation. For example if I am trying to measure a building height in order to figure out a hidden wall's height the measurement will snap into a bunch of different sections because I also have an expansion joint takeoff where I am trying to measure. While I did reach out to OST and request a feature, no progress has been made and the only solution I was offered was to turn all my other layers off. I think another feature that could be useful in saving time is an auto-scale feature, currently we rename and rescale all our plan sets. I know the technology is out there, it just hasn't yet made it to this program, I think in that regard OST is a little behind. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

I appreciate how raw and feature-rich OST is. I enjoy that nothing is overly simplified, and there is a genuine learning curve to the app. This means that once you master all its features, you can perform a takeoff more quickly and with greater precision than others. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

One aspect I dislike is that the program is quite heavy, so it needs a computer that's better than average to run smoothly. I also find the occasional lag frustrating. Additionally, the OST boost feature doesn't work very well unless all the necessary information is contained on a single page, which is rarely the case. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What I like best about OST is how well it handles complex estimating setups. I work in stucco, which means I’m constantly juggling a ton of different wall types, metals, and conditions, and OST lets me build out all of that without getting bogged down. Once you’re familiar with the workflow, it speeds up takeoffs dramatically and helps keep everything consistent and accurate from job to job.

I also really appreciate the people behind the software. The in-person OST/QuickBid training was genuinely helpful—they actually understand estimating, not just the program. Any issue I brought up, they tried to solve right there, and if there wasn’t an immediate fix they helped push a feature request through. Their phone support has been just as solid; most of the time they can either walk me through the solution or remote in and fix it directly. That level of support makes the learning curve feel a lot less steep. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What I dislike most about OST is the measuring behavior. The auto-snap feature sounds helpful in theory, but in practice it constantly snaps to other takeoff or even the page itself. When I’m trying to measure something in clean segments—like laying out 20-foot increments for scaffolding—it breaks the line into a bunch of small, useless measurements. I brought this up during the in-person training, and even the trainers couldn’t find a way to disable or adjust it. We submitted a feature request, but it still hasn’t been resolved.

The other big drawback is the lack of meaningful AI integration. They’ve started adding some AI tools like Takeoff Boost and page renaming, but they’re very limited compared to what’s possible today. Boost doesn’t help at all with elevation takeoffs, which make up a large part of stucco estimating, and even on floor plans the results are only useful in very specific situations. The AI page renaming is slow and not very accurate, even though that kind of tech has been around for years.

Overall, the core program is strong, but the slow pace of updates—especially around AI—makes it feel like it’s falling behind modern tools. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

The variety of tools and conditions in OST are very useful to make an accurate takeoff, which then helps in creating an accurate estimate. Also the ease of file sharing is one more thing which I like about OST. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

If the overlaying feature could be enhanced, it would be extremely helpful. When working on large projects and receiving addendums, a significant amount of time is spent just on overlaying. While the current feature is useful, it would be even better if it allowed for overlaying multiple pages at once. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

One of the best things about On-Screen Takeoff (OST) is how it streamlines the estimating process by allowing users to work directly on digital plans, eliminating the need for printed drawings and creating a paperless workflow. This not only saves time but also reduces costs associated with handling physical documents. OST is known for its speed and efficiency, offering tools like auto-count for symbols and easy area or linear measurements, which significantly cut down repetitive tasks. Accuracy is another major advantage, as digital takeoffs minimize human error and can integrate with cost databases for precise quantity-to-cost mapping. Additionally, OST works seamlessly with estimating software such as Quick Bid, ensuring a smooth transition from takeoff to pricing without duplicating data entry. When drawings are revised, OST makes it simple to overlay changes and quickly identify differences, saving time compared to manual methods. Finally, its collaboration features allow multiple team members to access and review takeoffs, and cloud-based options enable remote work and sharing, making it a versatile tool for modern construction projects. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

While On-Screen Takeoff (OST) offers many advantages, there are areas where it could be improved to enhance user experience and efficiency. One common concern is that the software can feel somewhat dated compared to newer, more modern platforms, particularly in terms of its user interface and overall design. The learning curve can also be steep for new users, as the system is feature-rich but not always intuitive, requiring significant training to use effectively. Another area for improvement is performance with very large or complex drawing files, where OST can sometimes lag or slow down, impacting productivity. Integration with other project management and estimating tools, while available, could be more seamless and flexible to accommodate a wider range of workflows. Additionally, cloud functionality and collaboration features are not as robust as some competitors, which limits real-time teamwork and remote accessibility. Finally, pricing can be a drawback for smaller firms, as OST is often considered expensive compared to alternatives that offer similar capabilities at a lower cost. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

I appreciate how you can customize your database for particular trades, and I find the takeoff features especially useful for diving deeper into the details of each project, which helps achieve greater accuracy. As a carpentry estimator, I benefit from the many functions that simplify my work and enable me to virtually construct the house or building within OST. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

I can't say for certain whether this feature exists, but having quick links automatically added when you upload files would be extremely helpful. It would also be great if the system could read the page names and rename the files accordingly after upload, so users wouldn't have to do it manually. I find that customer support is always available and never lets me down when needed. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

I like the how i can great multiple areas so i can separate my take-off per area and have the ability to turn them off and on. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Most of the times i have to copy the easements line items and paste then into my excel estimate, i will like OST to have spell check and a bigger word capacity within the description box of each line item. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

On-Screen Takeoff has a very clear Interface that makes our daily job easier for estimating Quantities for Flooring, and other Miscellaneous takeoffs. It is easier for On-Site teams to access data that we have worked on. The takeoffs are very precise, and easier to understand for new learners Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Uploading the larger Files, takes bit longer to get uploaded.

In Case of higher takeoffs, it gets difficult to print the PDF. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Compared to the other estimating software i have used, OST has way more options and useful tools. I'm big on hot keys as I used a keyboard that allows for macros and OST have a lot of usable hot key functions Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

there are a lot of little things you could tweak to make the experience easier. for instance, the second window you can open cant be controlled and moved around with a right click like you can on the 1st window. Also, adding the measurement tool to the 3rd Ost window would be very nice. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.