ibeam

ibeam is a revolutionary, AI-based construction takeoff software designed to transform the preconstruction phase for contractors, subcontractors, and suppliers. It addresses the critical bottleneck of manual quantity takeoffs, which are time-consuming, prone to human error, and limit a company's bidding capacity. By leveraging advanced artificial intelligence, ibeam automates the entire process, saving an average of 90% of the time typically spent on this task. This allows estimating teams to focus on higher-value activities like pricing, strategy, and building client relationships, ultimately enabling businesses to submit twice as many bids without expanding their team.

The platform is trusted by over 900 businesses across the US and Canada, helping them to significantly increase revenue and operational efficiency. The core of ibeam is its powerful AI engine, which is complemented by a crucial human-in-the-loop verification step. Every AI-generated takeoff is meticulously reviewed by a quality assurance (QA) team to ensure it meets the highest standards of accuracy, often matching or exceeding the precision of in-house manual takeoffs.

How to use ibeam

The workflow is designed for simplicity and efficiency, generating complete quantity takeoffs in just four steps:

1. Upload Site Plans: Users begin by uploading their project plans in PDF format to the secure, cloud-based platform.
2. Define Scope of Work: Clearly specify the scope of work required for the takeoff, ensuring the AI focuses on the correct elements and materials.
3. AI Automation: Once submitted, ibeam's AI engine gets to work. It scans all plans, elevations, section details, and specifications to automatically measure areas, lengths, and counts, extracting all necessary quantity data.
4. QA Review & Delivery: The AI-generated takeoff is passed to an internal QA team for a thorough review and validation. The final, accurate takeoff report is then delivered to the user within 24-72 hours.

Core Features of ibeam

• Fully Automated Takeoffs: Utilizes AI to perform 100% automated takeoffs for over 15 trades, including Concrete & Rebar, HVAC, Electrical, Plumbing, Drywall, Roofing, Earthwork, and more.
• Human Quality Assurance: A built-in quality check process where a dedicated QA team reviews every takeoff to guarantee accuracy and reliability.
• Cloud-Based Collaboration: As a cloud-based software, it allows for real-time collaboration among team members (plans support multiple users) from any location.
• Addenda & Revision Management: The AI automatically detects changes and discrepancies in plan revisions and addenda, quantifying the differences to save time on rework.
• Shareable Takeoff Links: Easily communicate with stakeholders by sharing a direct link to the takeoff results, improving transparency and project alignment.
• Unlimited Users: The platform is built for teams, with pricing models that support collaboration without per-user fees.

Use Cases for ibeam

ibeam is versatile and serves various key players in the construction industry:

• General Contractors: Can bid faster and more competitively on a larger number of projects with complete, AI-generated takeoffs for all scopes.
• Subcontractors: Win more work from GCs by providing fast, accurate, and professional takeoffs without the manual effort, allowing them to respond to more bid invitations.
• Suppliers & Distributors: Receive structured material quantity lists from plans, enabling them to generate quotes faster, win more jobs, and manage inventory more effectively.

Success stories include companies doubling their revenue from $6M to $12M, cutting bid turnaround time from five days to two, and growing from $900K to $2M in just a few months after adopting the platform.

Advantages of ibeam

Compared to traditional manual software like PlanSwift, ibeam offers a clear competitive edge. It's not just a tool for tracing plans; it's a done-for-you service. The key advantages include a 90% reduction in time spent on takeoffs, a 2x increase in bidding capacity, enhanced accuracy through AI and human review, and the ability to handle multiple projects simultaneously, even during busy seasons. This frees up estimators to become true strategic assets to their companies.

Pricing and Plans

ibeam operates on an annual subscription model based on purchasing a bundle of "measurable sheet credits" upfront. This model is designed for estimators who handle 500 or more measurable sheets per year. A "measurable sheet" is any plan page where the AI performs a takeoff (area, linear, or count). Pricing is tiered based on volume:

• 500-1,000 Sheets: $40-45 per measurable sheet
• 1,000-2,000 Sheets: $30–35 per measurable sheet
• 2,000-4,000 Sheets: $25–30 per measurable sheet
• 4,000+ Sheets: Custom pricing

There are no hidden access fees or per-user limits. Up to 15% of unused credits can be rolled over to the next year. Prospective customers can book a discovery call to get a live demo, a personalized quote, and their first AI takeoff at no cost.