You could compile your own Takeoff tally sheets in an application like MS Word, or better yet, MS Excel.
It may take a few days to get everything setup right + list everything, but the sheets will be "Tailor-Made" for your liking, and you have the added benefit of easilly revising areas in the future, to suit your needs.
To go the "Geek Route" (more like the "Less Amount Of Redundant Data Entry" Route), compile the Takeoff Tally pages as Spreadsheets with an application like Excel.
This method allows you to create custom tally pages, which you may print out for "Hard Copy Data Entry", but also allows you to automate the same pages for keying in data.
Example:
Say you have a Takeoff page for entering in a number of General Purpose Receptacle outlets, taken off of the Planset.
You could have a couple of "Cells" on one spreadsheet, where you enter the number of Receptacle Outlets.
This Cell's entry automatically tallies up the following items per each Receptacle Unit:
* Receptacle Device,
* Cover Plate,
* Outlet Box,
* Makeup (Wirenuts, ground screws, etc.),
* Plaster Ring,
* Mounting means,
* Connectors.
In addition, you could include an additional routine to tally up Branch Circuit Assemblies, for the number of Receptacle Outlets you enter in that same cell - be it a Cable Assembly, or Conduit Assembly.
Same can be applied to many other Takeoff listings, reducing the time + labor needed to compile the BOM, plus greatly reducing the chances of forgetting things to be included for given items (like Lamps for Fixtures and such).
The initial time investment is large, but it does payoff over time, plus it reduces your work load - while increasing accuracy.
For the ultimate extreme geekmanship ideas, have the spreadsheets insert text into the data entry fields of your estimation application!
Now all you need to do is key in takeoff items, then pass on the spreadsheet to the owner for final number crunching.
If this sounds far too advanced, and you would be happy with some printed database pages for takeoffs, just poke around Excel (or Access if you have it), and build your own to print.
Good luck and have fun!
Scott
