DPR Enhances Its Quantification Workflows with Autodesk Takeoff, Saving Time and Resources
Key takeaways
- DPR Construction piloted Autodesk Takeoff with Assemble to connect 2D drawings and 3D Autodesk Revit models in one quantification workflow.
- The cloud-based workflow improved collaboration across estimating and self-perform teams and gave DPR better visibility into takeoff progress.
- On a pilot with more than 500 drawings, DPR saved 3 to 4 hours of project setup with Autodesk Takeoff file naming standards.
- DPR used formulas and standardized takeoff data to make quantity work more repeatable and easier to share company-wide.
How did DPR Construction use Autodesk Takeoff to improve quantification workflows?
DPR Construction piloted Autodesk Takeoff within Autodesk Construction Cloud to combine 2D drawings and 3D Autodesk Revit models in one cloud-based workflow for quantification and estimating. The goal was to complement Assemble, increase efficiency, and improve collaboration across DPR Construction’s preconstruction teams.
DPR Construction is a general contractor headquartered in Redwood City, California, with more than 5,000 employees, $7.4 billion in revenue, and a focus on commercial, institutional, and industrial work. DPR Construction also reports 90% repeat business, which helps explain its emphasis on outcome-focused technology choices.
“Simultaneously working in 2D and 3D in one application can help estimators quantify project scopes more efficiently,” said Jourdan Trice, Corporate Services - Preconstruction Technology Integration at DPR Construction.
By partnering with Autodesk, DPR Construction said it also had the opportunity to influence product development, and it has seen feedback incorporated into the solution to better support estimating workflows.
What collaboration benefits did DPR Construction see from a cloud-based quantification workflow?
DPR Construction used Autodesk Takeoff to support real-time collaboration and seamless data sharing across estimating and self-perform teams, regardless of location. The cloud-based workflow let DPR’s teams monitor how a takeoff package was progressing within the larger project scope and stay organized during a preconstruction schedule forecast for only 3 to 4 weeks.
Autodesk Takeoff also supports Autodesk Revit models, allowing DPR’s Virtual Design and Construction team to leverage models directly in the workflow. That parity between solution sets helps DPR manage design documents more efficiently and reduce friction between PDF drawings and model-based work.
“The ability to interact with multiple estimators across a project — regardless of location — allows our teams to collaborate in real time and to monitor how a takeoff package is progressing within the larger project scope,” said Prashant Sharma, Senior Estimator at DPR Construction.
How did DPR Construction save time and make takeoff work more repeatable?
DPR Construction saved 3 to 4 hours of project setup on its pilot because Autodesk Takeoff’s file naming standards made more than 500 drawings easier to organize. The team also used formulas in takeoff types to duplicate complex quantities, including steel, and make quantity work more repeatable.
Jourdan Trice said Autodesk Takeoff is intuitive and can make estimators’ jobs easier. Trice also said that standardizing takeoff data company-wide would save an enormous amount of time and add value for clients.
What did DPR Construction learn from its life sciences project pilot?
DPR Construction piloted Autodesk Takeoff on a $100 million life sciences project to compare traditional and cloud-based quantification processes and to see how the tool could fit into DPR Construction’s estimating process and enterprise systems. The pilot tested how Autodesk Takeoff could support faster quantification while matching the way DPR estimators already approach 2D takeoff.
Prashant Sharma said DPR Construction conditions and consumes models in Assemble to clarify project scope and digest rooms and areas, then uses Autodesk Takeoff to complete a 3D takeoff aligned to its 2D estimating approach. Sharma also said the combination of Autodesk Takeoff and Assemble moves DPR Construction closer to live estimating, target value design, 3D-based takeoff, and real-time estimating by using data more efficiently.
Autodesk Takeoff also provides transparency between the design team and owner around quantity surveys.
Frequently asked questions
How can a construction team connect 2D drawings and 3D Revit models in one workflow for takeoff and estimating?
DPR Construction connected 2D drawings and Autodesk Revit models in Autodesk Takeoff within Autodesk Construction Cloud, so estimators could work in 2D and 3D in one application.
What are the main benefits of using a cloud-based environment for quantification and takeoff work in preconstruction?
A cloud-based environment supports real-time collaboration, seamless data sharing, and better visibility into how takeoff packages are progressing across locations.
How do preconstruction and self-perform teams work together more effectively on quantity takeoff and estimating?
DPR Construction used Autodesk Takeoff to let estimating and self-perform teams collaborate in real time and share takeoff data in one cloud-based workflow.
How can model-based takeoff make quantity work faster and more consistent across projects?
Model-based takeoff can speed setup with standard file naming, support repeated formulas for complex quantities, and make takeoff data easier to standardize company-wide.
What kind of time savings can teams expect when they streamline setup and quantity work for takeoffs?
In DPR Construction's pilot with more than 500 drawings, the team saved 3 to 4 hours that would have been spent on project setup.
What does a pilot implementation of model-based takeoff look like on a complex life sciences project?
DPR Construction piloted Autodesk Takeoff on a $100 million life sciences project to compare traditional and cloud-based quantification and test how the tool fit into estimating and enterprise workflows.
How can digital takeoff workflows improve transparency between estimating, preconstruction, and owners?
Autodesk Takeoff provides transparency around quantity surveys and makes it easier for DPR Construction to share standardized takeoff data across teams.