Why is OnSight™ the Best PDF Drawing Takeoff Software?
Why is OnSight™ the Best PDF Drawing Takeoff Software?
When it comes to construction measurement, accuracy, speed and reliability are essential.
For quantity surveyors, estimators, contractors and other construction professionals, measuring drawings can be one of the most time-consuming parts of preparing a tender, cost plan, estimate or Bill of Quantities.
That's where OnSight™ comes in.
OnSight™ is professional PDF, CAD and raster drawing takeoff software designed specifically for quantity surveyors and estimators who need to measure construction drawings quickly and accurately.
But what makes OnSight™ different from other drawing measurement and takeoff systems?
What is OnSight™?
OnSight™ is a specialist digital drawing takeoff software system that allows construction professionals to measure directly from electronic drawings on screen.
It can work with:
• PDF drawings
• CAD drawings
• Scanned drawings
• Raster and image files
• Multiple drawings within the same project
• Drawings with different formats and scales
Instead of printing drawings and measuring from paper, or trying to use a general-purpose CAD system for a job it wasn't specifically designed to do, OnSight™ provides dedicated tools for construction measurement.
The result is a faster, more straightforward approach to digital drawing takeoff.
Why Use Specialist Drawing Takeoff Software?
Many construction professionals already have access to CAD software or PDF viewers.
But designing drawings and measuring drawings are two very different tasks.
A CAD package may be excellent for creating and editing drawings, but that doesn't necessarily make it the most efficient tool for carrying out quantities.
Likewise, a standard PDF viewer may allow you to take basic measurements, but professional construction takeoff often requires much more.
OnSight™ has been developed specifically around the measurement process.
That means quantity surveyors and estimators can concentrate on measuring rather than working around the limitations of a general-purpose drawing package.
Measure PDF Drawings Directly From the Screen
One of the biggest advantages of OnSight™ is the ability to measure directly from PDF drawings.
PDF has become one of the most common formats for exchanging construction information, but drawings can still contain large amounts of information that need to be measured accurately.
With OnSight™, measurements can be taken directly from the drawing without having to recreate the drawing in another system.
This makes OnSight™ particularly useful for construction professionals who regularly receive architectural, structural and engineering information in PDF format.
Measure CAD and Scanned Drawings Too
Projects don't always arrive in one convenient format.
You may receive a DWG from one consultant, a PDF from another and a scanned drawing from an older project.
OnSight™ is designed to handle this mixture of drawing information.
Measurements can be taken from CAD files as well as scanned and raster drawings, giving users a single environment in which to carry out their digital takeoff.
Projects can also contain multiple drawings, including drawings with different formats and scales.
Measure Areas, Lengths, Counts and Volumes
Professional takeoff isn't simply about measuring a line.
Depending on the project, you may need to measure floor areas, wall lengths, quantities of individual objects, volumes, angles, arcs or more specialised construction elements.
OnSight™ provides tools for measuring:
• Lengths
• Areas
• Counts
• Volumes
• Angles
• Arcs
• Stud walls
• Floor joisting
• Shear studs
• Pitched roofs
This makes it suitable for a wide range of construction measurement requirements.
Designed Specifically for Quantity Surveyors and Estimators
OnSight™ has been designed with the working practices of quantity surveyors and estimators in mind.
Whether you're measuring for a tender, preparing a cost plan, producing quantities for a Bill of Quantities or checking quantities against a revised drawing, the objective is the same:
Get accurate quantities from the drawings as quickly and efficiently as possible.
OnSight™ is designed to make that process straightforward.
Save Time on Construction Takeoff
Traditional manual measurement can be extremely time-consuming, particularly when a project contains dozens or hundreds of drawings.
Even a relatively simple measurement task can become lengthy when drawings have to be printed, scaled, marked up, checked and then transferred into another system.
Digital takeoff changes that process.
With OnSight™, measurements are taken directly from the electronic drawing and recorded within the project.
This can dramatically reduce the amount of repetitive work involved in construction measurement and allow estimators and quantity surveyors to concentrate on checking quantities and preparing their commercial information.
Compare Drawings and Identify Revisions
Construction drawings change.
A revised architectural plan may contain relatively small alterations, but those alterations can have a significant impact on quantities.
OnSight™ includes drawing comparison functionality to help users identify changes between drawing revisions.
This provides an additional way of checking that important amendments haven't been overlooked during the takeoff process.
For quantity surveyors and estimators working through multiple drawing revisions, this can be an important part of maintaining accurate quantities.
Work With Multiple Drawings in One Project
Large construction projects rarely consist of one drawing.
A project may include floor plans, elevations, sections, details and other information covering different areas or levels of a building.
OnSight™ allows projects to contain multiple drawings, including mixed formats and scales.
This provides a more practical way of managing larger takeoff projects without continually moving between separate applications.
Visualise Your Measurements in 3D
OnSight™ also provides 3D visualisation capabilities.
Measurements taken from 2D drawings can be represented using 3D visualisation extrusions, providing another way of understanding and checking the information within a project.
For complicated buildings and construction projects, being able to view measured information visually can provide an additional level of confidence when checking your work.
Export Your Takeoff Information
Taking the measurements is only part of the process.
The results then need to be used within your estimating, quantity surveying or tendering workflow.
OnSight™ provides export facilities that allow measurement information to be taken into the next stage of the process.
For users working with other Visual Precision systems, OnSight™ can also form part of a wider workflow.
Measurements can be used with EasyEarthworks™ for earthworks and cut & fill calculations, while QSExpress™ provides Bill of Quantities production and tender management functionality.
This means OnSight™ can operate as part of a wider quantity surveying and estimating software solution rather than as an isolated measurement tool.
If your project involves earthworks, OnSight™ and EasyEarthworks™ can complement each other particularly well.
OnSight™ is designed for general digital drawing measurement, while EasyEarthworks™ specialises in earthworks cut & fill calculations.
EasyEarthworks™ can work with PDF, CAD and scanned files and provides dedicated cut, fill, topsoil and 3D visualisation capabilities.
Together, the two systems provide a powerful combination for construction professionals who need both general drawing takeoff and specialist earthworks measurement.
OnSight™ and QSExpress™
Once quantities have been measured, they often need to become part of a formal Bill of Quantities or tender.
That's where QSExpress™ comes in.
QSExpress™ provides Bill of Quantities production, electronic tendering, tender management and cost analysis, with integration with OnSight™ and EasyEarthworks™.
This creates a connected workflow:
Measure → Calculate → Produce the Bill → Tender → Analyse
For quantity surveyors and estimating teams, that can provide a much more efficient process than moving information manually between unrelated systems.
Easy to Learn, Powerful to Use
Powerful software isn't much use if it takes weeks to learn.
OnSight™ has been developed around a straightforward on-screen measurement approach, allowing users to select the appropriate measurement tool and work directly on their drawings.
Visual Precision also provides multimedia help and training resources to support users during implementation.
The aim is simple:
Get users measuring productively as quickly as possible.
Built for Construction Professionals
OnSight™ is not a general-purpose drawing application.
It is specialist construction takeoff software designed for professionals who need to extract accurate quantities from drawings.
Typical users include:
• Quantity Surveyors
• Estimators
• Main Contractors
• Subcontractors
• Cost Consultants
• Construction Companies
• Design & Build Contractors
Whether you're working on a small project or a major development, the underlying requirement is the same — reliable quantities produced efficiently from the available drawing information.
Why Choose OnSight™?
There are many drawing measurement and takeoff tools available, but OnSight™ has been developed around one specific requirement:
Making PDF, CAD and raster drawing measurement faster, easier and more accurate for construction professionals.
Its combination of PDF, CAD and raster measurement, multiple drawing handling, specialist measurement tools, drawing comparison, 3D visualisation and integration with other Visual Precision systems makes it a comprehensive solution for professional construction takeoff.
And because it has been developed specifically for the construction measurement market, it isn't necessary to learn a full CAD system simply to measure a drawing.
Frequently Asked Questions About OnSight™
What is OnSight™ software?
OnSight™ is professional PDF, CAD and raster drawing takeoff software designed for quantity surveyors, estimators, contractors and other construction professionals. It allows users to measure quantities directly from electronic drawings.
Can OnSight™ measure PDF drawings?
Yes. OnSight™ is designed to measure directly from PDF drawings as well as CAD, scanned and raster drawings.
What can you measure with OnSight™?
OnSight™ can be used to measure lengths, areas, counts, volumes, angles and arcs, as well as specialist construction elements including stud walls, floor joisting, shear studs and pitched roofs.
Who uses OnSight™?
OnSight™ is designed for quantity surveyors, estimators, contractors, subcontractors, cost consultants and other construction professionals who need to obtain accurate quantities from drawings.
Is OnSight™ CAD software?
OnSight™ can work with CAD drawings, but it is specifically designed as a drawing measurement and takeoff system, rather than as a general-purpose CAD design package.
Can OnSight™ measure scanned drawings?
Yes. OnSight™ can work with scanned and raster drawings, as well as PDF and CAD files.
Can OnSight™ compare drawing revisions?
Yes. OnSight™ includes drawing comparison functionality to help users identify changes between drawing revisions.
Can OnSight™ work with EasyEarthworks™ and QSExpress™?
Yes. OnSight™ can form part of the wider Visual Precision workflow, with EasyEarthworks™ providing specialist earthworks and cut & fill calculations and QSExpress™ providing Bill of Quantities and tender management functionality.
The Bottom Line
If you're looking for PDF takeoff software, CAD takeoff software, drawing takeoff software or professional construction takeoff software, OnSight™ deserves serious consideration.
It provides quantity surveyors, estimators and contractors with a dedicated way to measure PDF, CAD and scanned drawings directly from the screen.
It can help reduce the time spent on repetitive measurement, improve the consistency of your takeoff process and provide a more efficient route from drawing to quantity.
And when your project requires more than straightforward drawing measurement, OnSight™ can form part of the wider Visual Precision QSToolbox™ suite, alongside EasyEarthworks™ for earthworks and QSExpress™ for Bills of Quantities and tender management.
Want to see OnSight™ PDF Takeoff Software in action?
Book a free one-to-one web demonstration and see how OnSight™ can help you measure PDF, CAD and scanned drawings faster and more efficiently.
No obligation. Just a practical demonstration using real drawing measurement workflows.