Concrete Takeoff Spreadsheet, Metric and Imperial: Footings, Walls, Slabs, CSA Rebar with Laps, Forming and Truckloads (Excel)

Most concrete calculators are built for the US: cubic yards, #-size bars and laps guessed as a flat percentage. This takeoff works the way Alberta jobs are ordered. Concrete comes out in m³ and yd³ by mix and by pour, rounded up to your supplier's order increment. CSA metric rebar (10M–35M) is counted by the bar, with lap length from your drawings added at every splice. It also covers forming, poly, insulation, finishing, saw-cuts and granular under the slab.

A note on the Rebar Order tab explains why the bar order runs over net (you buy whole stock bars, and offcuts are only reused on the same line), and a Yes/No setting lets you pool offcuts across lines of the same bar size. In the example, pooling brings the order from 12.9% over net down to 2.5%.

What's in the zip

- EXAMPLE takeoff (.xlsx), filled in for a made-up 40' x 60' post-frame shop: pads, piers, a curb, a 4" slab with thickened edge and an apron

- BLANK takeoff (.xlsx)

- Print preview PDF showing sample printed pages

- README quick start

- 20 tabs: Instructions · Inputs · Footings · Piers · Walls · Slabs · Rebar · Summary · Client Summary · Rebar Order · Forming · Slab Extras · To Estimate · Labour Drivers · Print - Footings · Print - Piers · Print - Walls · Print - Slabs · Print - Rebar · Reference

Key features

- Element tabs: footings and pads (60 lines), piers and sonotubes (40, with tube count by stock length), walls with openings (60), and slabs with thickened edges, aprons and pads (40).

- Feet and inches in two columns (23 | 6 for 23'-6"), or metric on the same line. Print tabs show sizes like 200'-0" x 1'-0" x 8".

- Waste % by element group as your inputs, with published ranges shown beside them and a flag when you go outside them.

- Order by pour, rounded up to your order increment. Truckloads and short-load flags from your supplier's truck size and minimum load, plus pump line loss on pumped pours (EXAMPLE values in the example file only).

- Cold-weather flag on pours you mark as cold (a reminder per CSA A23.1, not a design).

- Rebar (200 lines): CSA 10M–35M and optional US #3–#8 bars, with mass calculated from nominal area. Laps are entered from your drawings (× bar diameter or mm). For lines with no lap of their own, the example file uses an EXAMPLE 40× default; the blank file leaves it for your drawings. Lap length is the engineer's call, and runs longer than stock with no lap get a NOTE. Ties, dowels, corner bars, chairs, tie wire and mesh are included.

- Rebar Order: stock bars to buy by size (To Estimate prices rebar on this order, not net + waste), with the offcut-pooling switch, and a flag when the order is outside the published 3–15% waste range.

- Forming contact area, edge forms, form ties and keyway. Slab extras: poly with lap allowance and roll count, insulation boards, finish areas, saw-cut and isolation joints, curing and granular. Finishing and saw-cut lines export separately for your Subs tab or labour, so they stay off Materials and its freight.

- Exports: To Estimate (concrete by mix, rebar by size, poly, insulation, accessories) and Labour Drivers (forming area, m³ placed by group, finish area, rebar tonnes and more), with your own hours per unit.

- Client Summary (1 page, no checks or notes) and 5 green Print tabs, one landscape page each on the example.

Who it's for

Small GCs, foundation and flatwork crews, post-frame and shop builders, acreage builders and renovators.

FAQ (plus the shared takeoff FAQ)

Is there a default lap length? Only as an example: the example file uses an EXAMPLE 40× default; the blank file leaves it for your drawings. Laps depend on concrete strength, bar size, position and splice class, and they're set by the engineer on the drawings. Typical published ranges are shown as guidance, and the sheet flags a lap outside them.

Does it include 45M and 55M bars? Not built in. There are 4 yellow rows to add your own sizes.

Does it know my supplier's truck size? No. The example file uses EXAMPLE starting values (7.5 m³ truck, 3 m³ minimum load, 0.76 m³ pump line loss) so it calculates; the blank file leaves them for your supplier's numbers. Enter yours and it counts loads and flags short loads.

Is the waste % a code requirement? No. The example values are rules of thumb from published estimating guides, shown with their ranges. Change them to suit your crew.

Disclaimer: Takeoff disclaimer above, plus: "Bar sizes, laps, spacing, cover, mixes and joints come from your drawings and engineer. Code reminders are short notes. Check your edition and your authority having jurisdiction. Not affiliated with CSA Group, ASTM, ACI or any supplier."

FAQ (takeoffs, shared)

Does it read my PDF drawings? No. You measure from your drawings and type the quantities in. The takeoff does the counting, weights, volumes and roll-ups.

Does it design anything? No. It doesn't size members, check connections, design laps, design trench protection or do stress analysis. Those come from your drawings, specs, engineer and the code.

Does it include labour hours or production rates? No. Hours per unit are always yours. The Labour Drivers tab gives you the quantities crews get priced on, and you enter your own rates.

Does it price the job? It gives quantities. The "To Estimate" tab uses the same columns as the Alberta Estimating Workbook's Materials tab, so you can paste values in and price them there, or use your own pricing.

Metric or imperial? Both. Lengths can go in as feet and inches in two columns (23 | 6 for 23'-6") or in metric, and results show both where it matters.

Can I send it to my client? Yes. Each takeoff has a one-page Client Summary with no checks, notes or brand footer, and white scope and exclusions boxes.

Can I get a refund? It's a digital download, so there are no refunds once it's delivered. Try the free Bid Go/No-Go Scorer first to make sure the files work on your computer.

Disclaimer (takeoffs)

These takeoff templates are estimating aids. They count and calculate what you enter from your drawings. They don't read drawings, design anything, or replace an engineer, a geotechnical report, a supplier's catalogue, or the job specification. Check weights, laps, spacing, slopes and truck payloads against the governing documents and your suppliers before you order or bid. Example numbers are made up.

About the maker

Built by a tradesperson with 35 years in fabrication and construction across Western Canada.

Compatibility (spreadsheets)

- Made for Microsoft Excel 2016 or newer, Windows or Mac. Plain .xlsx with no macros.

- LibreOffice Calc (free): every workbook recalculates with no formula errors.

- Does it work in Google Sheets? You can upload the .xlsx and open it in Google Sheets, but Sheets drops the sheet protection (so grey formula cells can be typed over) and ignores the print layouts. For printing, Excel is recommended.

- Not tested in Apple Numbers.

- Type in the yellow cells. Grey formula cells are locked (no password), so you can't break a formula by accident.

- Grab the free Bid Go/No-Go Scorer first. It's built the same way, so if it opens and works on your computer, the paid sheets will too.

Licence

One-business licence: use it across your business (all its sites and crews) on as many jobs as you like. Please don't resell, share or publish the blank templates outside your business. Completed job files and filled-in forms can go to your clients, prime contractors, auditors and regulators.

Refund policy

Because these are digital downloads, I don't offer refunds once a file has been delivered. Please check the compatibility list above before you buy, and grab the free Bid Go/No-Go Scorer to test on your computer first. If a file won't open or something isn't working, email me at support@bidsheets.ca and I'll help you sort it out.

Updates

Buyers get the 2027 update free. I'll email you the new version when it's ready. Each January I refresh the payroll rates (CPP, EI, WCB) in the estimating workbook and fab calculator, re-check the Alberta OHS and prompt-payment references in the safety and billing products, and re-check the standards references in the takeoffs.

Support

Questions? Email support@bidsheets.ca. I usually answer within 2 business days.