Material Lists

When it comes down to the nuts, bolts, nails and lumber for a project, no one should rely on a designer’s materials list. Rather, it is strongly recommended you get what’s known in the trade as a “take off” for construction from at least one building supply store. Quality stores will do them at no additional costs in an effort to get your business although some big box stores may charge a fee.

Requesting take-offs offers two important benefits:

  1. Finding out what materials are available in your area

  2. Obtaining the most current pricing on materials

I have designed hundreds of projects for builders and built six of my own houses over the past decade. I have seen a plethora of architect-built material lists and have never seen a single one as functional (not even close) to those developed by people trained to build these types of lists.

What is a “take off” for construction?

A “take-off” for construction is a basic materials list, often a spreadsheet, that estimates the construction materials needed for a housebuilding project, along with current pricing for those materials. Take-offs are almost always put together for free by quality building supply stores in an effort to secure your business. Some box store may charge a nominal fee for putting together a take-off. My advice is to go elsewhere since most box stores offer subpar product quality anyway. Find a local building supply center(s) wherever possible.

Why is this a good idea?

This practice is the best way to get the following:

  • information on locally available building materials

  • guaranteed pricing on items for a specific time-frame

  • working knowledge on who can supply what you need

Having a couple of competing bids from local suppliers can also facilitate some gentle price negotiation.

How to get one.

All you need to do is deliver your downloaded PDF plan to some building supply stores and just request one. There are two ways to do this,

  • hand deliver a 24” x 36” printed plan set or

  • email a PDF copy of the plan (more common)

And that’s it. It’s truly that simple.

What about finishing materials?

Take-offs typically encompass things like the foundation, rough-framing and other general materials needed for lock-up. Finishing materials on the other hand are dictated by aesthetics and vary. For this reason creating a list of finishing preferences is an excellent - and enjoyable - DIY project. It’s fun to surf the internet, visit stores, start a Pinterest and/or Houzz account, and just start collecting images. You can also find PDF brochures, photos, blogs, websites, etc. and bring them all together in a folder on your computer.

Once you’ve built your draft list share it with your contractor for feedback and to help you source everything.

Here’s a quick recap:

  1. Email or print your PDF plan and deliver it to a building supply store.

  2. Create a draft list of all your preferred appliances, fixtures, finishing materials, etc.

  3. Then discuss everything with your builder.

Don’t be intimidated. Anyone can do this. When it comes to estimating materials it’s truly this easy. You don’t need to buy or build an exhaustive materials lists - you only need to request one and put in a little effort, which will ultimately help you understand some of the nuts and bolts of your home.

Good luck!