Facade takeoff and estimating
A facade is not priced like a floor: the area is counted with openings deducted, the reveal returns weigh days of labour, and scaffolding is a line item in its own right.
This guide gathers everything FloorScan can do on a facade: measure the net area from a photo, derive the reveal linears, compute the insulation, size the scaffolding and produce a repaint quote. Each page covers one link, and reads on its own.
The net area
Everything starts there: the facade minus windows, doors, balconies and shutter boxes. The AI detects those elements on a square-on photo or an elevation drawing, measures each in real metres and separates gross area, opening area and area to treat. It is the basis of every line item that follows.
Reveals and insulation
The most commonly forgotten line item of an external insulation job. Two jambs, a lintel and a sill per opening, each with its own cut and finish: across twenty windows those linear metres are worth several days of labour. The calculation starts from the detected dimensions and converts to surfaces for the insulation thickness.
Scaffolding and the quote
Once the facade is measured, the area to scaffold is drawn on the calibrated background: the bay and lift grid follows, then the full bill of materials and the erection schedule for your crew size. The repaint quote picks up the net area, the reveals, the insulation and the scaffolding in a single document in your own branding.
FloorScan for your profession
Frequently asked questions
Is a photo enough to price a facade?
For an estimate, yes, under two conditions: shoot as square-on as possible and have a known dimension in frame, a door width will do. For construction documents the elevation drawing remains better, since the perspective is already corrected there.
How are the reveal returns computed?
From the real dimensions of each opening: the two jambs equal twice the height, the lintel and the sill each equal the width. Those linear metres are then multiplied by the insulation thickness to give the cut surfaces to order.
Is the scaffolding calculation a structural design?
No, it is a quantity and a schedule: bays, lifts, materials and half-days of erection. The calculation note, the ties and the compliance of the assembly belong to the erector and the equipment manufacturer, as on any site.
Can several elevations of one building be handled?
Yes, each orientation is analyzed separately and adds into the same estimate. Exports keep the per-elevation detail, so you can present one repaint total while justifying each face to the building manager.
Start with a facade photo
Upload the image of a building you know and compare the net area with your own takeoff.
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