How Measurements Work in Buildern
Buildern provides two ways to work with measurements:
• Plan View – where measurements are created and drawn directly on the plan
• Measurements Tab – where all measurements are organized, edited, and managed
💡 Tip - Measurements are always drawn on the plan, but managed from the Measurements tab.
Upload a Plan to Takeoff
Before creating measurements, you first need to upload a plan into the Takeoff tool.
👉 Learn more about How to Add Plans to the Takeoff Tool in Buildern
Once the plan is uploaded, open it from the plan list to begin setting the scale and creating measurements.
👉 Learn more about How to Set a Scale in Takeof
To add a measurement:
Click Add New
Select a measurement type (e.g., Area, Length, Count, Volume)
3. Enter the required details:
Name - The name of the measurement.
Category - Used to organize measurements into groups.
Click Add Category
Enter a name
(Optional) Create subcategories
Unit - Defines the measurement unit used for calculations.
Fill - Controls the interior appearance of the measurement shape on the plan.
Type - Defines the visual line style or measurement appearance.
Size - Controls the thickness or visual size of the measurement lines and markers.
Color - Sets the display color of the measurement on the plan.
Multiplier - Automatically multiplies the measured quantity by a defined value.
Waste (%) - Adds an additional waste percentage to the calculated quantity.
Click Save to create the measurement.
ℹ️ Note - Available fields may vary depending on the selected measurement type.
Measurement Types Explained
Buildern supports multiple measurement types:
1. Area - Used for surfaces like floors, tiles, paint.
Unit: m² / ft²
Example: Room flooring
2. Roof Area - Specialized area measurement for roofing.
Includes slope considerations
3. Vertical Area - Used for walls or vertical surfaces.
Example: Wall painting
4. Length - Used for linear measurements.
Example: Walls, pipes, cables
5. Count - Counts individual items.
Example: Windows, doors
6. Count with Length - Counts items + measures their length.
Example: Fence sections
7. Volume - Used for 3D measurements.
Example: Concrete, excavation
ℹ️ Note - All measurement types follow the same workflow:
Create → Draw → Buildern calculates total automatically
Start Measuring
Once your measurement is created, you can begin marking areas directly on the plan.
To start measuring:
Select the created measurement
Use the tools from the left panel
Choose the appropriate drawing method:
Straight line – for precise point-to-point measurement
Freeform line – for irregular shapes
Rectangle – for quick area selection
4. Click on the plan to define points
5. Continue selecting points to outline the area
6. Double-click or click STOP to complete the measurement
Buildern will automatically calculate the total based on your input.
💡 Tip - Use different line types depending on the shape of the area for more accurate results.
Configure Display Settings
Buildern also provides Display Settings that help customize how measurements are shown and how interactions behave while working on plans.
Measurement Display Options
Linear - Show segment lengths – Displays the length of each individual segment for linear measurements
Area - Show segment lengths – Displays segment lengths for area measurements
Area - Show segment size – Displays the calculated size/area directly on the plan
Show shape properties on hover – Shows additional measurement details when hovering over a shape
Snap to points – Helps measurements snap precisely to existing points for more accurate drawing
Mouse or Touchpad Settings
Buildern also allows you to optimize navigation controls based on your device:
Auto detect – Automatically detects whether you are using a mouse or touchpad
Touchpad – Optimizes controls for touchpad navigation
Mouse – Optimizes controls for mouse usage
💡 Tip - Adjusting Display Settings can make measurements easier to read and improve accuracy while working on detailed plans.
Link Measurement to Estimates
After configuring the measurement, you will see the Estimate section at the bottom.
From here, you can directly:
Add the measurement to an Estimate
Create a new item using the measured quantity
This allows you to instantly use your takeoff data when creating estimate items, without manually entering quantities.
ℹ️ Note - The measured quantity will automatically populate in the estimate item once selected.
👉 Learn more about How to Create and Add Estimate Items in Buildern
Activate a Measurement
Before you start drawing, make sure the measurement is active.
To activate a measurement:
Click on the measurement from the list
Ensure it is visible/selected
Once activated, you will see a prompt on the screen:
“Make visible to start drawing the shape”
Only active measurements can be used for drawing on the plan.
Edit and Adjust Measurements
After creating a measurement, you can modify it at any time.
To edit a measurement:
Locate the measurement in the list
Click the three-dot menu next to it
Select Edit
From here, you can update:
Name
Category
Unit
Display settings (fill, type, size, color)
Multiplier
Waste (%)
You can also:
Duplicate a measurement to reuse the same setup
Delete a measurement if it is no longer needed
Then click Save to apply the changes.
View and Manage Measurements
To manage all your measurements in one place, you can navigate to the Measurements tab.
The Measurements tab provides a centralized view of all measurements created within your project.
You can also click Add New Measurement to create a new measurement directly from this page.
You can also click Add New Measurement to create a new measurement directly from this page.
From the dropdown, select the measurement type to start creating a new measurement.
Each measurement row includes a three-dot menu, allowing you to quickly edit, duplicate, or delete the measurement.
Group Takeoff Measurements
Buildern allows you to group your measurements according to:
Category
List
Plan
To choose the corresponding view, click on the drop-down menu in the upper right corner.
Sorting your measurements according to plans will show all your construction plans (with folders if there are any) and measurements used in the corresponding plan.
Measurements that haven’t been used in any plan yet will appear under the “Measurements without plan” category.
Show/Hide Columns
You can choose to show/hide columns with the information about:
Name
Quantity
Waste
Type
Category
Plan
Copy and Download Measurements
In the upper-right corner of the Measurements tab, you can quickly perform additional actions using the available icons:
Copy – Duplicate selected measurements to reuse them within your project
Download – Export your measurements data for external use
These options help you efficiently reuse existing measurements and keep a record of your takeoff data outside of Buildern.
ℹ️ Note - Measurements can be downloaded in PDF and Excel formats.
We’ll continue turning complex workflows into simple steps in the next tutorials.
Happy Building!