After triangulating your Existing and Proposed surfaces, the plugin can instantly calculate cut and fill volumes. This is its primary function, providing a crucial quantity for any sitework bid. The plugin provides pre-built reports to summarize this data.
This is an in-depth guide to , a dedicated plugin designed to turn the leading 2D takeoff software into a powerful sitework estimating tool.
If you are using older earthwork plugins or relying on standard PlanSwift formulas, version 3 offers distinct competitive advantages:
PlanSwift operates as a foundational digital takeoff tool, allowing estimators to measure lines, areas, and counts from 2D blueprints. However, calculating earthwork requires a third dimension: depth and elevation. planswift earthwork pro v3
The ability to export clear, color-coded cut-and-fill maps helps win client trust during competitive bidding. Conclusion
To get the most accurate results, estimators follow a structured data-entry workflow: Step 1: Import and Scale the Drawing
If an architect revises the site grading, the estimator can simply adjust the proposed spot elevations and re-triangulate the site in seconds, rather than starting the takeoff from scratch. After triangulating your Existing and Proposed surfaces, the
: After digitizing all required points, click the "Triangulate" button on the Home Tab. The software will automatically calculate average elevations and display the areas in blue (proposed) and brown (existing). If you make an error entering an elevation, you must turn off the digitizer, delete the point, and re-enter it.
The calculation engine handles complex civil plans with hundreds of contour lines without lagging or crashing PlanSwift.
💡 To get the most out of Earthwork Pro v3, ensure your source PDFs are high-resolution. Clear contour lines make the digitizing process faster and significantly reduce the margin of error in your final volume report. If you’d like to dig deeper, I can help you with: This is an in-depth guide to , a
Using specialized digitizing tools, the user traces the existing contour lines (often shown as dashed lines on blueprints) and assigns them their respective sea-level elevations. The process is then repeated on a separate layer for the proposed contour lines (typically solid lines). Spot elevations—specific points on the plan indicating precise high or low points—are also added to refine the accuracy of the digital terrain. Step 4: Configuring Subgrades and Structural Pads
To help you get the most out of your site prep estimates, tell me a bit more about your typical projects:
Establish a company-wide standard for colors. For example, use red for existing contours, green for proposed contours, and blue for subgrade boundaries.
Automatically adjust volumes based on the physical properties of the soil being moved. The Workflow: From Blueprints to Volumes
PlanSwift Earthwork Pro v3 is a premium add-on module built specifically for the PlanSwift takeoff software ecosystem. While standard PlanSwift excels at linear, area, and count measurements, it natively lacks the complex 3D algorithmic engine required to calculate topographical volumes.