3D Modeling and BIM Services
We take your CAD files and survey data and build the 3D model your GPS equipment needs to run. Earthwork contractors see productivity increases of 33-40% on GPS-guided sites versus conventional layout.
Learn MoreEarthwork Takeoffs for Texas Contractors Who Bid to Win
Cut and fill quantities calculated from your design plans before you commit to a number. Know your dirt before you bid it. Lone Star Layouts produces earthwork takeoffs from your design plans so your bid reflects what's actually in the ground, not what you estimated from a site walk.
Backed by Stone River Excavation, 11 years Texas earthwork experience
10+ years hands-on BIM, modeling, and layout experience
Trimble, Topcon, Leica and Civil 3D certified
The problem
A Bad Takeoff Doesn't Show Up Until You're Already Losing Money
Earthwork quantity errors are expensive in two directions. Underbid the cut and you absorb the overrun. Overbid it and you lose the job to someone who ran tighter numbers.
Most mid-size earthwork contractors are either doing takeoffs manually from plan sheets, relying on a GC's numbers, or skipping the takeoff entirely and pricing from experience. All three approaches carry risk that a proper quantity calculation eliminates.
The problem isn't effort. It's that accurate takeoffs from civil design files require software and workflow that most earthwork operators don't have set up in-house. That setup cost doesn't make sense for one or two jobs. But the risk of not having it doesn't go away.
That's where Lone Star comes in.
Our solution
Start My Takeoff Project
Takeoffs Built from Your Design Files, Not Your Best Guess
We calculate earthwork quantities directly from your civil design files using Civil 3D surface comparison. Existing ground surface versus proposed grade gives you precise cut and fill volumes for the entire site, broken down by phase or area if your project requires it.
You get a quantity report you can build a bid from, along with the supporting surface model so you can show your numbers if a GC asks how you got there.
Remote delivery means you can submit your files and receive your takeoff without a site visit or an in-person meeting.
What's Included
What You Receive with Every Earthwork Takeoff
Cut and Fill Volume Calculations
We calculate total cut and fill volumes for your site from a Civil 3D surface comparison between your existing ground and proposed design surfaces. Quantities are reported in cubic yards, formatted for use in your bid worksheet.
Phase and Zone Breakdowns
If your project is phased or your GC needs quantities broken out by area, we segment the takeoff accordingly. Each zone or phase is reported separately so your bid reflects the actual sequence of work, not just a single site total.
Shrink and Swell Factors
Raw cubic yard calculations don't account for material behavior in the field. We apply shrink and swell factors appropriate to your soil type so your hauling and compaction estimates reflect what actually happens when the dirt moves.
Supporting Surface Model
You receive the Civil 3D surface model used to generate your takeoff quantities. If a GC or owner questions your numbers, you have the model to back them up. It also feeds directly into a machine control engagement if you need grade control files for the same project.
Quantity Summary Report
Your deliverable includes a clean quantity summary formatted for bid use. Cut total, fill total, net import or export, and phase breakdowns if applicable. Formatted for readability, not just for software output.
Design Conflict Flagging
If we find a gap or conflict in your design data during the takeoff process, we flag it before we finalize your quantities. A design error caught at bid stage costs nothing. The same error found after mobilization is expensive.
When You Need a Takeoff
Three Moments When a Takeoff Changes the Outcome
We produce grade control files for the three primary GPS machine control systems used by Texas earthwork contractors. If your equipment isn't listed below, contact us before you order and we'll confirm compatibility.
Before You Bid
The most common use. You have design plans, a bid deadline and a number you need to be right. We calculate your quantities from the plans so your bid reflects the actual scope of earthwork, not a field estimate padded for safety.
Before You Mobilize
If you won the job without a formal takeoff, now is the time to run one. Knowing your cut and fill quantities before mobilization lets you plan your haul routes, schedule your equipment and price any subcontract work accurately before the clock starts.
When the Design Changes Mid-Job
A design change after mobilization changes your quantities. We can run a revised takeoff from the updated design files so you know exactly how much the scope changed and have documentation to support a change order if the work increases.
Process
How an Earthwork Takeoff Project Works
Step 1
Send Us Your Design Files
Share your civil design files and plan sheets. CAD, PDF, LandXML and standard survey formats all work. Tell us your project type, your timeline and whether you need phase or zone breakdowns. If you have a bid deadline, tell us that first.
Step 2
We Review, Flag and Quote
We check your files for completeness and flag any design data gaps that would affect quantity accuracy. You receive a quote and a confirmed turnaround time. If your deadline is tight, tell us and we'll tell you honestly whether we can hit it.
Step 3
We Run the Takeoff
We build or import your design surfaces in Civil 3D, run the surface comparison and calculate your quantities. Phase and zone breakdowns are applied if required. We check for shrink and swell factor inputs and apply them before generating the final report.
Step 4
You Receive the Report and Model
We deliver your quantity summary report and supporting surface model by email or shared drive link. You have everything you need to build your bid and defend your numbers.
Service areas
We Work Across Texas. And Anywhere a File Can Travel.
Our remote services go where the project is. Our field crews cover the major earthwork corridors across Texas.
Related Services
Often Paired with Earthwork Takeoffs
GPS Grade Control Modeling
We produce the machine control files your dozers, graders and scrapers run directly. Trimble, Topcon and Leica format. No translation layer, no guesswork.
Learn More
QA/QC Services
As-built documentation, compliance surveying and construction quality control records that give your GC what they need to close out the project.
Learn More
FAQ
Have more questions? Call now
Frequently Asked Questions About Earthwork Takeoffs
What design files do you need to run a takeoff?
We work from your civil design files, which can include AutoCAD (.dwg), LandXML (.xml), PDF plan sheets or survey point files. If all you have is a PDF set, we can still run the takeoff but it adds digitizing time and cost to the project. Tell us what you have when you request a quote.
How accurate are the quantities?
Our quantities come from a Civil 3D surface comparison between your existing ground and proposed design surfaces, so they are only as accurate as the design data you provide. Working from complete civil design files, the calculation is precise to the design. If we find a gap or conflict in the data that would affect accuracy, we flag it before we finalize your numbers.
Do you apply shrink and swell factors?
Yes. Raw cubic yard calculations don't account for how material behaves in the field, so we apply shrink and swell factors appropriate to your soil type. That way your hauling and compaction estimates reflect what actually happens when the dirt moves.
Can I get a takeoff and a machine control model from the same project?
Yes. The Civil 3D surface model we build for your takeoff is the same foundation a machine control model is built on. If you win the bid and need GPS grade control files, we can move from takeoff to BIM model as a single engagement without starting over.
What if I need the takeoff before a bid deadline?
Tell us your deadline first when you request a quote. We review your files, confirm a turnaround time and tell you honestly whether we can hit your date. Most takeoffs are delivered within two business days of file receipt.
Can I use your takeoff to support a change order?
Yes. If the design changes mid-job, we can run a revised takeoff from the updated design files so you know exactly how much the scope changed. You receive the quantity report and supporting surface model as documentation to support a change order if the work increases.
Know Your Dirt Before You Bid It
Send us your design files and tell us your deadline. We'll review them, quote the takeoff and get your quantities back to you in time to build your bid. Most takeoffs are delivered within two business days of file receipt.
Remote delivery available nationwide. Most quotes returned within one business day.