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Why Outsourcing Takeoffs Isn’t the Right Move for Suppliers

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Construction’s fast-moving, margin-sensitive industry means that speed and accuracy can make or break your quote. Suppliers are expected to do more than just move materials, you’re now key partners in the preconstruction process. That means delivering fast, accurate quotes is critical to winning business. 

But too many suppliers are still outsourcing takeoffs, relying on third-party services that don’t understand their products, pricing, or workflows. While outsourcing might seem like a time-saver, it often creates more bottlenecks: slow turnaround, inconsistent results, and missed opportunities. 

Let’s break down why bringing takeoffs in-house with STACK Takeoff & Estimate puts suppliers back in control and sets your team up for long-term success. 

The Problem with Outsourcing Takeoffs

Unpredictable Turnaround Times 

Deadlines don’t wait. But third-party takeoff services rarely deliver on-demand results. When you’re bidding multiple projects in a week or chasing last-minute updates, waiting 2–3 days (or more) for measurements just doesn’t cut it. 

Inconsistencies and Errors 

No one knows your products, scopes, and pricing better than your internal team. Outsourced providers often deliver takeoffs that miss spec details, apply incorrect assemblies, or use units that don’t match your workflows. That means more time spent reviewing—and sometimes redoing—the work. 

Lack of Visibility and Control 

Need to adjust quantities after a scope change? Good luck. Outsourced files are usually locked-down PDFs, not live, editable data. You’re forced to start from scratch or send it back and wait. 

No Historical Insight 
Outsourced estimates are transactional. You lose institutional knowledge, which means no feedback loop to improve accuracy over time. 

Security Concerns 

Your takeoffs contain sensitive project info, from supplier pricing to customer targets. Every time you hand that off to an unknown provider, you’re putting business-critical data at risk. 

STACK Pro Tip: Check out our blog STACK for Suppliers: 5 Secrets to Success 

The Case for In-House Estimating

When your team controls the inputs, you control the outcomes.

Benefits of Bringing Takeoffs In-House with STACK Takeoff & Estimating: 

The STACK Impact: STACK customer, Denver Winwater, is a full-service supplier of waterworks and underground utilities materials based in Commerce City, CO. Their past processes for preconstruction were time-consuming, leading to delays and inaccuracies in quotes. Since adopting STACK in 2021, the company has increased quote output, improved profitability, and boosted efficiency. 

"STACK has definitely been a big part in increasing our sales because we can do so many more quotes a day. Last year we did close to 760 takeoffs which totaled more than $300 million in quotes we sent out the door."

Automate What Slows You Down: STACK’s AI + Automation Features

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming construction tech—but not all AI is created equal. Some tools bolt on gimmicky features that sound slick in a demo but don’t hold up in the field. 

STACK’s AI and automation capabilities are different. They’re embedded directly into your takeoff workflow—accelerating your speed without sacrificing accuracy or oversight. 

STACK’s Smartest Features:

The STACK Impact: Ewing Outdoor Supply, a leading wholesale distributor of landscape and irrigation materials, faced a major challenge: their commercial services team was juggling three disconnected systems—CRM, takeoff software, and quoting tools—resulting in redundant data entry, manual copy‑pastes, and inefficiencies. By leveraging STACK’s powerful API, Ewing created a streamlined workflow eliminating manual handoffs. 

"Thanks to our integration with STACK, we are able to serve our customers much quicker than before."

Stop Outsourcing. Start Outperforming.

Suppliers who handle takeoffs in-house aren’t just faster—they’re more reliable, more accurate, and more profitable. With STACK, you can quote with confidence, measure in minutes, and win more jobs—without waiting on someone else to get it right. 

STACK gives your estimating team everything they need to scale your quoting operation—from AI-accelerated takeoffs to integrations with your ERP and other systems. Ready to take control of your takeoffs? See STACK in action. 

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Why Outsourcing Takeoffs Isn’t the Right Move for Suppliers

Discover why outsourcing takeoffs is slowing suppliers down. Learn how STACK helps you quote faster, boost accuracy, and take control of your preconstruction process with AI-powered in-house estimating.

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