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Getting Started
Quick Start

Quick Start

Get started with BuildVision AI in 5 minutes. This guide walks you through your first takeoff from start to finish.

Create a Project

Projects help you organize related documents and takeoffs together.

  1. Click New Project from the dashboard
  2. Enter a project name (e.g., "123 Main Street Renovation")
  3. Add the project address - this helps with organization
  4. Click Create

You can also add client information, budget estimates, and team members later.

Upload Your Plans

BuildVision AI works best with PDF blueprints, but also supports images.

For PDFs:

  • Click Upload or drag and drop files
  • Multi-page PDFs are automatically split into individual sheets
  • Each sheet becomes a separate plan you can measure

For Images:

  • Supported formats: PNG, JPG, TIFF
  • Use the highest resolution available for better AI detection
  • Scanned drawings work fine - just make sure they're legible

Set the Scale

Before measuring, you need to tell BuildVision how big things really are:

  1. Press C for Calibrate (or click the ruler icon)
  2. Find something on the drawing with a known dimension:
    • A door is usually 3 feet wide
    • Interior doors are often 2'8" or 2'10"
    • Parking spaces are typically 9' x 18'
  3. Click the two endpoints of that dimension
  4. Enter the real-world distance
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Getting the scale right is crucial! All your measurements depend on it. Look for dimension lines or scale notations on the drawing (like "1/4" = 1'-0"").

Run AI Detection

With your scale set, let the AI find components automatically:

  1. Click AI Takeoff in the toolbar
  2. Select what to detect:
    • Doors - swinging, sliding, pocket doors
    • Windows - all window types
    • Walls - interior and exterior
    • Rooms - enclosed spaces with area calculations
  3. Click Start Detection
  4. Wait 30-60 seconds for processing

The AI will highlight detected items on your plan with colored overlays.

Review Your Results

The AI is smart but not perfect. Take a minute to review:

In the Results Panel:

  • See a list of all detected items with measurements
  • Click any item to highlight it on the plan
  • Items are grouped by type (doors, windows, etc.)

Quick Fixes:

  • Click the X to remove incorrect detections
  • Use drawing tools to add anything the AI missed
  • Drag vertices to adjust shapes

Pro tip: Start by removing obvious errors, then scan for missed items. Most plans have 90%+ accuracy on the first pass.

Export Your Quantities

When you're happy with the takeoff:

  1. Click Export in the toolbar
  2. Choose your format:
    • Excel - opens in Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets
    • CSV - works with any spreadsheet software
  3. Select which item types to include
  4. Click Download

Your export includes:

  • Item counts (e.g., 12 doors)
  • Linear measurements (e.g., 450 LF of wall)
  • Area calculations (e.g., 2,400 SF floor area)
  • Room-by-room breakdowns

What's Next?

Now that you've completed your first takeoff:

Common First-Time Questions

Q: How accurate is the AI?

For standard residential and commercial plans, expect 85-95% accuracy. Complex or hand-drawn plans may need more manual adjustment.

Q: Can I save and come back later?

Yes! Your work is automatically saved. Just close the browser and pick up where you left off.

Q: What if I uploaded the wrong file?

Click the document name in the sidebar and select "Delete" - you can upload a new one anytime.

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