MASONRY ESTIMATING SOFTWARE

Masonry Estimating Software Built for Faster Takeoffs

Turn PDF floor plans into measurable masonry wall takeoffs for CMU, brick, and stone. Assign masonry systems directly to walls, deduct openings, calculate material quantities, and build editable labor and material estimates.

CMU, brick, stone veneer, natural stone, dry-stack, reinforcement, and free-standing walls — connected in one masonry estimating workflow.

vega · takeoff
B. Pantry53 sqftMudroom82 sqft1/2 Bath31 sqftOffice121 sqftKitchen193 sqftDining121 sqftLiving Room277 sqftEntry Corridor115 sqftPrimary Bed131 sqftPrimary Closet78 sqftPrimary Bath80 sqftFront Porch318 sqftBack Deck358 sqft

ROOM TAKEOFF

B. Pantry
53 sqft
Mudroom
82 sqft
1/2 Bath
31 sqft
Office
121 sqft
Kitchen
193 sqft
Dining
121 sqft
Living Room
277 sqft
Entry Corridor
115 sqft
Primary Bed
131 sqft
Primary Closet
78 sqft
Primary Bath
80 sqft
Front Porch
318 sqft
Back Deck
358 sqft
Conditioned1,282 sqft
REAL TRACED PLAN
14 rooms · 1,282 sqft
Upload the plan set
Floor plans + elevations
Spec read from elevations & notes
System, reinforcement, load-bearing
Wall area, net area & estimate
Reviewable and editable
FROM PDF PLANS TO A MASONRY ESTIMATE

Measure the Walls. Assign the Masonry. Build the Estimate.

Vega uses floor-plan geometry to establish masonry wall areas, lets the estimator assign CMU, brick, or stone systems directly to walls, deducts openings, derives material quantities, and builds editable material and labor estimates.

STEP 01

Upload the plans

Start with the plan set — the floor plans carry the wall geometry, and the elevations, wall legends, and structural notes carry the masonry specification.

STEP 02

Measure the walls

Vega uses floor-plan geometry to establish wall lengths, per-wall heights, and masonry wall areas — the primary quantity source for the masonry estimate.

STEP 03

Assign the masonry

The estimator assigns CMU, brick, thin brick, stone veneer, natural stone, or dry-stack systems directly to measured walls using the plan canvas. AI seeds the starting point from the spec scan; you control the final assignment.

STEP 04

Deduct openings

Window and door openings are deducted from gross masonry wall area to calculate net masonry wall area — the basis for material quantities and waste allowances.

STEP 05

Build the estimate

Vega derives material quantities, applies material-specific waste allowances, prices reinforcement and footing where applicable, and builds editable material and labor pricing.

Masonry wall quantities come from floor-plan geometry. The estimator assigns the masonry system to each wall — AI seeds the default from the spec scan, you control the final assignment.

WHAT VEGA MEASURES FOR MASONRY

Turn Floor Plans Into Masonry Wall Quantities

Masonry wall area is measured from floor-plan wall geometry — each wall segment’s length multiplied by its height, for walls painted as masonry. Openings are deducted from schedules. Block and brick counts are derived for ordering. Reinforcement is an additive assembly for CMU.

Wall area (measured from floor plans)
Masonry wall SF = Σ(wall length × per-wall height) for walls painted as masonry
Each wall segment carries its own height — a second storey is literally more wall
Wall-area source tracked: measured from takeoff or derived from envelope fallback
Spec reading (AI-assisted defaults)
Masonry system — seeds the default for walls the estimator has not yet painted
CMU size, reinforcement pattern, and load-bearing flag — from structural notes
Finish, bond beam, and chimney presence — read visually, not as quantities
Openings (deducted from schedules)
Window openings — width from schedule, height from type default
Door openings — width from schedule, height from type default
Net masonry area = gross wall SF − opening SF (pro-rata per masonry system)
Material quantities (derived from net area)
CMU block count — net SF ÷ 0.89 SF per face, plus waste (ordering trace)
Brick count — net SF × bricks per SF, plus waste (ordering trace)
Mortar quantity trace — derived from block count (ordering guidance only)
Reinforcement (additive assembly, CMU only)
Grout & reinforcement priced per 100 SF — the one item outside the installed $/SF
Every-4-ft and every-cell schemes — auto-armed by height, load-bearing, and occupancy
Brick and stone families carry no reinforcement line (no cells to grout)
Free-standing & foundation walls
Free-standing garden and privacy walls — measured area plus their own footing LF
CMU foundation wall scope — default off, warns on overlap with Structural Concrete
Footing under the building perimeter belongs to Structural Concrete, not Masonry

Wall area is measured from floor plans. The masonry system is user-assigned per wall, with AI seeding the default from the spec scan. Block and brick counts are ordering traces — never charged as separate lines.

MASONRY SYSTEMS

One Masonry Workflow. Multiple Systems.

The same wall-based workflow supports CMU, brick, and stone — assigned directly to measured walls, with opening deductions and editable material and labor estimating for each family.

CMU

Concrete masonry units — residential and commercial/load-bearing.

Residential CMU walls
Commercial / load-bearing CMU
Block quantities (ordering trace)
Mortar quantity trace
Reinforcement estimating (every-4-ft / every-cell)
Foundation CMU scope
Free-standing masonry walls

Brick

Clay brick — full brick and thin brick veneer.

Full clay brick walls
Thin brick veneer
Brick wall / veneer area
Derived brick quantities (ordering trace)
Opening deductions
Material and labor estimating

Stone

Manufactured and natural stone — veneer, full-bed, accent, and dry-stack.

Manufactured stone veneer
Natural stone veneer
Full-thickness / full-bed stone
Stone accents (chimney, wainscot)
Dry-stack stone
Measured stone area
Material and labor estimating

Accessory items — mortar, grout, ties, anchors, control joints, and cleaning — are included inside the installed unit price, not priced as individual lines. Vega does not estimate lintels, shelf angles, flashing, weeps, or special shapes as distinct items.

NET MASONRY WALL AREA

Measure the Wall. Deduct the Openings.

Vega works from masonry wall geometry and uses window and door information to calculate net masonry wall area — the basis for material quantities and waste allowances.

Gross masonry wall areaSF
−
Window openingsSF
Door openingsSF
=
Net masonry wall areaSF

Gross from floor plans

Masonry wall length multiplied by per-wall height, summed across the plan set for every wall painted as masonry.

Openings from schedules

Window and door opening widths come from the schedules; heights default by type. Openings are pro-rated to each masonry system’s share of the gross wall.

Net area drives quantities

The net masonry area is the basis for block and brick counts, mortar trace, reinforcement, and material waste allowances.

Window and door openings are deducted from masonry wall area. Vega does not estimate storefront, louvers, mechanical openings, or structural openings.

CMU QUANTITIES

From Wall Area to CMU Quantities

Vega uses measured net masonry wall area to derive CMU quantities, mortar, and reinforcement — and builds editable material and labor pricing from the result.

CMU WALL SF

Net masonry wall area after opening deductions — the starting point for every CMU quantity.

BLOCK QUANTITIES

Net SF divided by the block face area, plus a material waste allowance. An estimating and ordering quantity — not individually detected.

MORTAR QUANTITY TRACE

Derived from the block count for ordering guidance. Included inside the installed unit price, not charged as a separate line.

REINFORCEMENT ALLOWANCE

Grout and reinforcement priced per 100 SF as an additive assembly, with every-4-ft and every-cell schemes for CMU.

MATERIAL QUANTITIES

Material lines carry the waste-loaded order area; labor is priced on the net area. The split is visible and editable.

LABOR PRICING

Installed unit cost split into material and labor using a per-family labor share. Every unit price and labor assumption is editable.

Block counts are derived estimating and ordering quantities — not individually visually detected. Vega does not calculate pallet, cube, or bundle quantities, or individual rebar piece counts.

BRICK & STONE

Brick and Stone Without a Separate Workflow

The same wall-based workflow supports full clay brick, thin brick, manufactured and natural stone veneer, full-bed stone, stone accents, and dry-stack stone — using measured wall area and opening deductions to build quantities and pricing.

Brick

Full clay brick walls
Thin brick veneer
Derived brick quantities (ordering trace)
Opening deductions from schedules
Material and labor estimating
No reinforcement line (no cells to grout)

Stone

Manufactured stone veneer
Natural stone veneer
Full-thickness / full-bed stone
Stone accents (chimney, wainscot)
Dry-stack stone
Measured stone area with opening deductions

Vega uses measured wall area and opening deductions to build brick and stone quantities and pricing. It does not estimate brick coursing layout, detect individual bricks, optimize stone, or recognize patterns automatically.

CMU REINFORCEMENT

Account for Reinforced CMU

Vega can include CMU reinforcement estimating using reinforcement schemes such as every-four-foot and every-cell conditions. The estimator can adjust reinforcement assumptions before pricing.

Reinforcement schemes

Every-4-ft and every-cell grout and reinforcement schemes, priced per 100 SF as an additive assembly separate from the installed wall price.

Auto-armed from spec

The scheme can be auto-armed from the wall height, load-bearing flag, and occupancy — the estimator can adjust the assumption before pricing.

CMU only

Reinforcement is a CMU-only assembly. Brick and stone families carry no reinforcement line — a brick wythe has no cells to grout.

Vega estimates reinforcement quantities and pricing — it does not design reinforcement, provide structural engineering, or verify code compliance. Confirm reinforcement requirements with the project’s structural engineer.

WASTE ALLOWANCES

Apply Editable Material-Specific Waste Allowances

Vega applies a material waste allowance to masonry material quantities — editable per masonry system, and applied to material only, never to labor.

Material-specific waste

A waste allowance applied to material quantities, editable per masonry system. The estimator can adjust the factor for each family in the breakdown.

Material only

Waste applies to material quantities only, never to labor — you order extra block or brick, but you do not pay a mason to lay the broken ones.

Editable per system

Each masonry system carries its own waste factor. Adjust the percentage for CMU, brick, or stone independently in the estimate breakdown.

Waste is an editable material allowance, not an optimization. It is a fixed per-system percentage, not calculated from opening count or corner count.

REVIEWABILITY

Review the Takeoff on the Plan

A masonry estimate is only as good as the wall area and system assignment behind it. Vega shows whether the wall area was measured or assumed — and every wall, opening, scope, and price is editable.

See the wall-area source

The estimate shows whether the masonry wall area was measured from floor-plan wall geometry or derived from the envelope fallback — so you know whether the masonry scope is measured or assumed.

Edit wall heights

Every masonry wall segment carries its own height. Adjust the plate height, the storey count, or any individual wall — the masonry area and material quantities recompute with every change.

Assign masonry per wall

Switch any wall between CMU, brick, thin brick, stone veneer, natural stone, or dry-stack using the canvas paint-bucket. Walls you leave unpainted take the default seeded from the spec scan.

Edit window and door schedules

Opening widths come from the schedules; opening heights default by type. Adjust any entry and the opening deduction, net masonry area, and material quantities follow.

Toggle the masonry scopes

Walls, veneer, free-standing, foundation CMU, and reinforcement are each a scope toggle. Turn off free-standing and the garden-wall run and its footing are never measured.

Trade boundaries respected

Full-wall stone and brick veneer stay in Masonry; small stone accent stays in Exteriors. Masonry reinforcement stays here; structural rebar stays in Rebar. Poured foundations and building footings stay in Structural Concrete.

Masonry BreakdownILLUSTRATIVE

Wall area

—

From floor plans

Net area

—

After openings

System

—

Per-wall assigned

ITEMQTYUNIT
CMU wall (residential)
—SF
Brick veneer
—SF
Stone veneer
—SF
Grout & reinforcement
—100 SF
Free-standing wall footing
—LF
Mortar (ordering trace)
—cu ft
Labor (installed $/SF)
—SF
Every line editable — overrides saved, defaults preserved

Illustrative breakdown — quantities and prices shown as placeholders, not actual Vega output.

MATERIAL + LABOR

Turn Masonry Takeoffs Into Priced Estimates

Every masonry system carries an installed price per square foot, split into material and labor. Reinforcement, free-standing wall footing, and labor adjustments are all separate priced lines.

Priced lines in the estimate

CMU material + labor (per system)
Brick material + labor (per system)
Stone material + labor (per system)
Grout & reinforcement (CMU)
Free-standing wall footing (LF)
Mortar & block count (ordering trace)

Labor adjustments

Installed $/SF split into material + labor
Multi-story access premium (labor only)
Union / non-union factor
Complexity dial (labor)
Contingency dial (subtotal)
Every unit price and labor assumption editable

Labor is based on an installed $/SF split into material and labor — not crew rates, production rates, or man-hours. Every price is editable through Cost Library overrides.

TRADE BOUNDARIES

Keep Masonry Scope Where It Belongs

Vega’s trade workflows help separate overlapping construction scope — so masonry, exteriors, structural concrete, and rebar each own their part of the building.

Masonry

CMU
Brick veneer
Full-wall stone
Masonry reinforcement
Masonry foundation walls
Free-standing masonry walls

Exteriors

Siding
Stucco
EIFS
Small stone accent
Soffit / fascia / gutters
Exterior paint

Structural Concrete

Poured foundation walls
Building footings
Grade beams
Piers

Rebar

Structural concrete reinforcement
Excludes masonry reinforcement

Vega’s trade workflows help separate overlapping scope. A CMU foundation wall warns when Structural Concrete is also active; full-wall stone moves to Masonry when the veneer scope is on; masonry reinforcement stays in Masonry while structural rebar stays in Rebar.

HUMAN CONTROL

Measure the Walls. You Control the Masonry.

AI assists with wall measurement and masonry-spec interpretation. The estimator controls the masonry assignment, wall heights, scope, waste, pricing, labor, and adjustments. This is the truth boundary the estimate is built on.

AI ASSISTS WITH

Wall measurement from floor plans
Spec reading — system, reinforcement, load-bearing
Default masonry seeding from the scan
Opening deduction from schedules

YOU CONTROL

Masonry assignment per wall
Wall heights and storey count
Scope toggles — walls, veneer, free-standing, foundation, reinforcement
Waste, pricing, labor, and adjustments
WHO IT'S FOR

Built for the People Who Price the Masonry

MASONRY SUBCONTRACTORS

From wall area to a masonry bid

Focus on the wall area, net masonry area, and the full CMU, brick, and stone takeoff — and carry it into a trade-specific bid without rebuilding the takeoff from scratch.

Per-wall masonry assignment — you control it
CMU, brick, and stone in one workflow
Reinforcement, footing, and free-standing walls

GENERAL CONTRACTORS

Carry masonry alongside the other trades

Estimate masonry alongside structural concrete, rebar, and exteriors — one building footprint, one project, one proposal — instead of rebuilding each scope.

Clear boundaries with Exteriors, Concrete, and Rebar
No double-counting of stone or foundation walls
One proposal from many trades
FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

What is masonry estimating software?

Masonry estimating software helps contractors turn construction plans into masonry wall quantities — wall area, opening deductions, net masonry area, block and brick counts, reinforcement, and free-standing wall footing — and then into material and labor pricing and a reviewable estimate. Vega is built around that workflow for masonry subcontractors, bricklayers, block masons, stone masons, and estimators.

Can Vega estimate CMU block walls?

Yes. Vega measures CMU wall area from floor-plan geometry, deducts window and door openings to calculate net masonry area, and derives block quantities from the net area. The estimator assigns residential or commercial CMU to the appropriate walls, and reinforcement estimating is available using every-4-ft and every-cell schemes. The result is a reviewable, editable CMU estimate with material and labor pricing.

Can Vega estimate brick masonry?

Yes. Vega supports full clay brick and thin brick veneer. The estimator assigns the brick system to measured walls, and Vega derives brick quantities from the net wall area after opening deductions. Brick walls carry no reinforcement line — a brick wythe has no cells to grout. Material and labor are priced from an editable installed unit cost split into material and labor.

Can Vega estimate stone veneer?

Yes. Vega supports manufactured stone veneer, natural stone veneer, full-thickness or full-bed stone, stone accents such as a chimney or wainscot, and dry-stack stone. The estimator assigns the stone system to the appropriate walls, and Vega measures the stone area from floor-plan geometry with opening deductions. Full-wall stone belongs to the Masonry trade; small stone accents are also supported here.

Can Vega create masonry takeoffs from PDF plans?

Yes. Vega measures floor-plan wall geometry to establish wall lengths, per-wall heights, and masonry wall areas. The estimator then assigns the masonry system — CMU, brick, thin brick, stone veneer, natural stone, or dry-stack — to the appropriate walls using the plan canvas. Window and door openings are deducted from gross wall area to calculate net masonry area. This is an AI-assisted, estimator-controlled workflow — not a one-click automatic masonry takeoff.

Does Vega deduct windows and doors from masonry wall area?

Yes. Vega uses window and door information from the schedules to deduct opening area from gross masonry wall area. Window and door widths come from the schedule; heights default by type. The net masonry area — gross wall SF minus opening SF — is the basis for material quantities and waste allowances. Openings are pro-rated to each masonry system’s share of the gross wall area.

Can Vega calculate block and brick quantities?

Yes. Vega derives CMU block count from net masonry area divided by the block face area, plus a material waste allowance. Brick count is derived from net area multiplied by bricks per square foot, plus waste. These are estimating and ordering quantities — they help you order material, and they are not individually visually detected. Vega does not calculate pallet, cube, or bundle quantities, or individual rebar piece counts.

Does Vega estimate masonry labor?

Yes. Each masonry system carries an installed price per square foot, split into material and labor using a per-family labor share. Additional adjustments can include a multi-story access premium, a complexity dial, a union or non-union factor, and contingency. Reinforcement is priced as a separate additive assembly for CMU. Free-standing wall footing is priced per linear foot where applicable. Every unit price and labor assumption is editable.

Can I edit the masonry takeoff before pricing?

Yes. You can add, delete, move, and resize walls, assign or change the masonry system per wall, edit wall heights, edit window and door schedule information, change reinforcement assumptions, adjust the waste factor, edit material pricing, edit labor assumptions, include or exclude estimate lines, and add custom lines. Every quantity and price is editable, and the estimate recomputes with every change.

Does Vega handle masonry reinforcement?

Yes. Vega can include CMU reinforcement estimating using reinforcement schemes such as every-four-foot and every-cell conditions. The scheme can be auto-armed from the wall height, load-bearing flag, and occupancy, and the estimator can adjust the reinforcement assumption before pricing. Reinforcement is priced as an additive assembly separate from the installed wall price. Brick and stone families carry no reinforcement line. Vega does not design reinforcement or provide structural engineering.

Related resources

GET STARTED

Upload the Plans. Build the Masonry Estimate.

See how Vega turns floor plans into masonry wall area, net masonry area, a full CMU, brick, and stone takeoff, and a reviewable masonry estimate.

No credit card to start
Real plan takeoff in your browser
Reviewable, editable results