FAQ
Asked.Answered straight.
Every question contractors, GCs, and estimators actually bring to this decision — including the ones whose honest answer is “not yet.” Anything missing goes straight to the founder from the contact page.
Product
What is Cedrus?
Cedrus Takeoffs is construction takeoff and estimating software. Upload a PDF plan set, calibrate the scale, draw rooms and runs on the canvas, and the quantities price out from your own cost codes into a branded PDF estimate. It replaces the scale-ruler-and-spreadsheet workflow with one canvas — built iPad-first, by a working estimator.
What is a construction takeoff?
A construction takeoff is the process of reviewing project blueprints to determine the exact quantities of materials needed to complete a job. Estimators measure floor areas, wall surfaces, linear runs, and item counts, then apply waste factors and deductions. The resulting quantity list feeds the estimate. A good takeoff is the foundation of every profitable bid, in every trade.
How does digital takeoff software work?
Digital takeoff software replaces the scale ruler. You upload a PDF blueprint, calibrate the scale against a known dimension, and draw measurements directly on screen. The software computes areas, linear feet, and counts automatically, applies waste factors, and feeds the quantities into an estimate priced from your rates — then exports the result as a PDF.
Which trades does Cedrus support?
Any trade that measures off a plan. The canvas measures areas, linear runs, and counts; your pricebook decides what they cost. Tile, stone, and flooring have the deepest starter content today — framing, drywall, concrete, roofing, electrical, and plumbing use the same mechanics with their own cost codes. There is no trade-specific lock-in.
What file formats does Cedrus accept?
Multi-page PDF — the format nearly every plan set ships in. Upload one PDF with dozens of pages and Cedrus renders them progressively sharper as you zoom. Scale is calibrated per page, so mixed-scale plan sets stay correct. CAD files can be exported to PDF from most drafting tools before upload.
Workflow
How long does a takeoff take in Cedrus?
On our own bids, Cedrus Takeoffs cut the time from plan-open to bid-sent roughly in half. A single bathroom is a matter of minutes; a full custom home is an afternoon instead of days. The gain comes from per-room organization, reusable cost codes and assemblies, and a PDF estimate built straight from the measurements — nothing re-entered into a spreadsheet.
How do assemblies work?
An assembly is a bundled per-unit rate that covers the material and labor lines for a scope. Instead of pricing thinset, underlayment, tile, grout, and labor separately on every bid, you define a floor-tile assembly at your rate per square foot once. Every future bid applies it, which keeps pricing consistent across estimators and across months.
Can multiple estimators work the same takeoff?
Yes, on paid plans. Estimators open the same project and see each other's live cursors and active tools while edits sync in real time — there is one copy of the takeoff, so nobody reconciles versions the night before a bid. Solo is single-seat; Pro seats five and Pro+ seats ten.
How are waste factors handled?
Per room, because rooms differ: a straight-lay hallway and a herringbone great room shouldn't share a waste factor. Waste is applied to the measured quantity before pricing, and you can override it per room. The pricing pipeline is fixed and auditable — waste first, then setting materials, then markup, in that order every time.
Pricing & plans
How much does Cedrus cost?
Flat, never per seat. Solo is $0 with the full takeoff tool, one seat, three projects, and 150 MB of storage. Pro is $49 a month ($470 a year) for five seats, unlimited projects, and 50 GB. Pro+ is $69 a month ($662 a year) for ten seats and 200 GB. Your first Pro or Pro+ subscription starts with a 14-day free trial. Above ten seats, Enterprise is a custom contract.
Is there a free tier?
Yes — Solo, and it isn't a trial. It includes the full takeoff tool: drawing, scale calibration, pricing from your own rates, and PDF export, with no card and no time limit. The caps are one seat, three active projects, and 150 MB of plan storage; paid plans raise the caps rather than unlock the tool.
Can I cancel anytime?
Yes. Cancel from the billing portal at any time and keep access through the end of the period you've paid for. There are no cancellation fees and no long-term contracts on Solo, Pro, or Pro+. Billing runs through Stripe.
Company & trust
Who built Cedrus?
Jacob Muzychenko — a Denver tile-and-stone estimator who still bids work every week. Cedrus Takeoffs started as a prototype he ran on his own bids and grew into the product his firm runs most of its bids through. It is self-funded and independent: no venture pressure, no private-equity roll-up.
Where is Cedrus based?
Denver, Colorado. The product comes out of the family tile-and-stone business along the Front Range — which bids everything from bathroom remodels to multimillion-dollar custom homes — and it serves contractors across the United States. Imperial and metric measurement units are both supported.
How is my data secured?
Cedrus runs on Supabase and Vercel with data encrypted in transit and at rest. Team roles control who can edit projects, manage pricing, and invite users. Work-order links are tokenized, expire after 30 days, and track access. Your price book and estimates stay yours.
Does Cedrus integrate with QuickBooks, Procore, or Buildertrend?
Not today, and we won't claim an integration before it ships. A materials marketplace — live material pricing on the takeoff canvas — is coming; accounting and project-management integrations aren't. Cedrus Takeoffs is focused on pre-construction and doesn't replace those systems — the estimate leaves as a branded PDF you own. If a specific integration would decide it for you, say so through the contact page; that's how the roadmap gets ordered.