Question 1

What is Cedrus?

Accepted Answer

Cedrus is pre-construction software that turns a PDF blueprint into a measured, priced, bid-ready estimate. It replaces the scale-ruler-and-spreadsheet workflow with a single canvas — upload plans, calibrate scale, measure, apply assembly pricing, and export a branded PDF estimate. Cedrus is built for every trade in the pre-con stack, from tile and flooring to framing, roofing, concrete, and electrical.

Question 2

What is a construction takeoff?

Accepted Answer

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.

Question 3

How does digital takeoff software work?

Accepted Answer

Digital takeoff software replaces the scale ruler. Users upload a PDF blueprint, calibrate the scale by clicking along a known dimension, and draw measurements directly on screen. The software computes areas, linear feet, and counts automatically, applies waste factors and deductions, and feeds the quantities into an estimate. Modern tools also generate a branded PDF estimate directly from the measurement data.

Question 4

Which trades does Cedrus support?

Accepted Answer

Cedrus supports every trade in pre-construction. The measurement canvas works for any scope — tile, stone, flooring, framing, drywall, concrete, roofing, electrical, plumbing, and mechanical. Users define their own assemblies, so pricing matches how each trade bids. There is no trade-specific lock-in: the same workspace handles a bathroom remodel, a commercial build-out, or a full custom home.

Question 5

What file formats does Cedrus support for blueprints?

Accepted Answer

Cedrus accepts multi-page PDF blueprints, which is the format 99% of plan sets are distributed in. Users can upload a single PDF containing dozens of pages, and Cedrus renders them at progressive resolution up to 6× (432 PPI). Scale is calibrated per page, so mixed-scale plan sets work correctly. CAD files can be exported to PDF from most drafting tools before upload.

Question 6

How long does a typical takeoff take in Cedrus?

Accepted Answer

A single-bathroom takeoff takes 5–10 minutes in Cedrus. A full custom residential project with 8–12 rooms takes 2–4 hours. The equivalent manual takeoff on paper takes roughly 5–10× as long. The speed gain comes from per-room organization, reusable assemblies, and direct PDF export — estimators no longer re-enter measurements into a spreadsheet after measuring on paper.

Question 7

How do assemblies work?

Accepted Answer

An assembly is a bundled per-unit rate that covers every material and labor line item for a scope. Instead of pricing thinset, underlayment, tile, grout, and labor separately on each bid, users define a 'floor tile installation' assembly at $X per square foot once. Every future bid applies the assembly, which keeps pricing consistent across estimators and speeds up bidding by 5–10×.

Question 8

Can multiple estimators collaborate on the same takeoff?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Cedrus supports real-time multi-user collaboration on the Firm and Operator plans. Multiple estimators can work on the same project simultaneously, see each other's live cursors and active tools, and the canvas synchronizes changes instantly via Supabase Realtime. Role-based access controls who can edit projects, manage pricing, and invite users. The Solo plan is single-seat.

Question 9

How are waste factors handled in Cedrus?

Accepted Answer

Cedrus supports per-room waste factors so each space reflects its actual layout complexity. A straightforward floor layout might use 10% waste; a diagonal or herringbone pattern might use 20%+. Waste is applied automatically to the measured quantity before pricing. Users can override the default waste per room or per assembly, and the final PDF estimate shows waste as a separate line item for transparency.

Question 10

How do shareable work orders work?

Accepted Answer

Once an estimate is won, Cedrus generates a secure tokenized link for each subcontractor. Subs view their scope and rates in a browser — no login, no account creation required. Links expire after 30 days and access is tracked. This replaces emailing PDFs or CSVs and eliminates the back-and-forth over scope clarification. Work orders are available on the Firm and Operator plans.

Question 11

How much does Cedrus cost?

Accepted Answer

Cedrus is priced per seat, not per product. Solo is $0 per user forever. Firm is $49 per seat per month with a two-seat minimum. Operator is a custom contract for multi-office contractors with SSO, SCIM, and procurement terms. One subscription covers every tool in the suite — Takeoffs today, plus Estimates, Plans, Bids, Schedules, and Crews as they ship.

Question 12

Is there a free tier?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Cedrus Solo is free forever for individual estimators. It includes full access to Cedrus Takeoffs, up to 3 active projects, and 500 MB of plan storage. Every future product in the suite is included at the Solo tier as it ships. Solo is single-seat and does not include real-time collaboration, shareable work orders, or priority support.

Question 13

What is included in the Firm plan?

Accepted Answer

Firm includes every product in the Cedrus suite, unlimited projects and plans, real-time multi-user collaboration, shareable work orders for subcontractors with access tracking, marketplace access as it rolls out, 50 GB of plan storage per seat, role-based access control, and priority support. Firm is $49 per seat per month with a two-seat minimum and saves roughly 20% when billed annually.

Question 14

Can I cancel anytime?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Firm subscribers can cancel from the billing portal at any time and keep access through the end of the current billing period. There are no cancellation fees and no long-term contract required on the Solo or Firm plans. Operator contracts are negotiated directly with standard procurement terms. All exported estimates and work orders remain available during the active subscription.

Question 15

Who built Cedrus?

Accepted Answer

Cedrus was founded by Jacob Muzychenko, a Denver-based contractor who built the platform to solve the bidding problems his own firm faced. The product is built by engineers and estimators working together, which is why the workflow matches how contractors actually bid — not how software vendors think they bid. Cedrus is independent and not owned by a private equity roll-up.

Question 16

Where is Cedrus based?

Accepted Answer

Cedrus is based in Denver, Colorado, with roots in the Rocky Mountain West. The product is built for high-end residential and commercial contractors and draws on the founding team's background in luxury tile and stone work in Aspen and the Front Range. Cedrus serves customers across the United States and supports imperial and metric measurement units throughout.

Question 17

How is my data secured in Cedrus?

Accepted Answer

Cedrus runs on Supabase and Vercel with encrypted data in transit and at rest. Role-based access control on the Firm and Operator plans limits who can view or edit projects, manage pricing, and invite users. Work-order links are tokenized and expire after 30 days. The Operator plan adds SSO, SCIM, and an audit log for enterprise compliance requirements.

Question 18

Does Cedrus integrate with QuickBooks, Procore, or Buildertrend?

Accepted Answer

Cedrus is focused on pre-construction and does not replace accounting or project-management systems. Estimates export as branded PDFs or CSVs, which import cleanly into QuickBooks and similar tools. Native integrations with Procore and Buildertrend are on the roadmap. For custom data model extensions and direct integrations, Operator customers work with a named success engineer to build the connection.

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