Create a customized schedule that reports information about material types, quantities, and costs.
This video demonstrates the following:
When you create a material takeoff in Revit, you need to first decide the information you want to report. For example, if you want to know the amount of carpet needed on a project, the material takeoff schedule will need to quantify the material area of just the floors in the model. If you want to know how much concrete to order, the material takeoff will need to quantify the material volume across multiple categories of objects, including floors, walls, foundations, and so on.
In this example, we'll create a material takeoff for the concrete in the project and provide an estimated cost based on the material. When you look at the section, notice that concrete is used for the basement wall, floor, and footing. We'll need to create a multi-category schedule in order to account for all the concrete needed.
On the View tab, select Schedules > Material Takeoff. In the Material Takeoff dialog, provide a name for the concrete takeoff and click OK to create a new multi-category takeoff. Next, select the fields for the takeoff. For this takeoff, specify the family and type, the material name, the material volume, and the material cost. Because the cost parameter is just a dollar cost, there aren't any units associated with it. We need to create a calculated value that multiplies the material volume by the cost per unit.
In this case, the concrete is purchased and costed by the cubic yard. Click the Calculated Value button. Enter a name for the calculated value, set the type to currency, and create a formula to calculate the total cost. Because the units of the material volume (cubic yards) and the cost (dollars) do not match, divide the material volume by one unit in order to make the value unit-less so it can be used in the formula. In this case, the unit is one cubic yard.
On the Formatting tab, define which columns of the takeoff will be totaled. Select total cost and use the pull-down to select Calculate totals. Set the material volume to report in cubic yards rather than cubic feet - the default volume setting for the project. Select Material: Volume and then click Field Format. In the Format dialog, clear the check mark on Use Project Settings and use the pull-down to set the units to cubic yards. In order to display the calculated totals for the cost, on the Sorting/Grouping tab, check Grand Totals and set it to read Totals only. Click OK to finish creating the material takeoff.
In the estimate, notice that multiple elements listed do not contain concrete. To make the material takeoff a little cleaner, apply a filter to the schedule. On the Properties palette, click Edit on the Filter parameter. Use the drop-down to filter by material name that look for material names containing concrete. Click OK. Now the schedule only lists elements that contain concrete. You can change the cost parameter in a material takeoff schedule if the material doesn't have an associated cost or the cost changes. The grand total estimate will update to reflect the change. Use similar techniques to create takeoff for other materials or if the material is calculated or estimated by area instead of volume.