How It Works
From Drawing Set to Bid-Ready
Takeoff in Minutes
Commercial sign estimators spend hours manually reading through hundreds of pages of architectural drawings to build a sign takeoff. SignBidPro does it automatically — in the time it takes to get a cup of coffee.
Step 01
Upload Your Drawing Set
Upload your architectural PDF drawing sets directly into SignBidPro. You can upload multiple files at once — general plans, architectural sheets, specifications, and shop drawings all at the same time.
SignBidPro accepts any standard PDF export from AutoCAD, Revit, Bluebeam, or any other architectural software. No special formatting or preparation required.
What to upload:
- →Architectural floor plans (A-sheets)
- →General notes and specifications (G-sheets)
- →Exterior elevations
- →Signage schedules and coded notes
- →Project specifications
Step 02
AI Scans Every Page
Once uploaded, SignBidPro's AI engine reads every page of your drawing set simultaneously. It knows where to look — coded notes tables, signage schedules, floor plan callouts, exterior elevations, and specification sections.
The AI cross-references two sources to determine true installed quantities: signage schedules and coded notes (which define sign types) and floor plan placement callouts (which show every individual sign location). This is how SignBidPro catches signs that a manual takeoff might miss.
What the AI extracts:
- →Sign description and type
- →Installed quantity (from floor plan callouts, not just the schedule)
- →Dimensions and size specifications
- →Sign copy and text content
- →Spec section references
- →ADA compliance requirements
- →Sheet and page reference for every item
Step 03
Review Your Takeoff
SignBidPro presents your complete sign takeoff as a line-item table. Every sign includes a direct link to the exact page in the source drawings so you can verify any item in seconds.
Click the audit icon next to any line item and SignBidPro jumps directly to the relevant sheet — showing you exactly where the sign appears in the drawings. No more flipping through 200 pages manually.
In the takeoff view you can:
- →Review and verify every extracted sign
- →Mark items as reviewed
- →Edit quantities, dimensions, or descriptions
- →Add line items the AI may have missed
- →Delete items that are out of scope
Step 04
Price It Out
Move to the pricing screen and apply your material costs, labor, markup, and margin targets. SignBidPro's built-in margin calculator enforces your minimum margin floor so you never accidentally underbid.
Pricing features:
- →Per-item material and labor costing
- →Automatic margin calculation
- →Markup percentage controls
- →Total bid summary
Step 05
Generate Your Bid Letter
With one click, SignBidPro generates a professional bid letter populated with your company information, project details, scope summary, and pricing. Export it as a PDF or copy it directly into your proposal.
Export options:
- →PDF bid letter
- →Excel / CSV data export
- →Data package for field installers
- →Installer field map with sign locations
Why Sign Estimators Switch to SignBidPro
The old way vs. the SignBidPro way
| The Old Way | With SignBidPro |
|---|---|
| 3–4 hours per drawing set | 15–20 minutes per drawing set |
| Manual page-by-page review | AI reads every page simultaneously |
| Easy to miss signs in large sets | Two-source verification catches everything |
| No direct reference to source drawings | One-click audit jumps to exact page |
| Bid letter built from scratch | Auto-generated from takeoff data |