Bobyard Plumbing is our latest plumbing takeoff and estimate software: a custom suite of AI that measures pipe runs, counts fixtures and risers, and organizes quantities by system in minutes.
Plumbing joins the Bobyard trade lineup
Today, Bobyard Plumbing is live. It's the fourth trade on the Bobyard platform, joining landscaping, electrical, and finishes to offer custom built AI models for each trade for the best AI plumbing takeoff software on the market, and ultimately be the AI infrastructure for the construction trades.
Table of contents
- How Bobyard Plumbing works
- What's included in Bobyard Plumbing Takeoff
- Top features and benefits of Bobyard Plumbing Takeoff
- See Bobyard Plumbing Takeoff on your own drawings
- Bobyard Plumbing FAQ
Why we built Bobyard Plumbing
We’ve got our eyes on the MEP trades this year. Commercial plumbing estimating capacity is often a bottleneck both in the day to day, and in the big picture limiting growth. With large commercial drawing sets and some of the most detail-heavy drawings in the industry, plumbing preconstruction can eat up days of valuable time before contractors even know whether the job is worth pursuing.
Bobyard’s AI takeoffs and estimates are trained specifically to read P-series plumbing drawings to detect pipe runs, count components, identify risers, and help estimators organize quantities by system, size, material, floor and scope.
"We built Bobyard Plumbing so commercial plumbing estimators can move faster through the manual parts of the job while staying in control of the scope, quantities and final estimate."
— Michael Ding, Founder and CEO of Bobyard
How Bobyard Plumbing works
It's as easy as uploading your drawings to our AI plumbing takeoff tool and Bobyard gets to work. It detects pipe runs and calculates lengths by size; identifies risers segments from riser diagrams and isometrics; and counts valves, traps, caps, fixtures, and other specialty symbols. Then it groups everything by system and size, so quantities for domestic cold water, domestic hot water, sanitary, vent, storm drain, gas, and waste all stay organized.
Estimators verify each detection before it's locked in, and quantities flow straight into the Estimate Table with material and labor costs attached.
What's included in Bobyard Plumbing Takeoff
- Pipe measurement: Detects plumbing pipe runs and calculates segment lengths.
- Pipe sizing: Organizes pipe quantities by size.
- Fitting detection: Identifies common fittings such as elbows and tees.
- Riser takeoff: Counts risers from riser diagrams and isometric drawings.
- Symbol counts: Automatically counts valves, traps, caps, fixtures and other specialty items.
- Text-based counts: Extract the entire fixture schedule and count tags such as WC-1 and FD-1 in one go.
- System organization: Supports takeoffs by common plumbing systems, including domestic cold water, domestic hot water, sanitary, vent, storm drain, gas and waste.
Top features and benefits of Bobyard Plumbing
Plumbing symbol detection
Bobyard identifies valves, traps, vents, and other plumbing symbols across the plan set, with a confidence score on every detection so estimators know exactly where to focus their review.
Pipe detection, by size
Bobyard detects plumbing pipe runs directly from the drawing and calculates total pipe lengths, organized by size, system, and material, so quantities are ready to price without manual measuring.
Riser and isometric takeoff
Risers carry some of the highest-value equipment on a plumbing set. Bobyard counts them from riser diagrams, and isometric drawings, wherever they show up across the set.
Smart system association
Fixtures, symbols, and pipe runs are associated by system, so quantities for domestic water, sanitary, vent, storm drain, gas, and waste scopes stay grouped and easy to review.
Spec & RFI chatbot
You can ask Bob about anything in your specs, drawings, or RFI log. He’s read the whole project, so answers show up in seconds instead of a search through binders.
From takeoff to finished bid, in one place
Takeoff quantities flow straight into the Estimate Table with material and labor, backed by a built-in cost database, and final touch-ups so you can prep your bid without leaving Bobyard.
See Bobyard Plumbing on your own drawings
As commercial plumbing estimating software, Bobyard automates the technical and time-consuming measurements and counting, so estimators can focus on reviewing scope, pricing work, coordinating with general contractors, and pursuing the right jobs. Plumbing contractors and business owners can rely on Bobyard to uplevel the work of the team they already have.
If you're a plumbing estimator, book a demo and run your own drawings through it live with our team. Contractors using Bobyard report an average of 50-90% faster takeoffs, to double the amount of bids they send.
More trades are on the way
Plumbing follows Bobyard's recent launches of Electrical and Finishes Trades, and mechanical/HVAC is next. Follow us on LinkedIn, YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok to stay in the know about new trade launches.
Bobyard Plumbing FAQs
Can AI perform plumbing takeoffs automatically?
Yes. Bobyard detects plumbing pipe runs, calculates pipe lengths, counts risers, and identifies plumbing symbols directly from construction drawings. Estimators can review and adjust outputs before using them in an estimate.
What drawings does Bobyard Plumbing Takeoff support?
Bobyard is built for P-Series workflows, including riser diagrams, isometrics, schematic drawings, plumbing schedules, and detail drawings.
What trades does Bobyard support today?
Bobyard currently supports estimating workflows across landscaping, electrical, finishes, and plumbing, with paving, mechanical and additional trade-specific workflows in development.
What plumbing systems does Bobyard organize takeoffs by?
Bobyard groups quantities by domestic cold water, domestic hot water, sanitary, vent, storm drain, gas, and waste systems.
Can Bobyard count plumbing fixtures and fittings?
Yes. Bobyard counts valves, traps, caps, fixtures, and other specialty symbols in addition to measuring pipe runs by size.