Craft Quantities
Plan & Takeoffs

Job takeoff

Framed exterior wall takeoff

Studs, insulation, sheathing, wrap and cladding for a new timber-framed wall — every build-up of it on one page.

A takeoff is the trade word for the shopping list a job produces — every material, and how much of each, worked out by its own cited calculator.

  • 3Measurements in
  • 5Trades out

Choose the build-up

Each layer changes the materials below; the dimensions stay the same.

Framing
Insulation
Vapour control
Sheathing
Cladding

Calculators behind the other choices:

Mineral Wool Insulation Batt CalculatorSpray Foam Insulation CalculatorVapor Barrier CalculatorFiber-Cement Siding Cutting Waste Factor CalculatorBoard and Batten Siding Calculator

Compare one layer at these dimensions, with the rest of the build-up held as you have it:

Give the job once

Every figure on the right follows these, in the units you choose.

Been given a quote for this job?

Paste it into the framed exterior wall quote check: each line is read against these same calculators — what it leaves out, what it adds, and what to ask.

Check the quote

Every trade, from those dimensions

5 of 5 trades chosenNot pricedNot in project

then change a dimension, and each line shows what moved.

TradeQuantity
Studs, 2×4 (38 × 89 mm) at 16 in (400 mm) centresFraming Stud CalculatorStuds along the wall at the chosen centres, plus the extra studs each opening takes.
Base
34 studs
Allowance
+0 studs · none added
Adjusted
34 studs
Order
34 studs, already whole
Why this quantity?
  1. Base quantity34 studscalculatorFraming Stud Calculator v1.0.1, headline
  2. Allowance0 studsworked outnone: the calculator adds no allowance, and none was added
  3. Adjusted quantity34 studsworked outthe base plus the allowance
  4. Order quantity34 studsworked out34 studs, already whole

Resting on

  • Wall length33 ftgivenyour wall length
  • Stud Spacing (on-center): 16 in (standard)assumedset by the Framed exterior wall takeoff
  • Doors and windows2givenyour doors and windows

Change any other figure on the Framing Stud Calculator

34 studs
Fibreglass batts, 3 1/2 in (89 mm), for 2×4 cavitiesInsulation Batt CalculatorPackages at the coverage printed on your product.
Base
3 packages
Waste factor
+0 packages · 10%, trade convention
Adjusted
3 packages
Order
3 packages, already whole
Why this quantity?
  1. Base quantity3 packagescalculatorInsulation Batt Calculator v1.0.1, headline with the waste factor at 0%
  2. Waste factor0 packagesworked outthe adjusted figure less the base, at 10% (the calculator's working figure, a trade convention)
  3. Adjusted quantity3 packagescalculatorInsulation Batt Calculator v1.0.1, headline with the waste factor at 10%
  4. Order quantity3 packagesworked out3 packages, already whole

Resting on

  • Wall length33 ftgivenyour wall length
  • Wall height8 ftgivenyour wall height
  • Package coverage100 sq ftassumedthe Insulation Batt Calculator's default
  • Waste Factor (%)10%assumedthe Insulation Batt Calculator's default

The waste factor: the calculator's working figure, a trade convention.

Change any other figure on the Insulation Batt Calculator

3 packages
Wall sheathing, OSB 7/16 in (11 mm)Plywood and OSB Sheet Calculator (Subfloor, Wall and Roof)Full 4×8 ft (2440 × 1220 mm) sheets over the gross wall.
Base
9 sheets (4x8 ft)
Waste factor
+1 sheet (4x8 ft) · 10%, trade convention
Adjusted
10 sheets (4x8 ft)
Order
10 sheets (4x8 ft), already whole
Why this quantity?
  1. Base quantity9 sheets (4x8 ft)calculatorPlywood and OSB Sheet Calculator (Subfloor, Wall and Roof) v1.0.1, headline with the waste factor at 0%
  2. Waste factor1 sheet (4x8 ft)worked outthe adjusted figure less the base, at 10% (the calculator's working figure, a trade convention)
  3. Adjusted quantity10 sheets (4x8 ft)calculatorPlywood and OSB Sheet Calculator (Subfloor, Wall and Roof) v1.0.1, headline with the waste factor at 10%
  4. Order quantity10 sheets (4x8 ft)worked out10 sheets (4x8 ft), already whole

Resting on

  • Wall length33 ftgivenyour wall length
  • Wall height8 ftgivenyour wall height
  • Waste Factor (%)10%assumedthe Plywood and OSB Sheet Calculator (Subfloor, Wall and Roof)'s default

The waste factor: the calculator's working figure, a trade convention.

Change any other figure on the Plywood and OSB Sheet Calculator (Subfloor, Wall and Roof)

10 sheets (4x8 ft)
House Wrap CalculatorWeather-resistive barrier over the sheathing, with its lap allowance.
Base
1 roll
Lap allowance
+0 rolls · 10%, trade convention
Adjusted
1 roll
Order
1 roll, already whole
Why this quantity?
  1. Base quantity1 rollcalculatorHouse Wrap Calculator v1.1.0, headline with the lap allowance at 0%
  2. Lap allowance0 rollsworked outthe adjusted figure less the base, at 10% (the calculator's working figure, a trade convention)
  3. Adjusted quantity1 rollcalculatorHouse Wrap Calculator v1.1.0, headline with the lap allowance at 10%
  4. Order quantity1 rollworked out1 roll, already whole

Resting on

  • Wall length33 ftgivenyour wall length
  • Wall height8 ftgivenyour wall height
  • Lap Allowance (%)10%assumedthe House Wrap Calculator's default

The lap allowance: the calculator's working figure, a trade convention.

Change any other figure on the House Wrap Calculator

1 roll
Vinyl sidingSiding CalculatorSquares of 100 sq ft (9.29 m²) over the gross wall, with the siding waste allowance.
Base
2.64 squares
Waste factor
+0.264 squares · 10%, trade convention
Adjusted
2.9 squares
Order
2.9 squares (no pack size recorded)
Why this quantity?
  1. Base quantity2.64 squarescalculatorSiding Calculator v1.0.1, headline with the waste factor at 0%
  2. Waste factor0.264 squaresworked outthe adjusted figure less the base, at 10% (the calculator's working figure, a trade convention)
  3. Adjusted quantity2.9 squarescalculatorSiding Calculator v1.0.1, headline with the waste factor at 10%
  4. Order quantity2.9 squaresworked out2.9 squares (no pack size recorded)

Resting on

  • Wall length33 ftgivenyour wall length
  • Wall height8 ftgivenyour wall height
  • Number of Doors0assumedset by the Framed exterior wall takeoff
  • Number of Windows0assumedset by the Framed exterior wall takeoff
  • Waste Factor (%)10%assumedthe Siding Calculator's default

The waste factor: the calculator's working figure, a trade convention.

Change any other figure on the Siding Calculator

2.9 squares
Studs, 2×4 (38 × 89 mm) at 16 in (400 mm) centresFraming Stud CalculatorStuds along the wall at the chosen centres, plus the extra studs each opening takes.
Base
34 studs
Allowance
+0 studs · none added
Adjusted
34 studs
Order
34 studs, already whole
Why this quantity?
34 studs
Fibreglass batts, 3 1/2 in (89 mm), for 2×4 cavitiesInsulation Batt CalculatorPackages at the coverage printed on your product.
Base
3 packages
Waste factor
+0 packages · 10%, trade convention
Adjusted
3 packages
Order
3 packages, already whole
Why this quantity?
3 packages
Wall sheathing, OSB 7/16 in (11 mm)Plywood and OSB Sheet Calculator (Subfloor, Wall and Roof)Full 4×8 ft (2440 × 1220 mm) sheets over the gross wall.
Base
9 sheets (2440x1220 mm)
Waste factor
+1 sheet (2440x1220 mm) · 10%, trade convention
Adjusted
10 sheets (2440x1220 mm)
Order
10 sheets (2440x1220 mm), already whole
Why this quantity?
10 sheets (2440x1220 mm)
House Wrap CalculatorWeather-resistive barrier over the sheathing, with its lap allowance.
Base
1 roll
Lap allowance
+0 rolls · 10%, trade convention
Adjusted
1 roll
Order
1 roll, already whole
Why this quantity?
1 roll
Vinyl sidingSiding CalculatorSquares of 100 sq ft (9.29 m²) over the gross wall, with the siding waste allowance.
Base
24.4 m²
Waste factor
+2.44 m² · 10%, trade convention
Adjusted
26.84 m²
Order
26.84 m² (no pack size recorded)
Why this quantity?
26.84 m²

Estimates, not a quote. Each row gives its base, the allowance on top, the adjusted figure and what to order; change an allowance on the row, or open its reasoning to see every figure it rests on. A trade's own page carries what it does not cover — open the one you are about to order against.

Labour and programme

Person-hours for the rows going in, from trade rules of thumb: a range for each piece of work, never a price.

  • Studs, 2×4 (38 × 89 mm) at 16 in (400 mm) centres5.5 h (3.0–11)
  • Fibreglass batts, 3 1/2 in (89 mm), for 2×4 cavities2.5 h (1.2–5.4)
  • Wall sheathing, OSB 7/16 in (11 mm)3.5 h (2.0–7.0)
  • House Wrap1.0 h (0.5–2.0)
  • Vinyl siding15 h (8.1–30)

About 27 person-hours in all, between 15 and 55.

Trade by trade

  1. Carpenter2 carpenters1½ days
  2. Labourer1 labourerhalf a day

About 2 days, one trade after another at eight hours a day. Left out: drying and curing, deliveries, inspections, trades overlapping.

Labour and programme

Person-hours for the rows going in, from trade rules of thumb: a range for each piece of work, never a price.

  • Studs, 2×4 (38 × 89 mm) at 16 in (400 mm) centres5.5 h (3.0–11)
  • Fibreglass batts, 3 1/2 in (89 mm), for 2×4 cavities2.4 h (1.2–5.4)
  • Wall sheathing, OSB 7/16 in (11 mm)3.5 h (2.0–7.0)
  • House Wrap1.0 h (0.5–2.0)
  • Vinyl siding15 h (8.1–30)

About 27 person-hours in all, between 15 and 55.

Trade by trade

  1. Carpenter2 carpenters1½ days
  2. Labourer1 labourerhalf a day

About 2 days, one trade after another at eight hours a day. Left out: drying and curing, deliveries, inspections, trades overlapping.

Setups you have saved

The build-up, the dimensions and any allowance you changed — kept on this device, and reusable on any job. Your prices are not copied in: they stay in your price book, so a setup never holds a stale one.

How far does a budget go?

At your own prices, with this build-up unchanged.

About this job

An exterior wall is a stack of decisions, and each one moves a different line. The stud size sets the depth of the cavity and so what insulation fills it; the insulation decides whether a separate vapour membrane belongs on the warm side; the sheathing and the cladding change what is bought without changing the wall's area. Choose each layer above the table and the list below it is the wall you described — the same dimensions, different materials.

Studs at 24 inch (600 mm) centres are the usual partner of 2×6 framing in advanced framing: fewer studs and a deeper, wider cavity to insulate. They are not a free saving. The studs must line up with the joists or trusses above, and the sheathing and the cladding must both be rated for fixing at the wider spacing — check their fastening requirements before choosing it.

Closed-cell spray foam changes the wall more than any other choice here. Filled to the depth of the cavity it insulates, seals against air and slows vapour on its own, so the separate polyethylene membrane is not offered with it: two vapour-closed layers can trap moisture between them. The batts are the opposite case — they do nothing to stop vapour, and whether the climate calls for a membrane over them is a question the page leaves to you.

How each line reads

Base
What the calculator gives for these dimensions, before anything is added.
Allowance
Cutting waste, a lap or spare stock — named, with where it comes from, and changeable on the row.
Adjusted
The base with its allowance on top.
Order
What to buy: the adjusted figure in whole boards, bags, rolls or lengths.

The order this happens in

Quantities do not tell you the sequence, and on this job the sequence is where the money goes wrong.

  1. Set out the plates and mark every stud and opening on them before a single stud is cut.
  2. Frame the wall, then sheathe it while it is square — the sheathing is what keeps it that way.
  3. Wrap the sheathing from the bottom up so every lap sheds water, and flash each opening into the wrap.
  4. Fit the insulation once the services are in and inspected, to the cavity's full depth and without compressing it.
  5. Where a membrane is chosen, fix it across the inside face of the studs with lapped, taped joints before the lining goes on.
  6. Clad from the bottom course up, over the wrap and any battens the cladding calls for.

What this takeoff does not cover

  • Plates, headers, cripples and blocking. The stud count carries the extra studs at each opening; the timber around an opening and along the plates follows the framing plan.
  • The interior lining — board, tape and finish — and paint on either face.
  • Openings are not deducted from the sheathing, wrap, insulation, membrane or cladding: every area is the gross wall, which over-orders on a heavily glazed elevation.
  • Trims, flashings, corners, starter strips and the cladding's fixings.
  • Whether a vapour retarder is needed where you build, and on which face, which depends on the climate and the local code; this page adds one only when you choose it.
  • Structure: the stud size and spacing for the wall's height and load, and the sheathing's racking resistance, belong to the framing plan.

Quote check

Been given a quote for this job?

Paste it into the framed exterior wall quote check. Every line of it is read against these same calculators and your measurements. Quantities only, never prices.

Check the quoteEvery quote check

  • What it leaves out

    Every line this takeoff has that nothing on the quote reads as.

  • What it adds

    Labour, removal, hire, fees — each named for what it is.

  • What to ask

    One list of questions, ready to copy. Never a verdict.

More takeoffs

Other job takeoffs

All job takeoffs

Frequently asked questions

What does the framed exterior wall takeoff give for a typical job?
Opened at Wall length 10 m · Wall height 2.44 m · Doors and windows 2, it orders: Studs, 2×4 (38 × 89 mm) at 16 in (400 mm) centres, 34 studs; Fibreglass batts, 3 1/2 in (89 mm), for 2×4 cavities, 3 packages; Wall sheathing, OSB 7/16 in (11 mm), 10 sheets (2440x1220 mm); House Wrap, 1 roll; Vinyl siding, 26.8 m². Opened at Wall length 33 ft · Wall height 8 ft · Doors and windows 2: Studs, 2×4 (38 × 89 mm) at 16 in (400 mm) centres, 34 studs; Fibreglass batts, 3 1/2 in (89 mm), for 2×4 cavities, 3 packages; Wall sheathing, OSB 7/16 in (11 mm), 10 sheets (4x8 ft); House Wrap, 1 roll; Vinyl siding, 2.9 squares. Every figure follows the dimensions you give it.
Which calculators does the framed exterior wall takeoff run?
5 calculators, one to a line: Framing Stud Calculator, Insulation Batt Calculator, Plywood and OSB Sheet Calculator (Subfloor, Wall and Roof), House Wrap Calculator, Siding Calculator. Each has a page of its own with its formula and its sources; the takeoff runs them all on one set of dimensions.
What does the framed exterior wall takeoff leave out?
6 things, each named on this page: Plates, headers, cripples and blocking; The interior lining; Openings are not deducted from the sheathing, wrap, insulation, membrane or cladding; Trims, flashings, corners, starter strips and the cladding's fixings; Whether a vapour retarder is needed where you build, and on which face, which depends on the climate and the local code; this page adds one only when you choose it; Structure.
Can I check a quote for this job against the takeoff?
Yes. The framed exterior wall quote check reads a quote's lines against these same calculators and your measurements, and reports what it leaves out, what it adds and what to ask. It reads quantities, never prices.