For masonry subs and owner-estimators

Send us a CMU plan set. We send back your counts.

Block counts by wall type, with every count traced to the wall it came from. Your first plan set is free, no card needed.

Updated October 2026

Continue — send my plan setFree first plan set · no card needed

See a real test first

  • Tested on a real 21-page set (Freeport Square Apartments): 68.9% of walls matched automatically, 99.8% after one "Confirm all".
  • Auto-takeoff can miss on sets it hasn't seen, so we check and hand-finish your counts before you get them. Anything uncertain is flagged for review.
  • First plan set free, no card needed. No call, no sales pitch.
Isometric illustration of a CMU concrete masonry block wall under construction
How it works

How do you count CMU block from a plan set?

1

Measure the real wall area

Every CMU wall is measured directly from the vector geometry in your plan set — length and height, calibrated to the sheet's own printed scale.

2

Match block size from the legend

Each wall's measured thickness is cross-referenced against your wall-type legend to identify the actual block size specified (commonly 8" or 12" nominal), rather than assuming one size for the whole plan set.

3

Convert to a labeled block count

Wall area converts into a block count based on that block's real face dimensions, grouped by wall type and labeled matched, ambiguous, or needs confirmation.

What it looks like

How are CMU block counts grouped by wall?

No single blended "CMU" line — each block size gets its own row.

Material summary — CMU
8" CMU wallMatched
64,831 LF655,287 blocks
12" CMU wallMatched
2,240 LF22,624 blocks
Unlabeled masonry wall, 9.6"Confirm
118 LFblock size not found on legend
Being upfront

What can't automated CMU takeoff do?

Part of never presenting a guess as a measurement is telling you plainly where the line sits.

Not covered yet

  • Mortar and grout. ReadMyBlueprint counts block units — mortar joints, grout fill, and mortar mix quantities aren't calculated.
  • Reinforcement. Vertical and horizontal rebar, and bond beams, are only counted when explicitly labeled — not inferred from wall height or code requirements.
  • Lintels and special units. Bond beam block, lintel block, and other special shapes are only broken out when your plan set labels them distinctly from standard block.
  • Scanned or flat-image PDFs. The measurement is only as real as the vector geometry it comes from — a scanned page has none to measure, so those pages are called out rather than guessed at.

See your own block count.

Upload your plan set and get a real, labeled CMU count in minutes. Your first plan set is free.

Continue — upload your planTake the 2-minute tourFree first plan set · no card needed

Doing it by hand? Read the step-by-step guide: How many CMU blocks do I need?.

Related

Frequently asked questions

How do you count CMU block from a plan set?

Each CMU wall is measured from the plan's vector geometry, matched to the block size on your wall-type legend, then wall area is converted to a block count from that block's face dimensions. On our Freeport Square test set (21 pages), 68.9% of walls auto-matched and 99.8% resolved after one "Confirm all". That is one test set, so uncertain walls are flagged for you to confirm.

What does CMU takeoff not cover?

Mortar, grout and reinforcement are not calculated, and bond beam block, lintel block and other special units are only broken out when the plan labels them distinctly.

Can I try it on my own plan set?

Yes. Your first plan set is free, no card needed.

Compare tools: ReadMyBlueprint vs. STACK & Bluebeam · Features · Take the tour