How to Read an AGTEK Volume Report

AGTEK volume reports pack a lot of valuable information onto a single page, and if you haven't spent time with one before, it can be easy to misinterpret a value or pull the wrong number out and run with it.

This post walks through a real report, the Hess Office project, so you know exactly what each section is telling you and how to use it in a bid. The Hess project may be simple, but the volume report for any project will hold the same information, just more of it.

The first thing to remember is that all areas are in square feet (SF) and all volumes are in cubic yards (CY)

Understand the Surfaces the Report is Comparing

Before you look at a single number, you need to understand what surfaces AGTEK is comparing.

Everything in the Volume Report section measures the difference between two things:

Stripped Surface = Existing grade minus the stripping depth

Subgrade Surface = Finish grade minus all sectional depths (pavement sections, building pad base, etc.)

Cut means you're removing material to reach subgrade. Fill means you're adding material to build up to subgrade. These numbers do not represent your finish grade. They represent subgrade, which sits below all your sections like pavement or topsoil. Keep that straight and the rest of the report makes sense.

The Hess Office Volume Report

Here is the volume report as the contractor received it and a copy with annotations explaining each section and number. Feel free to download either for reference.

Reading the Volume Report Section

On the Hess Office report, the Volume Report breaks into two regions plus a total row.

Building Pad covers just the building footprint: 14,991 sf total area, zero cut, 14,991 sf of fill, and a fill volume of 1,036 cubic yards. The Export/Import column shows -1,036. Negative means import. Positive means export. On this project the whole pad is going up from the stripped surface, so you're bringing material in.

Grading covers everything outside the pad: parking, drives, slopes, everything else. Here you have 20,568 sf of cut and 27,568 sf of fill, with volumes of 1,085 CY cut and 1,248 CY fill. Export/Import is -163, meaning after using your cut to satisfy some of your fill, you still need to import 163 yards outside the building pad.

Regions Total combines both: 1,085 CY cut, 2,284 CY fill, -1,199 CY Export/Import. That -1,199 is the number of import yards for the entire project. Negative is always import. If it were positive, you'd be hauling off surplus cut.

One column worth paying attention to: Change per 0.1 ft. The Hess Office total is 253 CY per 0.1 foot. That tells you how much the import number shifts if the site grade moves up or down a tenth of a foot. Useful for value engineering, and a good conversation starter if grading costs are above budget.

A note on compaction ratios (Comp/Ratio). Both columns show 1.00, meaning no shrink/swell adjustment is built in. Real material expands when you dig it and shrinks when you compact it. How much depends on your soil type and varies widely, sometimes even within a single project. Be sure to factor it in before you finalize the bid. We'll always use 1.0 but are happy to enter a shrink or swell %, just let us know your numbers when you request a takeoff.

Stripping Quantities

Below the Volume Report you'll find Stripping Qtys. On Hess Office, Site Strip covers 68,306 sf at a 0.500-foot depth for a total of 1,265 CY.

The math: 68,313 sf slope area x 0.500 ft / 27 = 1,265 CY.

You'll notice AGTEK shows both plane area and slope area. Volumes are always calculated from slope area because it accounts for the actual terrain rather than a flat footprint. Slope area will always be slightly larger than plane area. The Hess Office site is nearly flat, so the difference is minimal: 68,306 vs. 68,313.

That 1,265 CY is topsoil coming off the whole site before any grading starts. It's a separate line item from your cut/fill. Price it separately as stripping volume IS NOT included in the volume report above.

Sectional Quantities

This is where most of the confusion happens. Sectional Qtys shows the material removed from finish grade on the plans to build the subgrade surface. Each pavement type, the building pad base, sidewalks, and topsoil respread areas all get their own line with their own area and depth. The sectional depths we use can be found on the plans. They'll include any material that must be removed to get to subgrade including rock and pavement. If depths are not noted on the plans we will use a typical depth and note that when we send the takeoff. If needed, we can adjust sectional depths after the takeoff is completed, just ask.

Hess Office Sectional Quantities and Areas:

Building Pad: 14,991 sf at 1.000 ft = 555 CY removed from finish floor to get to subgrade. That's the concrete slab and granular base.

Concrete Pavement: 711 sf at 0.670 ft = 18 CY.

HD Pavement (heavy duty): Two separate areas totaling 20,771 sf at 0.940 ft = 724 CY combined.

LD Pavement (light duty): Four areas totaling 9,952 sf at 0.770 ft = 284 CY combined.

Respread: Seven green space areas totaling 19,503 sf at 0.500 ft = 364 CY. That's topsoil redistributed back onto landscaped areas. It doesn't leave the site.

Walk (sidewalks): 2,378 sf at 0.670 ft = 59 CY.

The Sectional Total at the bottom is 2,004 CY. You'll rarely use that number directly. It combines pavement base, pavement, building slab, topsoil respread, and sidewalks into one figure, which isn't useful for pricing. Pull the individual line items and price them by material type.

Remember the sectional depth CY totals are the complete volume removed from finish grade to build the subgrade surface. To find the volume for rock base under any paving area you'll need to take the slope area * the rock base depth. The AGTEK volume report does not provide tonnage. You'll need to do the CY to tonnage conversion on your own.

Putting the Numbers to Work

For the Hess Office, here are they key numbers you'll need to build your bid:

• Import to reach subgrade: 1,199 CY

• Topsoil strip: 1,265 CY

• Building pad area: 14,991 SF

• HD pavement slope area: 20,784 SF

• LD pavement slope area: 9,965 SF

• Concrete pavement section slope area: 732 SF

• Sidewalk section slope area: 2,380 SF

• Topsoil respread: 364 CY

  
  

The report gives you the quantities and slope areas you need to figure an accurate bid.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is an AGTEK volume report?

An AGTEK volume report is an earthwork quantity summary generated by AGTEK takeoff software. It calculates cut and fill volumes between two surfaces — typically the stripped existing grade and the subgrade then breaks those quantities down by region, stripping, and sectional areas. Estimators use it to bid earthmoving work on commercial and civil construction projects.

What is the difference between cut and fill in an earthwork takeoff?

Cut is material removed from the site to reach subgrade elevation. Fill is material added to build up to subgrade. On a given project you'll have areas of each, and the difference between your total cut and total fill determines whether you'll be exporting surplus material or importing what you're short. AGTEK reports both the area in square feet and the volume in cubic yards for each.

What does the export/import number mean in an AGTEK report?

Export/Import is the net difference between cut and fill volumes at subgrade. A negative number means you need to import material; your fill exceeds what you're cutting on site. A positive number means you have surplus cut to haul off or stock onsite. On the Hess Office project, the Regions Total shows -1,199 CY, meaning 1,199 cubic yards of fill needs to come in from off site.

What are sectional quantities in an earthwork takeoff?

Sectional quantities represent material removed from finish grade to build the subgrade surface. This covers pavement and rock base sections, building pad concrete and granular base, topsoil respread on green areas, and sidewalk sections. Each section type has its own area and depth, and AGTEK calculates the volume of the full sectional area using: slope area x depth / 27. These quantities and areas are NOT included in the main cut/fill volumes and are typically priced at different unit costs in the bid.

Requesting a Takeoff from Quantum

Send the full set of plans to takeoffs@quantumlanddesign.com or call us directly at 515-505-3510 ext. 710 to discuss. PDF's of the plans is all we need quote and complete your takeoff.

You can learn more about Quantum's takeoff services and download project examples at our Takeoffs/Volumes page.

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