In short:
- Takeoff Boost™, the AI-assisted feature for On-Screen Takeoff®, is helping estimators like Sheri Winslow scale their business in 2026.
- AI-assisted takeoffs cut down time spent on menial tasks, so estimators have time to focus on the parts of the job that matter: analyzing scope, protecting margins, and scaling business.
- Takeoffs that used to take Sheri Winslow a couple of days now take 20 minutes with the help of Takeoff Boost.
You know the grind. Long hours staring at blueprints. Mindlessly counting, clicking, and drawing lines and boxes. All that repetitive work just to get a number out the door. As you enter 2026, you’re not alone if you’re wondering if there is a better way.
In our recent webinar, The Future of Takeoff and Estimating with AI, we sat down with Sheri Winslow, Lead Estimator at AKS Interior Systems, to get her take on how AI is changing the game.
AKS Interior Systems is growing fast. With a goal to triple the company’s size in three years, Sheri needed to find a way to bid more without burning out. We talked to her about how Takeoff Boost™, the AI-assisted feature for On-Screen Takeoff®, is helping her do just that.
Q: What kind of projects does AKS Interior Systems handle, and what drew you to Takeoff Boost?
Sheri: We go after all kinds of work, big and small, but we do a lot of specialty acoustics, baffle ceilings, wall panels, all the stuff most drywall subs in our area won’t touch. We were interested in Takeoff Boost because AKS Interior Systems is looking to grow quite exponentially, and we know we could only grow if we got more help. So, we thought AI could help and decided to try Takeoff Boost.
Q: How long have you been using Takeoff Boost, and what was your first impression?
Sheri: We're still pretty new, not even a year yet. Our first experiences with Takeoff Boost have been very positive. I've been using On-Screen Takeoff for probably 15 or 16 years now but getting Takeoff Boost just made things so much faster. It has taken a lot of the menial tasks off our plate. Plus, improvements are being made every time there's a new release and things are just getting more and more accurate over time.
Q: What was it like going from doing manual takeoffs to using Takeoff Boost?
Sheri: It was just so much faster, obviously…I used to spend a lot of time even just setting the conditions up. With Takeoff Boost, it sets things up for you. It's not perfect; you have to go back and add some information. For example, if it calls a wall “P6,” you have to make a note to name it. But that's not hard because you would've had to do that anyway. The menial stuff is gone, and you now have time to focus on the stuff that matters.
Q: How much of your projects uses Takeoff Boost right now?
Sheri: About 80%. The only projects we skip are the ones where the drawings are just too messy for AI to figure out...too many lines or clutter on the pages. But for most jobs, I just load the plans into On-Screen Takeoff, press Takeoff Boost, and I'll do four or five projects in half an hour.
Q: How much time do you actually save versus doing takeoffs manually?
Sheri: It’s night and day. Yesterday, I did three projects in 20 minutes. And that probably would have taken me a couple of days if I was doing them all from scratch.
Q: If you had to go back to manual estimating tomorrow, what would you miss the most?
Sheri: I wouldn't have enough time to do what I need to do. I'd be working more hours doing mindless takeoffs, drawing boxes and lines. It's the monotony that bores me. Takeoff Boost gets rid of all of that, so everything I get to do is thought-provoking and more enjoyable. I like the challenge of estimating and Takeoff Boost allows me to enjoy that.
Q: How does Takeoff Boost help with onboarding new estimators?
Sheri: We have a person who is joining our estimating team who knows nothing about estimating. He has field experience, but no office or estimating experience. With Takeoff Boost, we don’t waste time teaching him how to trace lines. We can focus on the real learning, the real teaching, which means we can add more value to our new estimators.
Q: Is the investment worth it? Are you getting your money’s worth?
Sheri: Absolutely. If you can turn days of work into 30 minutes, that alone pays for itself. The more jobs you bid, the more you win. Takeoff Boost is what is allowing our company to grow.
Q: What advice would you give estimators who haven’t tried AI-powered takeoff?
Sheri: Just try it. You can always go back and do it the old school way if you want to. But unless you've tried it, you won't know. It’s really a no-brainer as far as I’m concerned. Even when the AI isn’t perfect, going back and reassigning a few errors is so much faster than having to do a takeoff all from scratch.
Missed the live webinar?
Watch the replay here to catch the full interview with Sheri. Plus, learn from industry experts how AI is changing the way work gets done and shaping the industry.
Ready to try Takeoff Boost?
Start your 14-day free trial of On-Screen Takeoff with Takeoff Boost and see how fast you can finish your next takeoff. No credit card, no commitments. Just time back in your day to focus on the parts of the job you love.
