Questions
Straight answers for estimators and project managers
Clear questions get clear answers. Use these when you are choosing an office or explaining LuminaBuilt to your partners.
What is LuminaBuilt?
LuminaBuilt is construction office software for Specialty trade, Residential GC, Commercial GC, Public-work GC, and Developer across North America. Start with Takeoff — evidence-backed quantities with your review before issue. Add Project, Coordinator, and Admin desks on the same job record when you are ready. Full office hire framing waits on live proof.
Do I need a 3D model to use it?
No. LuminaBuilt is built for the PDF and drawing sets most commercial jobs still bid from: floor plans, sections, elevations, and schedules. Heights come from sections and elevations. You do not need a perfect model to start.
How does construction takeoff work in LuminaBuilt?
LuminaBuilt proposes quantities from schedules and measured plans, with visual overlays on the sheet. You Approve, Fix, or Reject before anything issues — nothing is counted without your review. CAD-exported PDFs are measured from their exact linework. Counts prefer schedules when they exist. Opening areas are deducted from finishes. Neat and order quantity stay separate so waste is not hidden. One job record from drawing to draw. Full-office hire framing waits on live proof.
Does it use AI, and can I trust what it reads?
Yes, for reading documents — drawings, specifications, quotes, contracts and email. Every item it proposes must quote the exact wording it came from, and that quote is checked against your document; anything that can't be found is discarded before you see it. Quantities, leveling, duties, chase and billing are still calculated by fixed rules, not by a model, and money, notices and contracts always wait for your approval.
What happens to my documents?
Documents you read are sent to the model provider for that one request and are not used to train anyone's models. We store the result you keep plus usage metrics — how many items, how long, what it cost — not the document text. Each company's data stays separate, every read is logged for your audit trail, and you can switch document reading off entirely and keep working on the rule-based reader.
What is the difference between neat quantity and order quantity?
Neat quantity is what installs in place. Order quantity is what you buy after waste and cutting loss. LuminaBuilt keeps them separate so you can see the allowance instead of a padded number with no explanation.
How do my subcontractors and suppliers send me paperwork?
You send them an upload link. They open it on a phone or laptop, pick what the document is — insurance certificate, submittal, quote, invoice, lien waiver — attach it and send. They never create an account. Every file arrives on your desk for you to accept or reject, links expire on their own, and you can close a link the moment you have what you need.
Does it support CCDC contracts?
Yes for Canadian commercial work. Project duties reference common CCDC 2 themes such as progress payment applications, holdback, change orders, shop drawings, and related notices. You still apply the rules for your province and your specific contract.
Is LuminaBuilt a full field and enterprise project platform?
No. LuminaBuilt is the commercial office desk: quantities from your drawings, project priorities, trade awards, chase lists, and billing discipline. It is built for operators who need that competence without a large multi-module rollout or a field-crew system.
Who is LuminaBuilt for?
Specialty trade shops, residential GCs, commercial GCs, public-work GCs, and developer / owner precon offices in North America — estimators and operators who run the office side without a full department. Pick Who we are; price and duties follow your segment.
Can one person run multiple jobs with it?
That is the design intent. Priorities put money and contractual notices first, then changes and scope gaps, then routine chase. You approve anything that moves money or time before it goes out.
How much does it cost?
Premium USD only for all of North America. Published segment ladders for Specialty trade, Residential GC, Commercial GC, Public-work GC, and Developer — land Takeoff first (from about $990/mo), then expand. Full office hire framing unlocks after live proof, not day one. See /pricing. Fourteen-day trial.