How to Extract Quantities (QTO) from an IFC Model for Free

Pull element counts, lengths, areas, and volumes out of any IFC file into a spreadsheet. Perfect for takeoffs, cost estimation, and bill of quantities work.

Quantity takeoff (QTO) used to mean clicking element by element in expensive desktop software. If the data you need is already inside the IFC file — and for most modern models, it is — BIMCamel can pull it into Excel in one click. For free.

What "quantities" means in IFC

Modern authoring tools attach quantity data directly to elements when they export. A wall carries its length, area (gross and net), and volume. A column carries its cross-section area and length. A door carries its width and height. These values are stored in standard IFC quantity sets (Qto_WallBaseQuantities, Qto_ColumnBaseQuantities, and so on) that any IFC-aware tool can read.

That means the takeoff numbers already exist. You just need to get them out.

Step-by-step: extract quantities to Excel

Upload your IFC file to BIMCamel.
(Optional) Run IFC Viewer first to confirm the model contains quantity sets. If the authoring tool did not export them, you will need to go back and re-export with "Export base quantities" turned on.
Open the Extract IFC Data tool.
Choose which element classes to include (walls, columns, doors, ducts, pipes — or all of them).
Choose an output format: CSV for spreadsheet work, Excel (.xlsx) for a formatted workbook, or plain text for scripting.
Click Run. BIMCamel walks every element and produces one row per element with its type, GUID, name, storey, material, and every quantity attached to it.
Download the spreadsheet. Open in Excel, Google Sheets, LibreOffice, or Numbers.

Turning rows into a bill of quantities

The raw output has one row per element. To get a bill of quantities, group the rows:

In Excel: Insert → PivotTable. Rows = element type or material, Values = sum of volume/area/length.
In Google Sheets: Data → Pivot table.
In a cost database: import the CSV and join on material or Uniclass code.

Within a few minutes you can go from a 500 MB IFC file to a fully formatted BOQ grouped by trade, material, or storey.

What you can extract

Counts — how many windows of each type, how many radiators, how many fixtures.
Lengths — total linear metres of walls, pipes, cable trays, skirting.
Areas — floor areas per storey, wall surface areas for finishes, roof areas for coverings.
Volumes — concrete volumes for structural takeoffs, insulation volumes for thermal calculations.
Custom properties — any property set attached to elements (fire ratings, manufacturers, cost codes).

Export to Excel vs Extract IFC Data

Extract IFC Data is best for a custom data pull — you pick exactly which columns to include.
Export to Excel dumps every property set and quantity for every element into a workbook, one sheet per property set. Use it when you want everything and will filter in Excel.

Both tools use the same underlying element scan, so they are equally accurate.

Tips for better takeoffs

Clean the model first. Run Model Health Check to catch duplicate elements that would double-count in a takeoff.
Check units. IFC files carry their own unit system — usually metres, but sometimes millimetres or feet. The spreadsheet includes the unit for every quantity column, so always read the header before summing.
Watch for excluded elements. Voids, openings, and spaces can inflate counts if you are not careful. Filter by IfcClass in the spreadsheet.

Why do this in BIMCamel instead of a dedicated QTO tool?

Commercial QTO packages (CostX, ProContractor, Bluebeam Revu with plugins) are powerful but cost hundreds to thousands per seat. For many projects — especially bid stages, feasibility studies, or academic work — a free spreadsheet export covers 90% of what a QTO tool does, in about 90 seconds.