Handy gets the best results from clear, digital files that show dimensions, plus a message saying which scopes to price. Handy (Handoff's AI assistant) reads what is in your files, but it can't measure from a photo.
Available on all plans. Flex includes 50 AI credits a month, and Pro and Scale are unlimited. Works on desktop and in the mobile app.
Files that work well
Digital PDFs: Plans, specs, and scope sheets saved as PDF work best, especially when dimensions are printed on the drawing.
Spreadsheets and Word files: Material lists and scope sheets are read directly. Upload the file, not a screenshot.
Site photos: Good for existing conditions. Bright, in-focus photos work best.
Videos: Handy looks at up to 20 frames and transcribes your narration, so describe materials and sizes out loud.
Files that cause problems
Photos of printed plans: Angles and lighting hide dimensions. Export or scan to PDF instead.
Crooked or low-resolution scans: Detail is lost, so rescan flat and at a higher quality.
Hand sketches without dimensions: Handy can describe what it sees but can't size it.
Renderings: They show design intent, not quantities.
Photos and renderings have no scale. Add the room size, square footage, or ceiling height in your message.
How many files and how large
Handy reads up to 20 files at once, and each file can be up to 200 MB in the app. For whole-file reading, PDFs over 50 MB and other files over 100 MB are rejected. For long PDFs, only the first 100 pages are searched.
Upload only the pages that apply. If you are pricing tile, attach the bathroom sheets instead of an 80-page set.
Tell Handy what to estimate
After you attach files, say what to price, for example: "Estimate the cabinet install, countertop, and backsplash only. Ignore the flooring." Before it builds, you can ask "What rooms and dimensions did you find?" to catch wrong assumptions early.
Start a new chat for revised plans
If you attach a revised plan in the same chat, Handy can see both versions and may mix them up. Start a new chat for updated plans or a different project.
To measure quantities from plans, use + > Takeoff mode instead. See the AI takeoff article.