Most estimating tools place bond beams by habit — every other course, or wherever it looks right. TMM places them from the structural drawings. Rebar schedule in, bond beam courses out.
A bond beam course exists because there's horizontal rebar at that elevation. The rebar schedule comes from the structural engineer — bar size, spacing, development length requirements. That's the input. TMM reads it and places the courses.
When the course hits a corner, it wraps. The development length past the far side of an opening is automatic. The corner block is still a corner block. The bond beam unit is still a bond beam unit. Both counted separately, both on the takeoff.
Course 13 ┌─────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ S S S S S S S S S S │ Course 12 │ BB BB BB BB BB BB BB BB BB BB │ ← #5 horiz · @ 4'-0" o.c. │ S S S S S S S S S S │ Course 11 │ S S S S S S S S S S │ │ S S S S S S S S S S │ Course 10 │ BB BB BB BB BB BB BB BB BB BB │ ← #5 horiz · @ 4'-0" o.c. │ S S S S S S S S S S │ Course 9 │ S S S S S S S S S S │ │ S S S S S S S S S S │ Course 8 │ BB BB BB BB BB BB BB BB BB BB │ ← #5 horiz · @ 4'-0" o.c. └─────────────────────────────────────────┘ S = stretcher BB = bond beam unit C = corner (counted separately)
The diagram above shows three bond beam courses on a standard 4-foot-on-center schedule. Every BB unit is counted. Every corner wrap is counted. Development length at openings is added automatically based on the bar size.
Most masonry takeoffs report rebar in linear feet. That's one step removed from what the supplier quotes and what the crew orders. TMM converts to pounds automatically using standard bar weights.
Development length extensions at openings and corners are included in the linear-foot total before conversion. The pounds number on the takeoff is the number that goes on the purchase order.
You enter the rebar schedule from the structural drawings — bar sizes, vertical spacing, lap requirements. TMM snaps bond beam courses to those elevations. Every course is tied to a specific rebar requirement, not placed by habit or rule of thumb.
Bond beam courses wrap corners continuously. Development length past openings is calculated automatically — no manual addition for lap splice extension. The corner block at a bond beam course is still counted as a corner block, separate line item, not absorbed into the bond beam unit count.
Yes. Click any bond beam course and drag it to a different elevation, or change the course type entirely. The takeoff updates immediately. The rebar schedule stays as the default starting point; the mason controls every override.
Both. Rebar is reported in linear feet for scheduling and pounds for procurement. The weight calculation uses standard bar weights — #4 at 0.668 lb/ft, #5 at 1.043 lb/ft, and so on. Development length extensions are included in the total.
Enter the rebar schedule, get the courses. Founder pricing at $300/mo while seats last.
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