Foreman AI vs WinEx:
cut and fill from the PDF.
Stop spending half your day tracing contours and entering elevations. Upload the grading plan PDF and ask Foreman AI for cut and fill. It reads and marks the contours and spot grades, builds the surfaces, and produces the heat map and 3D views.
By Foreman AI · Updated October 10, 2026
The difference starts with plan preparation.
WinEx supports vector PDF and CAD linework imports, followed by takeoff setup and editing. Foreman starts by interpreting the grading sheet: contours, spot elevations, finished floors and the engineer's surface shading.
WinEx · prepared takeoff
Import the drawing linework, prepare the elevations and material areas, and inspect the resulting takeoff.
Foreman AI · read from the grading PDF
Upload the PDF and ask for cut and fill. Foreman finds the grades, marks them on the plan, builds the surfaces and splits the earthwork by paving, pads and landscape.
See the terrain before and after.
Put the 3D views beside each other. Foreman's viewer lets you inspect the existing ground, proposed subgrade and cut/fill from the grading-plan workflow.
WinEx · 3D site view
Foreman AI · existing, proposed and cut/fill
Select a view to see the example images. In Takeoff Studio, rotate and inspect the model itself.
Foreman AI vs WinEx at a glance.
Choose around the work your estimator needs to do, from preparing the grading sheet to sending the bid.
| Workflow | WinEx | Foreman AI |
|---|---|---|
| Starting with the plans | Import vector PDF or CAD linework and prepare the takeoff inputs. | Upload the grading PDF and ask for cut and fill. Foreman identifies contours, spot grades and finished floors. |
| Material areas | Add and edit the areas used in the takeoff. | Read paving, building pads and landscape from the sheet's shading; review and correct areas on the plan. |
| 3D and cut/fill review | Existing/proposed views, elevation shading, cut/fill maps and cross-section analysis. | Existing/proposed 3D, cut/fill heat map and grade labels over the engineer's sheet. |
| Earthwork settings | Shrink/swell and strip/respread tools. | Set sections, shrink/swell, stripping depth and truck capacity; see quantities by surface and pad. |
| Delivering the result | Reports and spreadsheet exports; WinEx Master also supports CAD and LandXML exports. | Earthwork report, marked quantities, mass haul and a bid proposal on your letterhead. |
WinEx feature references: Roctek's earthwork product documentation, reviewed October 10, 2026.
From the grading sheet to the earthwork report and bid.
Carry the work forward: cut and fill by surface, building-pad quantities, import, truck loads, topsoil strip and respread, and mass haul. Ask for paving and curb takeoff on the same plans, then build the proposal.
Questions about WinEx alternatives and PDF earthwork takeoff.
Can Foreman AI calculate cut and fill from a PDF?
Yes. Upload a grading plan with existing grades and proposed contours or spot grades, then ask Foreman to run cut and fill. It identifies and marks the grades, builds the existing and proposed surfaces, and generates the heat map and 3D views. Vector PDFs exported from CAD work best.
Do I need to trace every contour and type every spot elevation?
Foreman reads those inputs from the grading sheet. Review what it found, correct any areas or grades that need attention, and set your sections and earthwork factors before using the quantities in a bid.
Does WinEx support PDF plans?
Yes. Roctek documents vector PDF and CAD linework imports. The workflow difference here is Foreman's interpretation of the grading sheet into marked grades, surface areas and the earthwork model.
Can I review existing and proposed ground in 3D?
Yes. Foreman's Takeoff Studio has Before, After and Cut / Fill views. WinEx also offers 3D site views and cut/fill visualization. The images above show each product's presentation.
Can I use Foreman for paving and the rest of a civil bid?
Yes. Ask for asphalt, concrete, curb and gutter or building-pad quantities, then carry the takeoff into an earthwork report or a bid on your letterhead. See the Civil & Sitework page for examples.
Let the PDF do the setup work.
Bring your next grading plan. Ask Foreman for cut and fill, inspect the marked sheet and 3D model, and carry the quantities into your bid.