Straight answers about Redliner.
Redliner is a focused drawing layer for construction PDFs: markup, takeoff, scale detection, revision review, RFIs, exports, and integration-friendly workflows.
Product questions
What is Redliner?
Redliner is browser-first construction PDF software built around two core tools: takeoff (measure drawings into cost-loaded categories, grouped by room) and markup (a full annotation toolset with layers and multi-user collaboration). Around the drawing sit project modules: documents, AI-searchable photos, kanban tasks, RFIs, punch list, and a QR project poster for jobsite access.
Is Redliner a full project management system?
No. Redliner is intentionally drawings-first. Use it for sheet sets, markups, measurements, revision review, and drawing context. Use BuildTools, Procore, or another system of record for full project operations if needed.
Drawings questions
What file types does Redliner support?
Redliner is built around construction PDFs and large drawing sheet sets. The viewer is tuned for high zoom, page references, annotations, and exportable markup workflows.
Can Redliner handle drawing revisions?
Yes. Upload a new version and compare it against any earlier one — AI calls out what changed between revisions. Old sets stay available while the current set stays obvious, so nobody marks up a superseded sheet.
What is AI link detection?
Redliner finds section and detail markers on your sheets and links them to the drawings they reference, including elevations. Tap a marker to jump to the section it points at, across the whole set, with no manual setup.
Markup questions
What markup tools are available?
Line, square, circle, polygon, free draw, cloud, text, callout, highlight, tag, insert image, and snip (cut a section of the drawing, paste it, rescale it). Annotations live on layers you can toggle on and off, and multiple users can mark up the same drawing at once.
Can I import markups from Bluebeam?
Yes — and this is a big one: annotations from Bluebeam and other platforms import as editable markups, not a flattened image. Your existing marked-up sets keep working in Redliner.
Takeoff questions
Does Redliner support takeoffs?
Yes — takeoff is a core tool. Measure with rectangle, polygon, plane (for angled roof planes), circle, linear, wall, wall poly, count, and perimeter tools. Identify areas of the plan as rooms and every measurement inside is grouped by room. Categories carry unit costs, so you can view the takeoff as dollars by category, by room, or in total, and export it to PDF.
What are complex takeoff categories?
A complex category takes off multiple scopes from one drawing. Outline a bedroom once and get flooring, drywall, paint, and millwork quantities plus recessed lighting, fixture, and outlet counts — each posted to its own cost category from that single area.
How does scale work?
AI scale detection reads the scale from the sheet, or calibrate a custom scale by drawing a known dimension. For scanned or photographed plans, deskew and perspective correction straighten the page before you measure. Review the detected scale before relying on measurements when precision matters.
AI questions
Does AI replace human review?
No. AI-assisted features help detect scale, extract sheet metadata, compare versions, and point users toward likely changes. The estimator, PM, architect, or builder still decides what matters.
RFIs questions
Can I create RFIs from drawings?
Yes. Drawing markups can carry RFI context with page reference, coordinates, thumbnail, assignment, due date, threaded responses, and exportable numbering.
Field questions
Can field teams use Redliner?
Yes. Redliner is browser-first and designed for drawing access, field notes, photos, task context, project poster QR links, and markup workflows without desktop PDF software.
Exports questions
Can I export marked-up drawings and quantities?
Yes. Export the drawing to PDF with measurements, markups, rooms, tags, and labels each toggled on or off — a clean set for the owner and a fully-loaded set for the field from the same drawing. You can also share a link to the live document so external parties see markups as they land.
What happens to tags when I print the plans?
Tags convert to QR codes on the printed export. Anyone on site scans the code on the paper plan and the linked item — task, punch list item, document, photo, RFI, web link, or another sheet location — opens on their phone, no app install required.
Photos questions
How does photo search work?
Every photo is scanned by AI on upload and the items in it are identified, so you can text-search your photo library — "show me all the photos of light fixtures in this date range" — instead of scrolling.
Integrations questions
Does Redliner integrate with other construction tools?
Yes. Storage connectors (Dropbox, OneDrive, Google Drive, WebDAV) keep drawings in place, the Claude Connector exposes project context to AI over MCP, and an embed SDK for putting the markup engine inside other products is in design with early partners.
Which storage providers does Redliner connect to?
Dropbox, OneDrive, and Google Drive via OAuth, plus any WebDAV endpoint including self-hosted servers. Redliner reads the sheet set in place — drawings stay in your storage and are never copied into a separate silo.
How does the Claude Connector handle security?
It is a paid add-on, off by default, built as a separate MCP layer on top of the Redliner API. Access uses scoped API keys with rate limits and request logs, is restricted to your organization, and follows a draft-first workflow: the AI proposes, a human reviews before anything is written or sent. $20 per workspace per month.
Is there an embed SDK or API for putting Redliner inside my product?
The embed API — iframe, JS SDK, React component, and REST — is being designed now with a small group of early partners. Planned shape: bring your own auth via short-lived backend-minted tokens, bring your own storage (S3 signed URLs, WebDAV, or HTTP), CSS-variable theming with tool whitelists and read-only mode, and signed, timestamped markups with webhooks on save. Email hello@redliner.com with your use case for early access.
Pricing questions
How is Redliner priced?
The marketing site lists a free viewer direction and pro editor pricing starting at $29 per editor per month with a 7-day free trial. Enterprise/API workflows are scoped with the Redliner team.
Support questions
Where do I get help?
Use the private help page if you have the link, or contact hello@redliner.com with the project name, sheet number, browser, and a short description of what happened.