1. A computer-implemented method for performing quantity takeoff computations, the method comprising: receiving a selection of a drawing object, wherein at least one instance of the selected drawing object is included in a computer-aided design (CAD) drawing, and the selected drawing object is associated with a drawing category; determining a takeoff object associated with the selected drawing object, wherein the takeoff object is associated with a quantify type; referencing a database to generate a list of one or more quantify properties based on the quantify type; displaying a hierarchical takeoff palette that includes the drawing category associated with the selected drawing object, wherein each instance of the selected drawing object is shown as a sub-element to the drawing category; receiving a selection of a quantify property from the list of one or more quantify properties via the hierarchical takeoff palette; generating a quantified value for each instance of the selected drawing object based on both the quantify type and the selected quantify property; and computing a cost estimate for each instance of the selected drawing object based on the quantified value for the instance and cost data included in the takeoff object, wherein one or more of the steps of receiving a selection of a drawing object, determining, referencing, displaying, receiving a selection of a quantify property, generating and computing are performed by a processor.