Construction Software

Posts Tagged ‘Estimating’

All construction contractors and construction estimators use an estimating form. These forms contain all the necessary information to provide an accurate estimate. With an estimating form, there will be no forgotten information. All the information that is needed to provide an estimate is right in front of you, all you have to do is fill in all of the information. A complete estimating for should contain the following information;

· Unit cost of materials

· Amount of estimates

· Square and cubic foot estimates

· Unit price of estimates

· Assembly estimates

This information will assist you in putting a bid together to send to general contractors who will consider your services if your bid is within their budget. A bid form is another form that all construction contractors should have readily available. Often times, if the General contractor is interested in your bid, he or she will send you a contract form from their office for you to fill out. You will still use your bid or proposal for the numbers, however it will be transferred to the General Contractors letterhead. Standard operating procedure states that the following information be included on your proposal;

· Your company name, address, telephone number

· Contractor license number including expiration date

· Current date

· Job name and location

· The title of your scope of work

· A description of what your range of work includes, including material. If a joint check is mentioned, make sure you include it on your bid or proposal

The total of your proposal should always be written in words as well as numbers. It is important to include any type of payment arrangements that are made. Make sure that you sign the form, and print your name so that it can be read easily. Make sure that you restrict the number of days that your bid or proposal is good for. This will create a faster response time, and finally, make sure that there is a place for the General Contractor to sign providing he is in agreement with your bid or proposal.

There are many different contract-estimating forms available to meet the needs of any project. There are standards and guidelines that need to be followed by all contractors that have been developed by the American Society of Profession Estimators (ASPE) and the American Association of Cost Engineers (AACE). The forms that are provided allow the contractor to make adjustments to fit the project they are bidding on.

Construction bidding and estimating software is available on the market today, this software contains all of the information and necessary forms to create an accurate bid or proposal. It will contain Contracts, bid proposals as well as change orders for remodeling, new construction and Time sheets and Material jobs. It will also contain Process billing sheets, purchase orders for all materials needed, along with time and material invoices.

Managing a business is not an easy job, especially when your business is construction. Keeping a track of everything manually is very difficult and searching for particular information can take up lots of your time. Today the traditional way of running a construction business is very time consuming. It is therefore advisable to look for alternatives that help you to increase your efficiency and productivity.

Restructuring a business requires a certain amount of planning and making use of efficiency increasing methods. Construction estimating software is also a step in the right direction. This software gives you an estimate of your construction projects with all the relevant details. You can manage all your project related information and edit your floor plans for proper analysis and do a proper construction risk analysis. The software takes care of the most time consuming part in construction estimating, the calculations about the materials required, and quantity required for a project, or the estimated market cost of the project.

If you wish to acquire construction software for your business, study the software features properly. There are many estimating companies that offer estimating software so you should select the one that has all the features that you are looking for. Most construction estimation software packages have:

* Up to date material prices that are updated frequently.

* Man hours and crew rates- the work estimates include a crew along with typical rate per man hour for installation.

* Job cost wizard that helps to turn estimates and proposals into documents which are then exported to the printer.

* Calculators that help you to save more time to figure out the quantities for joists systems, concrete walls, and bearing walls.

The other features are permits, demolition, renovation, construction risk analysis, civil estimating, construction valuations and rubbish removal. Good construction software provides you with quick and accurate estimates so that you spend less time estimating and more time running your business.

Benchmark Estimating offers some of the best estimating software that can be used for landscape estimating and job cost estimating. We also offer other services such as Estimating Training and estimating counselling. All these services increase the efficiency of your construction business and make your life a lot easier in this competitive scenario.

Technology is not the answer to all the problems of the world, but it is a great solution to the needs of construction management. And unconditionally the most important first step in embracing technology is selecting and utilizing the best construction estimating software. Remember, without good construction estimating you do not need accounting, sales, crews, buildings, trucks etc; without a good construction estimating you won’t be able to stay in business.

Remember in today’s brutal market, survival is directly related to being a leading company that stays ahead of the competition, maintains loyal customers, and always makes an above average profit. Proper automation and utilization of construction estimating software can allow a struggling construction company to get out of the doldrums and become seriously profitable.

Sadly, some surveys even indicate that staying on the cutting edge of technology was just not a priority with many construction companies. For those that do care, most of these companies are scrambling to catch up with computerization, construction estimating software, backend software management systems, etc. and are too often content doing the minimum to stay even with their competitors and customers.

One of your company’s goals should be to become a technology leader. Consider hiring only those project managers or superintendents who are totally literate in email, word processing, scheduling, and construction estimating software.

Failing to cater to your customer’s needs and demands for your implementation of technology can cost you business; it can make or brake your company. It is estimated that 65% of construction companies communicate with architects and engineers with email, and more than 75% use email to be in contact with customers. A growing number of contractors use the internet for job correspondence with other contractors, subcontractors, or suppliers. Virtually all construction buyers feel that contractors using construction estimating software provide more accurate quotes.

Quite often we find contractors that pay “lip service” to their clients and make claims of their companies being computerized, but in reality most do not manage their business with any type of automation. Only about 10% use the internet to submit invoices or progress payments to customers, and virtually none use the internet to transmit their construction estimating software bids.

The construction industry is considerably behind the times compared to others. In the retail business, products are ordered, produced, shipped, paid for, and re-ordered without a single piece of paper.

Construction still requires paper invoices, original and notarized signatures, conditional and final lien releases, joint checks, architect and bank inspector approvals, and copies for everyone involved. This is truly unfortunate because construction estimating software and technology can just as easily allow construction companies to go paperless.

Computers are becoming more of a required tool as at least 50% of project managers carry laptops while only around 25% of field supervisors have or use a computer. Many of these computers are used only for email and basic communications but very few are using these computers to dynamically link their construction estimating software and backend systems to the field

About one half of construction companies use some type of scheduling software. Strongly consider upgrading your scheduling software to a more sophisticated, cutting- edge, comprehensive package that allows you to import bids from your construction estimating software. By doing so, your proposals for projects will be put ahead of your competition and often is a major factor in winning the job.

Technology will save you cash.

Overhead expenses can most often be reduced by at least 25% by implementing and maximizing the use of technology and construction estimating software. It can help you become much more efficient as you eliminate paper, faxes, mail for project minutes, job correspondence, shop drawing tracking, subcontract logs, change order requests, daily job reports, and many other items.

It’s very surprising that only 20% of subcontractors and 33% of general contractors use a comprehensive project management software package. Regrettably, very few construction companies are dynamically linking their project management and scheduling software with their construction estimating software.

Remember, the construction estimating software bid in the start of every project. It is the heart of your business. You are assured of missing labor, materials, subcontracting, equipment and other miscellaneous costs and functions if you fail to dynamically link your entire project via the construction estimating software system.

Of course, all of these statistics may not really surprise you. Many contractors consider themselves computer illiterate, and most feel that they have only the most basic skills in using a computer. Maybe that’s not surprising when most contractors would say that their kids know more about computers than they do.

The world is changing and technology is a reality. Companies who realize these facts become leaders, while those who don’t fall behind and never catch up. Using construction estimating software coupled with other basic technology can make you more efficient, more professional, help you win more profitable contracts, keep track of job costs, and make you money.

Are you keeping up with technology?

Running a contracting business is hard work, involving long hours, stress over deadlines and chasing up project payments. It always seems to be a mystery as to how the money is disappearing so quickly, and many contractors will work well over ten hours a day. The mindset that you have to work incredibly hard to profit needs to end because there are new ways to work smarter, spending less time and making more money. Estimating software for construction contractors is designed to ease the load, providing a platform for accurate estimates, record and bookkeeping and other professional business benefits.

Many contractors are so focused on plant equipment condition and updates, they have never stopped to think about software to save costs, reduce workload and increase profits through estimate accuracy. When you are responsible for planning the erection of a building there really is little to no room for errors. Using construction planning or estimating software, you won’t miss any steps and will have the bonus of easily working back from finish to start to create schedules in advance.

With your schedule so simply prepared, you will have time to scrutinize areas where profits could be increased. An example could be comparing schedules across contracts and when you find similar material requirements you can bargain with suppliers for bulk discounts. Another area for saving could be hiring contractors like plumbers to work on several projects under one booking, reducing contract fees.

One of the most useful things construction estimating software can help with is through live data update features. When true costs arrive, update the system and monitor discrepancies closely. The amount of construction you achieve per hour as well as overall labor costs will be easy to keep track of. Find a program that can work with your accounting software and be sure simple manuals or preferably video tutorials are provided free. The best programs will offer lessons for you to take on the computer, simulating the processes involved in forming estimates. When you are ready to begin there is fully indexed help and contents available any time you have a question, and in no time at all you will be feeling like an expert. You may even be lost as to what you can do with all the extra hours you have on your hands, and you can start thinking about the extensions you always wanted to plan for your own home!

Your construction estimating software will only be world class if it has been trialed and assessed by experts in the industry. Good software will be complex as the job of a contractor is by no means a simple one, but you will be sure to learn it quickly because you are in the industry and understand the jargon. Contractors who have been used to using old school methods for manual quotes will be wondering why on earth they didn’t make the change sooner! Whether you are new to construction estimating software or are looking to upgrade to new software always trust a program that allows you to try before you buy, this way you know they have faith in their own product.

This software can mean getting your life and personal time back, which is what every contractor would love to do. You can schedule time off, save more money and make bigger profits, and with the company running so smoothly, everyone will be a lot happier. If you want to learn more about construction estimating software you should visit www.expertestimating.com

Operating construction jobs is a great deal of work, not just in terms of using a level or nail gun. Managing those construction duties is just as time consuming and sometimes aggravating. Small and medium sized contractors have a need for the most help, which will definitely benefit the use of construction estimating software. While there are many software packages used for estimating residential and commercial construction options, they can sometimes be a hassle to use, since the feature an over abundance in customization which is hard to catch onto, or they are so simple they do not cover all the needs of a busy construction office.

Keeping track of the estimates and cost is vital to operating a residential construction business, which means keeping the books straight while being hard pressed for the correct totals. Not doing so, will leave you with lint in your pockets while the business is penny pinched for needs of materials that have not been assessed properly, this can all be done away with while using a Construction estimating residential software package. A contractor will get nowhere committing to expenses without the foreknowledge of them, and that is never a good thing. The success of a business falls to keep track of issues such as expenses as they mount up as well as annual reports. Construction estimating software gives you the upper hand.

Good construction estimating software for residential construction will not only help you stay within local code requirements but also aid in taking the square footage which will allow you to turn that into an estimate with the use of your accounting software that will actually pay you with enough profit to live off of. However, the construction estimating software must harmonize and assimilate with your accounting software, such as QuickBooks. These programs together should be able to walk you through the QuickBooks reports as well as letting you know which ones you have no need of and help you budget the jobs expenses.Construction estimating residential software packages should be priced affordably, and be simple to use. You will need the ability to start from a finished project and work your way backwards. All through the construction process, systematic, from the exterior paint and drywall back to running wire and framing joists even to the beginning point of tilling and grading the ground in which to place a foundation slab. The contractor will need to know the costs of all things involved so the solid profit to show when the job is complete. Construction estimating residential software packages for residential needs does exist and there are several competing packages available, you should evaluate the software, so that the software you choose is based on the needs of your company and the condition of those needs.

You will be in need of a program, which is easy to learn and is adaptable with your bookkeeping software. You will also need software that is designed to fit the size of your construction company, whether it is large or small. The construction estimating residential software should also be clearly documented with simple to understand language as well as systematic instructions or examples. The construction estimating residential software packages should be as clear to you as reading a blueprint or a floor plan. You should also check to make sure that the software you chose has a video tutorial with step-by-step instructions so that you can follow along as you learn to understand and use the construction estimating residential software.

A good construction estimating residential software package will allow you to run several jobs in tandem, while pointing our any cases where there are different areas of the job to run at the same time, which aids in a finished job faster as well as keeping under control the factors of expenses. All these benefits and being able to work smarted allows you more time off to do your thing and not worry about what was left at the office.

A construction cost estimator knows that there are a lot of expenses that need to be tracked when estimating a job. Many people who have been in the industry for a long time have always relied on pen, paper and a calculator to estimate a job. They feel that their experience in estimating out weighs the convenience of the new software programs. However, what they do not realize is that using this software can save them a lot of time and headaches.

Projecting Construction Costs Is The First Step To A Successful Project

There are a lot of costs that have to be considered when estimating a job. Both the seen and unseen cost can delay a project if they are not calculated correctly. Land acquisition, as well as assembly, holding and improvement are just a few of the things that need to be taken into consideration. Others include Planning and feasibility studies of the structure; capital costs for a construction project are just a few of the costs that need to be considered.

You will also need to take into consideration the financial fees, which include filing fees and architectural and engineering design. These factors need to be taken into consideration before you can estimate any other part of the project. When you have these

numbers, you can then go on to add the construction cost, labor and materials, insurance, taxes equipment and all of the other factors that will make up your bid or proposal. You have to take into consideration that maintenance costs will be a big part of your expenses. It is critical that you account for all maintenance costs in your estimate. This includes the operating staff, land rent, periodic renovations, labor and material for maintenance and repairs, insurance and taxes, financing costs, utilities. There will be other expenses that you will need to deal with as they pop up, however, with the estimating software; it will not be a problem.

Construction job come in all sizes, and there are factors that need to be taken into consideration such as the location of the job and the efficiency of the management team. There a just so many things that needs to be figured into an estimate, that it will

continually be revised if you do not have the experience or the software to create an accurate estimate.

When it comes to vendors, there will always be something that has come up that will delay your project. This is a given in the construction industry. It has caused many estimators to create a back up plan when they are estimating a job.

An experienced estimator will allow for all delays and have a contingency plan that will allow the project to move forward without delay. They will always set aside a certain amount of funds that will allow construction to continue to insure that their deadline is

met without the frustration and headaches that vendors can cause.

The size of the contingency should be based upon the size of the job. An experienced estimator will have the knowledge of roughly how much each sized job will cost and base his or her contingency on that. If all goes off without a hitch, there will be an excess of funds to use for addition work or anything else the client wants to do.

So many contractors go out of business because their construction cost estimating is too low or too high. When the amount estimated in not high enough the company can lose a lot of money; when the estimate is too high you lose the job to a competitor and gain a bad reputation. If either occurs enough times it can result in total failure for the company. Human error is something that will always happen to some degree, and if you want to cut mistakes out completely, you need construction cost estimating software. It can seem overwhelming knowing which is the best construction cost estimating software for your particular company, with such a huge variety available now days. Prior to beginning your search you should read the following guide to ensure you have a clear idea of what you need.

Commercial or Residential

The first decision to make is whether your company is primarily in the business of commercial or residential building, as there is different construction cost estimating software for each. If you feel your business falls pretty much equally into both categories,

there are programs for you as well, however you may find they are more costly.

Work With Your Existing Software

Contractors will usually have several existing programs in use for bookkeeping, ordering and planning, and a program that will be compatible with most of these will make life a lot easier. This will mean you can get the most out of your construction cost estimating software and ultimately use it as a front end system for accessing all your files and records. An example is if you already use Microsoft Office; try to find a program that will be compatible with that program rather than one that is compatible with QuickBooks.

Would You Possibly Like to Customize the Software?

When you become familiar with your construction cost estimating software, you will be likely to start to notice a few things here and there you would like changed or added. This is called customizing a program, and some construction cost estimating software will allow you to do it yourself to a certain degree. It is also an option to have a computer expert spend a few hours making the changes you require, but you need to be sure it is possible with the particular software you choose. It is a exceptional feeling to have a customized program designed to do exactly what you imagined, and even if you think you won’t want it upfront, try to keep it in mind as a possibility for making your construction cost estimating software a perfect fit for your company.

How Simple is the Software to Use?

Contractors are busy people, and although you will want to dedicate some time initially to learning the ins and outs of your new construction cost estimating software, you don’t want it to go on endlessly! Choose a program that is designed to be simple to learn and use and you wont have to spend forever teaching others either. Undoubtedly, any construction cost estimating software is going to be complex, but the ones that have been tested by others in the industry can be learnt more easily.

How Much to Spend?

Almost everyone in the construction industry is continuously on a tight budget, and cutting costs doesn’t often include lashing out on new toys. Paying between one and five hundred for good construction cost estimating software will make its money back in the long run. You will save time, have better records for improvement assessments and appear more professional and organized to clients. Eliminating features could bring the price down, and free trials are available for many programs so you will know what it is you are paying for upfront.

If you cover all your bases and buy the right construction cost estimating software for your company you can save thousands of dollars a year at least! These programs mean more accurate estimates and continuous live update analysis of data, which enables managers to regularly keep the budgets in check. Whether you are a residential or commercial construction company, investing in the right software will mean more profits and more free time in the future.

The major part of an estimator’s job obviously is estimating job costs. In the past, doing this manually left marginal room for error. Today, with technology evolving everyday, software has been developed to reduce the chances of input error. The software offers an assortment of different templates that allow you to enter your costs, inventory and even profits. This allows you to give a more accurate estimate without leaving the jobsite. With this software, what used to take hours and even days to complete can now be completed in a fraction of the time. The software programs can be learned in a short amount of time, and are made so even those who are computer illiterate can learn them.

Estimating software allows your business to operate on a higher level by making it look more professional. You are able to estimate jobs faster and more efficiently. Your business will have the appearance of stability and competence. Changes on a jobsite occur often, and in the past, when the changes occurred, it would cause the estimator large amounts of stress adding or subtracting from the estimate. With estimating software, the estimator can adjust the estimate with a few clicks of the mouse within minutes. This saves a lot of time. You can make the changes right on the jobsite and print them out for the customer to sign. It is just that easy.

There are several software programs on the market today to assist you in estimating your project. However there are few features that the software must have in order to give an accurate estimate. The program must be able to allow you to break down each of the costs including inventory labor and profit. This is important to allow you to create an accurate estimate. Having a program that contains a separate vendor list is also a key feature. A good estimating software program should assist you in understanding all aspects of your business and will allow you to save time and money. When you are able to check your

profit and loss statement within seconds, you may be able to offer a potential client rebates and discounts. This could mean the difference between getting the client and losing them.

By using the estimating software, you may be able to surpass your competition in the customer service aspect of construction. You will look more professional and up to date with the times. It makes the process of estimating look like a walk in the park, and can save you a lot of time and money and may also assist you I generating more business.

Construction estimating software is important for contractors because it helps them do their construction estimating consistently time after time. That’s the way they will make money over the long term. www.construction-estimating-software.com

Although you may not use a computer on a regular basis, and the only spreadsheet you use is the one on your bed, don’t stop reading this until you have thought about the huge amount of time you might spend on estimating construction costs.

Back when computers weren’t as popular as they are today, finding an estimate for equipment or a job usually took an hour each time you had to look up the price in a book. And the costs associated with getting the new edition of that book every year made the whole process almost not worth the time and money put into it.

With construction estimation software, your time is reduced to how long it takes to turn on your computer, and click your mouse about 5 or 6 times. And the amount of information that is at your fingertips far out distances as much as a whole library of estimation books.

Some of the quick and easy tools that come in a construction estimation software package include:

Up to date material prices. The material prices in construction estimation software are updated frequently.

Man-hours and crew rates. All work estimates include a recommended crew and a typical rate per man-hour for installation.

Calculators. Save yourself even more time and use the calculators to figure out quantities for bearing walls, joists systems, concrete walls and more.

Job Cost Wizard – turns estimates and proposals into documents and exports both to the printer.

The other areas of the software include permits, fees, set-up, demolition, rubbish removal, and renovation.

It’s amazing how many multimillion dollar companies are still using pen and paper or Excel spreadsheets, or small companies using ridiculously complicated programs they struggle to learn and are too sophisticated for them. Your life will become much less complicated, you will save paper, and your time spent on estimating even large jobs will be slashed down to a minimum.

To sum up, time and money are two important considerations for any industry, job, or company. What you want is a balance between quality estimates, fairly inexpensive labor, and quality work. While the only thing that construction estimation software can really do for you is provide quick and accurate estimates, the other two areas will fall into place as you spend less time estimating and more time running your business and finishing jobs.