Today, one of the most important pieces of technology that is available within the construction industry is estimating software. The use of software reduces costs, allows for better cost comparisons, and provides businesses with the ability to supply fast and reliable estimate bids for contracts.
Most businesses prefer to work with companies adopting the latest in tech, rather than those which stick to traditional methods.
If you are unsure whether to adopt estimating software or how it can benefit your business, we are going to take a short look at a few ways that construction estimating software can help your business and improve the overall construction industry.
7 Ways That Construction Estimating Software Boosts Company Efficiency
1. Improved accuracy.
The ability to track labour and equipment costs, subcontractor expenses, and material costs are crucial for any operation. Having this all-in-one place makes things a whole lot easier.
Depending on the estimating software you choose some such as Cubit Estimating Pro allow you to input numerous data sets to come up with the most accurate estimates possible.
Using estimating software gives companies an accuracy that they can depend on to define the costs of their builds and keep costs low.
Software that has been properly programmed and designed with estimation as their primary function are also guaranteed to get closer to the true cost of a build than someone using a basic spreadsheet. Many companies will no longer accept traditional rough estimates as they want to keep costs low and use a more professional approach.
2. Added professionalism.
As already mentioned, many companies will no longer accept traditional pen and paper estimates. Companies want to estimate to the euro/pound. Project estimates using outdated methods will leave you searching for work.
By using construction estimating software, you can provide accurate and timely bids, allowing you to beat the competition both in terms of price and speed. Estimating software has become a staple of everyday life and using it within the construction industry is only going to continue to grow so it is important to adopt early.
Using construction estimating software adds a level of professionalism that through great word of mouth will benefit your business in the long run.
For younger team members it will also be far easier to adopt new systems. This allows older team members to learn from them and to teach methods that will work across all channels.
3. Construction Estimating Software Convenience.
Accurately tracking all aspects of your business requires a certain level of constant maintenance. Construction estimating software can help you make this task easier and more convenient.
Using the data you input, estimating software can provide up to date estimates for all your projects, allowing for real-world estimates and planning that can be shared immediately.
An all-purpose piece of software ensures you have all the data at your fingertips. Office spaces can be a lot cleaner, and it is easier to disseminate information to the relevant people in a much more secure manner.
Cloud-based solutions are ideal for companies big and small which have projects in various locations.
4. Improved project management.
Another asset is project management. Like well-oiled machines, teams work together better when they have a clear picture of a project’s direction. Using construction estimating software, purchases become more cost-effective, correspondence clearer, and item tracking more efficient.
Research has shown that professional contractors tend to prefer cost estimation software over various other modes of cost estimation. It enables them to improve their organization and optimize their time management.
This positively benefits workflow because it reduces the number of accidents, mishaps, and incidences of poor communication that could be detrimental to a project.
5. Construction Estimating Software Consistency.
Another benefit of construction estimating software is that your business can create estimates using similar procedures for every new project, boosting consistency across all factors of the project.
By using the same formulas, procedures, and estimation tools, you can ensure that your data is reliable and consistent, maintaining a high quality regardless of which projects you undertake.
6. Construction Estimating Software Ease of use.
While spreadsheets can be intuitive and easy to use, they can also come with limited capabilities. Most of the construction estimating software is designed to be user friendly even for the most tech-averse people.
Software such as that produced by Buildsoft is intuitive and can be configured for use by almost everyone.
Software that has a recognizable user interface means that estimators using the system will be more confident and comfortable. When a user is comfortable with a software that they’re using, they make fewer mistakes and can avoid any major learning curves that would slow them down.
7. Reduction of Overheads
Though this will vary from company to company, overhead reduction is another major benefit of using construction estimating software. It also creates a more efficient process for cost tracking and planning.
With the use of one reliable system across all your operations you will save. This will be on the purchasing of various accountancy and record-keeping software, training your team members will be easier and there will be a reduction in the number of man-hours spent working on cost estimates and contacting subcontractors etc.
All of this helps to improve the workflow of your team and helps ensure each member is on the same page when it comes to pricing, planning and the actual completion of each project.
Conclusion:
There are a plethora of other uses and advantages of using constructing estimating. We have looked at just several of the most obvious and clear benefits of using estimating software.
Should you have any questions about construction estimating software and how it will benefit your business, then get in touch today.
