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Business contractors company estimate software

Estimate software is mainly used in the construction industry, the technology explosion has changed the industry fundamentally and irrevocably. No task for contractors today can be done without a estimate software to perform the job. Speed, efficiency, cost management and guaranteed ROI is the name of the game, especially in a recessionary economy where more companies are competing for fewer jobs, and that starts with the abundant availability of bid estimating software that offers industry-specific solutions with advanced integration capabilities and ease of use. There are many different programs available that claim to help a contractor win a construction bid, though it can be difficult to figure out which one will work best for you. Many of the top general contracting firms now have secure online bid rooms that allow subcontractors to download and review specs before submitting their bid on jobs.Companies can also use billing software in Chennai.
All you need to do in order to figure out which construction estimation software to use is evaluating how you plan on using it. Here are some of the top products available to contractors today. Though not inexpensive, once implemented they generally pay for themselves in short order. A good estimating system should quickly and accurately help you determine the bottom line cost of a job, and ultimately increase your profit margin.
McCormick Systems – can provide the right solution for companies of any size, ranging from the one-man shop to the global powerhouse.
Sage estimating tools – this estimate software have long ranked among the industry’s most respected and reliable. It provides tools such as multiple take-off options, specific pricing databases and integration with accounting systems that build profitability into each job. The databases are easily modified to fit company-specific requirements.
PlanSwift – Applicable to both the commercial and residential sectors, this relatively inexpensive point-and-click program has a small learning curve and is easy to use.
Bid4Build – a recognized estimate software industry leader. User friendly and designed for general and subcontractors of all sizes and specialties, it relies on an extensive database that generates bids, creates cost estimates and reports quickly and accurately across a broad range of projects. The Estimate Advisor Wizard walks users through a five-step process for building an estimate. The most attractive feature is the fact its extensive item cost database can be customized by adding, deleting or changing both line entries and line item costs.
Clear Estimates – The estimate software program quickly determines project cost and produces a variety of reports and proposals. The program maintains customer and project databases, processes change order, integrates with QuickBooks Pro and updates price information via an automated price updating service.
ProEst® – was developed by Construction Management Software, use by more than a few thousand firms and produces quick, accurate and competitive bids. It can be integrated with most leading accounting programs, implemented across trades and features industry-specific templates and localized, updated databases. It also comes with pre-built databases for general, electrical and mechanical contractors and can be customized to fit the requirements of niche businesses.
To evaluate if an estimate software is good, you need to consider the following factors:
Speed – The foremost benefit of using computerized estimating is speed. No other software product in your business saves as much time and money as your estimating software.
Type of Work – Estimation software uses variables that will change based on what type of project you are working on, there is a big difference between contracting estimate software designed for a general contractor and a specific type of contractor.
Accuracy – In today’s industry and changing economy, contractors need to track actual labor and material costs as well as equipment and subcontract expenses.
Professionalism – Today’s contractors use estimating programs to organize and optimize their business. The estimate is used as a sales tool to document costs, and there is nothing that builds confidence in your sales presentation more than an estimate that has been professionally prepared and printed using an estimating software system.
Maintenance – Because things change quickly in the contracting field, it is important to make sure that the program you buy will either change with the field or leave you the resources to choose something else if it doesn’t.
Interoperability – If you already work with construction management software, it may be worth checking whether or not the company that made your software also has an estimation program available. Sometimes you can find estimation software that will work well with Microsoft Office or QuickBooks if you use either of those programs.
Consistency – Using an estimating system allows the estimator to prepare estimates that use the exact same procedures and values, time after time. In addition, it provides a basis for comparison of the estimate to the actual job cost.
Commercial and Residential – If you focus exclusively on either residential or commercial contracting, you will probably be able to find a program that caters to exactly the same market you do. If you take both commercial and residential projects, it may make sense to pay the extra money for a program that can specifically handle both.
Project Management – The foreman will use the estimate to help oversee installations, and to requisition stock. The electrician and apprentice will review the estimate to gain an understanding of how the estimator took off specific installations, while the accounting department will use the estimate to prepare the schedule of values and track job costs.
Customization – If you don’t find something that has customization options that will work for you, you may be able to find a company willing to add a specific feature for you if you ask.
Procurement – The project manager will use the estimate to determine labor resources, equipment and subcontractor requirements to properly schedule and track job progress.
Last word, you need to try before you buy and estimate software, consider checking to see if the company is willing to offer a free demo of their product either online or offline. If not, find out if there is a period where you will be allowed to seek a refund if the software does not meet your needs.

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