Replies

1. 
   Piffin | Sep 11, 2005 10:18pm | #1

   While I agree that stick estimating is time consuming, I believe it is the most accurate way I can do it. if you are not accurate that way, it is because you are missing items in your mental rendition, not because the system is flawed.

   So, you might find that any computerized system is worse, because of the maxim, "Garbage in-= garbage out" you still have to be the brain to tell it what to do. The programs are going to be more of a calculator glorified.

   That said, you might want top look into the Hometech system program. They have an onluine version for so much per month. It works based on assemblies and room sizes. Each portion of the construction process is broken down into steps on an outline, so it is harder to forget something, lioke adding for extra to do siding on a second story, or the dump fees and cleanup.
   or the permits
   or the nails....

   It is developed by Walt Steppleworth, one of the gurus who can help us all make money instead of working down to the bone.

    

    

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   Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime.
    where ...
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2. 
   CTDurham | Sep 12, 2005 03:43am | #2

   Stevie,

   I have not found anyway of getting around the old fashion hand take-off.  While it is time consuming it does spark your mind to consider all your materials and construction techniques.  I use UDA Office ($299) which is a glorified spreadsheet(runs in microsoft excel) but it is very inclusive of materials that you would need for any residential project.  For an extra $100 you can get a scheduling program that is directly linked to your estimate.  It is a pretty good program but the only shortfalls that I can think of are 1. You can not download a cost data base from home depot or Lowes and have it automatically populate the unit cost fields  and 2. You have to delete one row at a time (ie you need 1 window but the detailed estimate may show 35 rows of std windows that you have to delete 1 row at a time).

   Anyway they will let you download a free  copy for trial purposes, check it out

   http://www.udatechnologies.com/

   Clark

3. 
   DanH | Sep 12, 2005 04:00am | #3

   Estimating software? Yeah, I've done a lot of estimating for software. But whatever you estimate it always comes in behind schedule and over budget.

   (Hmmm... Maybe we should use a program to help us with the estimate.... Nah!!)

4. 
   FastEddie | Sep 12, 2005 07:02am | #4

   There are several canned programs on the market.  Craftsman Books sells one, and I think many large bookstores carry it.  It comes as a paperback estimating book with a cd inside.  It's a good start but it needs a lot of tweaking and customizing to suit your specific needs. 

   It lists many, many different itmes for construction, and you select what you want (4" concrete slab for example) and the quantity (maybe 400 sf) and copy that from the master book to your current estimate.  You actualy work in an Excel type environment, with two windows open, so it's easy to copy across.  Then the program applies an hourly rate and a material cost, and at the bottom applies OH&P and shows a total project cost. 

   Now, if the labor rate matches what you are paying, and the material cost matches your part of tha country, and the oh&p matches your company, then the resulting bottom line is correct.  That's a lot of "if's".  But usually the program allows you to set default values for your costs.

    

    

   "When asked if you can do something, tell'em "Why certainly I can", then get busy and find a way to do it."  T. Roosevelt

5. 
   BobKovacs | Sep 12, 2005 01:36pm | #5

   I've got to agree with Piffin on this one (again)- if you can't get it right using the stick method by hand, no software will make it any better.   Reason being, the software works one of two ways:

   1. You blindly accept whatever numbers the system spits out for labor and materials and run with that.  Usually it's too late before you realize the program was wrong and you've lost your shirt, and you're soon wearing an orange apron and find yourself saying "Liquid Nails should work fine for that" at least 50 times a day.

   or

   2.  You load your own data into the system, and set up the formulas to work the way you do (a time-consuming process).  If you can't calculate labor and materials accurately by hand, what makes you think that inputting the same errant info into a software program will make it any better?

   Bob

1. 
   FastEddie | Sep 12, 2005 04:37pm | #6

   Bob and Piff are exactly right ... there's no substitute for doing it the old fashioned way.  And I'm not trying to undermine their answers.  But to answer your question directly, yes there are programs, some inexpensive and some expensive.  They all have potentially serious shortcomings that will turn around and bite you if you use them blindly out of the box.  But they are a starting point you can build on.

     

   "When asked if you can do something, tell'em "Why certainly I can", then get busy and find a way to do it."  T. Roosevelt