Product category:
Estimating and Finance
News Release from: HBXL | Subject: EstimatorXpress
Edited by the Buildingtalk Editorial
Team on 04 November 2005
Builders burn the midnight oil
estimating
EstimatorXpress carried out the research that identified what methods builders use to estimate projects and what time of the day they carry out their estimating.
A survey of builders has revealed that nearly two-thirds spend their evenings estimating jobs as opposed to relaxing and doing other things away from work The shock results have been released by software specialists EstimatorXpress, who carried out the research to identify what methods builders use to estimate projects and what time of the day they carry out their estimating
This article was originally published on Buildingtalk on 22 Sep 2004 at 8.00am (UK)
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One of the questions asked builders to specify when they normally carried out their estimating with 48% saying between 6pm to 9pm and 16% after 9pm.
In addition to working well into the night, 44% said they did their estimating on the weekends.
Commenting on the survey Joanna Mulgrew, marketing director for EstimatorXpress said: "Estimating for builders is one of the most important aspects of the job".
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"It can also turn out to be one of the most time consuming as well".
"Even once a quote has been submitted there's no guarantee that the builder who put the quote together would win the work, meaning all that time is wasted." In addition the survey asked how builders put together their quotes.
Over 50% said they just use the pen and paper method with 15% saying they still used square footage/meter ratios.
None said they used any form of estimating software.
Jo added: "It's not surprising so many builders are having to work long into the night when you consider the majority are using pen and paper to cost up a job".
"There seems to be a direct correlation between builders estimating during the evening and on weekends and the fact that none surveyed used any form of estimating software".
""At EstimatorXpress once someone has started using the software we give them a call to see how they are getting on.
We've found that before using EstimatorXpress, builders on average would spend 15.6 hours a week estimating jobs, whereas after using the software they now spend on average 6.6 hours a week.
That works out as 67 days a year! "We also found out that builders on average would have to provide up to seven quotes in order to win one new contract but after using the software this number came down to an average of three, which the respondents put down to the professional nature of the quotes, reports and schedules they can produce." The main advantage of the software is that it reduces the time spent estimating, allowing for more time on site.
The figures show that before using EstimatorXpress builders would on average spend 4.5 hours estimating a job.
After using EstimatorXpress this reduced to an average of 1.6 hours with 80% of the respondents taking less than an hour! Jo continued: "The overall effect of this means that builders are able to quote for more jobs and win more work". Request a free brochure from HBXL ...
"Some building firms are already looking to expand as they find they can tender for jobs a lot faster, easier and more accurately with the software.".
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