Construction Biz Wiz

A recent article published by Grading & Excavation Contractor points out that there is little room for errors in bidding and managing opportunities in the competitive marketplace. Construction estimating software proves to be an ideal method for maximizing those efforts.

As the article explains:

Connecting the office and field through collaboration with construction software and mobility is an important theme among contractors lately, says Mike Gillum, director of Product Development and Estimating at Maxwell Systems.

“Contractors need to collaborate with all the different members that may be involved in a particular project. You have the owner of the project and the general contractor, and then there could be dozens of subcontractors that are working on a particular project, and when that happens there are bits and pieces that are flying back and forth between all those different partners and you need tools for collaboration. Our ProContractorMX web-based construction project management software solution helps contractors effectively manage their projects.”

Construction estimating software should help you with anytime-anywhere access to online scheduling, reporting, alerts, and collaboration, as well as document control to complete projects efficiently and effectively.

“As an owner you can use [construction estimating software] to give everybody on the team access to the data they need,” explains Gillum. “But it’s really about collaborating with all the different partners in a construction project.”

Download the full article to read more about software for construction estimating.

If you’re in a construction business that knows the value of submitting a precise and profitable bid, then you can appreciate the investment in contractor estimating software.

Take a look at the alternative … Estimating methods that rely on piles of paperwork and complex spreadsheets that demand manual updating are being retired due to the time and money that can be wasted in the process.

Such methods create a slow process and obstacles for accuracy and efficiency. Plus they require estimators to spend most of their time doing basic math and not allow enough time to analyze estimates to uncover more opportunities for profit in jobs.

Of course best possible profit is always great – but the other end of the spectrum is missing something in the takeoff – which might lead to you winning the work as the lowest bidder, but will cost you money the moment work begins.

So that touches on the one of the most critical words in estimating: Details. Another one? Documentation! If there is ever a disagreement, the one with documentation wins. Having that detailed backup or record of accountability – who said what, did what, when, and why – will prove invaluable if there is a dispute. A reliable audit trail of activity is critical in today’s competitive marketplace.

And that brings us to job tracking tools…

• Do you know if you’re making or losing money on a job in real-time?
• Do you know if you’re winning the right bids that your business can perform for best profit?

A contractor estimating software solution can help you with the right tools to make timely decisions.

Construction businesses are winning more work by implementing contractor software for estimating and takeoff. Such a solution helps contractors save time, win more work, bid with better profit margins, and control the process for important business insight.

Download this free worksheet, “Win More Work,” to help diagnose where you could be losing time and wasting money to uncover ways to bid at your very best.

When contractors need to streamline operations in the office and in the field, investing in construction software that allows end-to-end control proves most valuable.

An all-in-one construction software solution can provide contractors with seamless workflow and end-to-end control across all areas of estimating, project management, and accounting, as well as the ever-important mobile capabilities.

Construction business owner Michael Zeman explains:

“The flow of data is not just from the field to the office. It’s important that our construction software is adept at allowing project managers to place items into a virtual binder that flows to users in the field. This can include project safety documents, plans and specifications, and any critical document for the project. It is also very useful for managers who can easily access project billings, account payable, and other critical cost controls for projects, in real time, regardless of whether or not they are in the office.”

Supervisors at his company can use their construction software solution to easily access timely project information, track progress of projects, and directly input employee timecards and daily reports while at the jobsite.

These abilities has helped Zeman and his team to improve flow of data, increase speed and accuracy of accounting processes, and enhance project managers’ capacity to stay on top of tasks, costs, schedules, and more. He credits having an all-in-one solution for accounting, estimating, and project management with mobile device integration.

Download this free article published in a popular trade magazine recently. You’ll read about this company’s full experience with construction software for optimal control of operations for best workflow.

Do you have control at your fingertips?

Construction company executives are now improving communication among team members, whether within the business or with external constituents, such as designers, engineers, subcontractors, vendors, etc. How? With web-based construction project management software.

If you want to securely view schedules and documents wherever you go, whenever you need them, and have real-time data for decision-making, then a web-based project management solution may be an ideal fit for your business.

You can increase speed, control, and collaboration throughout processes. That allows you and the team to more easily stay organized and efficient.

Monitoring every detail of your projects is critical to best profit; a web-based solution makes it easier to do:

• Have real-time access to valuable data, receive status reports showing allocation of resources, and see where you can make key adjustments to stay on track.
• By having capabilities work together seamlessly – bidding, online scheduling, field reporting, alerts, collaboration, document and cost control, and more – project managers are informed, efficient, and in command.

Juggling several projects at once? Use web-based construction project management to have a virtual command center, whether you’re working in the office, on the road, or in a job site trailer.

Download this free article published by Construction Executive magazine about construction software for boosting collaboration and profitability.