Construction managers must pinpoint accuracies among costs, equipment, rentals, and salaries during estimation. That's why they must understand the business value of estimation takeoff technologies. In this guide, we discuss why accuracy is critical from a business standpoint, as well as technologies that can help streamline construction processes.
Table of Contents
The estimation process depends on takeoffs. When construction managers are working on large-scale projects, estimation helps them understand what they need. For example, they count the project's quantity and materials it needs, as well as areas and linear distances.
Digital takeoffs allow estimators to work directly from blueprints, which reduces how long it takes to complete the takeoff. The process also helps the jobs run more smoothly when managers, as well as their clients, know that the information is accurate.
Once the takeoff is complete, the manager can move on to cost estimating and creating a proposal. Cost estimating is a digital method for reducing errors while increasing accuracy.
Seek out takeoff technologies for streamlined communications, integration, and reporting. Examples include the following.
CRM
Customer Relation Management (CRM) tools allow for straightforward interactions between current and potential clients. When construction managers are dealing with multiple datasets, this technology helps keep their takeoff organized, and information is available in a cloud-based tool.
When team members can work on the same project at the same time, it helps reduce errors and produce better outcomes. Through the use of the digital takeoff software, team members can also access collaborative tools and integrate takeoffs within other solutions, including project management, cost estimating, and tracking software.
Data integration
You can save time and reduce estimation errors with takeoff technology because there's no need for re-keying valuable information. There's less time between when data is keyed in and when it's available to project managers and stakeholders. It makes for a more streamlined communication process with construction supply chain partners.
Reporting
Throughout the estimation process, reporting technologies allow construction managers and their teams to use that information to drive better decisions. Then, they can access critical findings that aren't available through standard reports.
Reporting tools allow construction managers, estimators, and team members to manage and organize addenda and plan sheets. This ensures that nothing is left out of the takeoff. Using digital takeoff technologies allows for more accurate measurements for height, perimeters, surface area, volume, and more.
Takeoff technologies are necessary during the estimation process because construction managers need to know the quantities and costs of materials for a project. It's time consuming to complete this task manually. Other benefits of construction takeoff technologies include the following.
Automation
As estimators begin the takeoff process, they'll read the design documents or blueprints to determine the project's required quantities. If estimators still did this manually, they would need to be highly skilled in reading, interpreting, and understanding the design documents or blueprints.
When teams implement takeoff software, these documents are directly uploaded for review. Estimators can then generate a list of materials. Using this software helps save time while reducing errors and improving accuracy.
Simplification
Because everyone doesn’t have extraordinary math skills, manual takeoffs can contain many errors. Creating a manual takeoff also takes a long time. Construction estimators must ensure that they're checking and rechecking material quantities.
Using takeoff software simplifies this process through the integration of calculation features. For example, when team members pick materials from the document, the software automatically creates a calculation for the material's required quantity.
Quick Changes
No matter what changes need to occur, be it to costs, materials, or quantities, construction takeoff technologies allow for this to happen seamlessly. These adjustments are vital when materials, pricing, and quantities change. The main reason this is such an essential feature is that material takeoffs typically undergo several alterations before the bid is accepted.
Through the use of takeoff technologies, estimators can update prices or quantities with a single click. This capability streamlines the entire estimating process because the estimator can create these updates without any trouble and provide it to construction managers and other stakeholders.
The best takeoff technologies for improving estimation accuracy involve CRM, data integration, and reporting tools. These are beneficial for their automation, simplification, and quick-change features. ProEst is a proactive approach to helping commercial construction companies understand the best takeoff technologies to improve estimation accuracy and maximize scalability to help your business flourish with a profit increase.
If you would like to learn more about how your commercial construction company can implement the best technologies to improve estimation accuracy, contact us today to schedule a 1-on-1 consultation with one of our specialists!
