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How to Choose the Best Building Estimating Software in the UK

best building estimating software uk

Construction estimating software is one of the most effective tools for building and construction management. It helps builders calculate project costs and generate professional proposals that help them win more work.

It allows contractors to estimate projects more accurately, and in a shorter amount of time than manual methods. This results in faster bids and better chances of winning more jobs.

Easy-Pro Builders Estimator

Building estimating software can help construction professionals streamline their processes and increase project profitability. In addition, it can improve communication with clients and reduce the amount of time spent on repetitive tasks. However, choosing the best tool for your needs can be difficult.

One of the best options is Easy-Pro Builders Estimator, an open source estimating software that’s based on Apache OpenOffice Calc. This program is ideal for construction companies with in-house development teams that can amend it to suit their specific needs.

It’s also available for free, making it a good option for small builders or contractors with a limited budget. In terms of features, Easy-Pro offers a comprehensive estimating tool with multiple tools for planning, tracking, and analyzing projects.

With its cloud-based technology, it’s easy to access and manage all of your estimates from anywhere with an internet connection. It’s ideal for busy builders who need a fast and reliable estimating solution.

The software is suitable for both new and existing construction businesses, including commercial, residential, and industrial firms. It’s free to download and use, and its user interface is clean and simple.

This estimating software allows users to create customized estimates that reflect project costs and timelines, and it’s compatible with various construction platforms and applications. It also includes a bid comparison feature and an integrated project scheduling calendar.

Another feature that makes this estimating software stand out is its ability to save common assemblies, which helps contractors produce accurate cost estimates without having to manually add the same information every time. This saves time and eliminates errors that could occur if contractors rely on a spreadsheet for calculating labor costs.

It also enables users to save project and material prices, which can be easily updated across all estimate documents. This is important for construction firms that need to make changes to materials and suppliers, as it ensures that all of their estimates are consistent and accurate.

HBXL’s EstimatorXpress is a powerful tool that can save construction firms over 468 hours of estimating time per year. Its super-fast engine and hundreds of renovation, extension and new build quote templates are pre-loaded with all of the necessary data for a given job, such as materials (and prices), labour, plant and wastage.

Procore

Procore is one of the most widely used construction management software systems in the world. It caters to a variety of industries and is available for companies of all sizes. Its extensive features include project planning, scheduling, estimating, document management, communication and a host of other tools for construction businesses.

The software is a centralized, cloud-based system that allows users to track projects from start to finish. It is designed to help general contractors, specialist contractors, architects, and engineers keep track of all aspects of a construction job.

It also offers best-in-class photo archiving and drawing management capabilities to ensure all project data is organized and easily accessible. The drop-down menu allows you to access multiple projects on the same dashboard, and new data entered by team members is displayed in real time for review.

This construction management software also lets you manage site diaries, inspections and incidents using a mobile device. Its Quality and Safety feature helps you improve the quality of your work while mitigating risks. This platform also presents verification methods that create accountability throughout the process.

Another great aspect of this construction management software is that it has an easy-to-use interface and a library of tutorials and videos. You can even contact customer support for assistance if you run into any issues while using the software.

Regardless of whether you use Procore or a different system for your construction business, it is crucial to take the time to get the product set up properly. This means selecting Company Administrators who are knowledgeable and dedicated to ensuring everyone is using the software in line with your company’s requirements.

You can also set up standard operating procedures for each department to ensure consistency and compliance with regulations. This can help reduce costs and make the system more user-friendly.

Overall, this construction management software is a good choice for any business looking to streamline operations and save money. Its pricing is based on annual turnover and includes unlimited users, data and support.

Procore also offers a wide range of integrations with various construction management apps, which means you can choose the software that is right for your needs. Its app marketplace also offers a plethora of programs to extend the functionality of its core products, including estimating, accounting and resource management applications.

STACK

STACK is a popular building estimating software that is used by many companies around the world. It is a powerful tool that allows users to create projects, save them, and edit them easily. It also offers on-demand training, automatic updates, and comprehensive project organization.

Stacks are linear data structures that follow the LIFO (Last-In-First-Out) principle. The last element added or removed from the stack is accessed first.

When a new element is added to the stack, it is pushed onto it and the top pointer is set to keep track of its position in the stack. Then, when an element is popped from the stack, it is removed from it and the top pointer is reset to its position in the stack.

The implementation of a stack can be done using arrays, structures, pointers, or linked lists. Stacks can be implemented with either fixed size or dynamic resizing, depending on the needs of the application.

Stacks can be implemented with the help of different operations such as push, pop, peek, duplicate, and swap. The insertion operation is called PUSH and the removal operation is POP.

In the case of an array stack, every element is inserted as a top element and is pointed to its previous node in the list. Similarly, in the case of the linked list stack, every element is inserted as if it was a top element and the node is retrieved when an element is popped from the stack.

There are some common functions in stacks such as isEmpty, top, and size. The isEmpty function returns true if the stack is empty, while top and size return the number of elements in the stack.

Moreover, the Peek operation is used to view the top data element in the stack. The Peek function also lets you know whether the top element is occupied or not.

Stack plans offer a macro view of the workspace and provide department-level statistics that put a department’s space utilization into perspective. They are especially useful for forecasting opportunities and evaluating the impact of departmental changes over time.

Candy

Candy is one of the most popular construction estimating software packages in the UK. It features a number of features that can help businesses save time and money, including an integrated project planning tool.

It has an easy-to-use interface that lets users generate estimates and take-offs from drawings. It also allows users to create estimates based on information from previous projects, saving them time and eliminating repetitive work.

The software is able to easily integrate with BIM and BuildSmart software solutions, which can provide additional information about the project. This can make it easier for contractors to track costs and budgets across their projects.

Another key feature of the software is its ability to handle payrolls. It can also process creditor payments and compensation, allowing users to focus on more important matters.

Candy can also be used to manage subcontracts, allowing businesses to allocate different contractors to specific bill items and make payments. This can reduce the amount of paperwork required and eliminate confusion about the billing process.

Other important features include a cash flow module, a project planning tool, and a cost control feature that promotes Earned Value Management (EVM). It can also be used to integrate with other financial software systems.

Finally, the software can be deployed as a cloud-based solution that can be accessed from any location in the world. This makes it easy to share data and work with colleagues no matter where they are located.

It also includes a number of master libraries with templates for previous work, allowing users to head start on similar projects and eliminate repetition. This can help businesses save time and improve efficiency.

This construction estimating software is also easy to use, so it’s ideal for contractors and estimators who have a variety of tech savvy skills. It can be accessed on a range of platforms and requires minimal hardware specifications, so workers can spend less time learning how to use the program and more time focusing on their projects.

Candy is an excellent construction estimating software, and it is a great option for any business looking to improve its estimating and project controls. It has a number of powerful features, including an inbuilt cash flow system that draws information from the estimate and the project program. It can also integrate with other construction computer software solutions to ensure that all of the company’s costs and budgets are tracked.