Remember that batch of muffins or sheet cake that you didn’t leave in the oven long enough? It looked good on the outside, but when you sliced it open, it wasn’t actually baked all the way through? “Half-baked” you might call it. Quite literally. And as that expression has come to be used in other environments outside…
Remember the old adage? Junk in, Junk out. As true as it was decades ago, its still true today, even in the modern age of digital advancements and AI. And perhaps even more so. Nobody wants junk. And certainly nobody in your industry wants a junk estimate. If you want to avoid the takeoff junk…
In the world of construction, precision is key. Whether you’re just starting out or an experienced professional, the importance of accurate estimating cannot be overstated. Construction projects are intricate puzzles. Every piece must fit seamlessly to achieve success. Yet, even the most experienced estimators can run into challenges that lead to oversights, which is why…
What is a takeoff, what is takeoff software, and why are takeoffs important? The term takeoff (also written take-off or take off) is commonly associated with the construction industry and is usually a part of the pre-construction phase of a development. It refers both to the process of estimating the building materials required to complete…
Kits and Presets are two powerful tools to help aid you in your takeoffs. Once properly set up, they’ll save you a ton of time by preselecting material assignments and ensuring that related materials are included. Combining these tools takes your skill set to the next level. If you’re not familiar with these features, or…
A picture is worth a thousand words…so use them! If you work on material takeoffs and estimating or do any other work with the construction industry, you’ve likely been more than one situation where there was confusion or uncertainty about the plans, materials, or terminology for a project. Maybe it’s an atypical condition in the…
You’ve probably come across phrases like “cloud-based” or “web-based” while looking at software or services to help your business. The cloud simply refers to a network of computers and servers connected to the internet. Cloud-based and web-based can be a bit confusing, but usually they just mean that the software or service you’re looking at…
So that big takeoff is done and we feel good. We have plenty of time for pricing, changes and RFI’s before the bid or material order has to be submitted. But in the end, all this work can dull in meaning not because of all the items and materials we found but because of what…
Construction and trade professionals walk a fine line between economy and quality. Yet when it comes to estimating a job, many are still stuck using paper plans and manual takeoffs. Or, they’re switching between multiple windows and programs to work with a PDF viewer and spreadsheet program to create their takeoff. What if there was…