Hello everyone. Someone was telling me about an estimating program called I Square (or something like that) has anyone heard of it? From what I understand it is a bidding/estimating program and has jobs coming up for bid. I have searched the net but can't seem to find it. any help would be appreciated.
estimating program
- Thread starter 4x4
- Start date
- Status
jim sutton
Senior Member
bdarnell
Senior Member
- Location
- Indianapolis, IN
- Occupation
- Retired Engineer
Re: estimating program
Doesn't look like estimating services at all. It's preconstruction management. We used a similar service some time ago and didn't really see the value.
Can't speak to this particular company, though. Your mileage may vary.
Good luck
Doesn't look like estimating services at all. It's preconstruction management. We used a similar service some time ago and didn't really see the value.
Can't speak to this particular company, though. Your mileage may vary.
Good luck
Re: estimating program
Just wondering what everyone on here likes to use. I am new at this comp estimating stuff and would like to get a good program we could use & understand. I know there are lots of them out there but I like to hear from people who have used them. Thanks for any help or suggestions.
Just wondering what everyone on here likes to use. I am new at this comp estimating stuff and would like to get a good program we could use & understand. I know there are lots of them out there but I like to hear from people who have used them. Thanks for any help or suggestions.
jim sutton
Senior Member
Re: estimating program
I use Accubid, its a good program. I got a demo of vision's bid manager and liked it too. I like the reports in vision and the fact that it uses "modules" instead of basic assemblies like accubid. The modules ask for the correct components that you are likely to use while doing a takeoff in that particular module. In accubid you have to pick all over the data base to find the components if you want to modify an assembly. Accubids tech support is great. Whatever program you get, I would make sure that you can sort the extension by more than one level such as system, area,phase, etc. You can do this on these. From what I have seen of Jaffe, it only has one level of sorting.
I use Accubid, its a good program. I got a demo of vision's bid manager and liked it too. I like the reports in vision and the fact that it uses "modules" instead of basic assemblies like accubid. The modules ask for the correct components that you are likely to use while doing a takeoff in that particular module. In accubid you have to pick all over the data base to find the components if you want to modify an assembly. Accubids tech support is great. Whatever program you get, I would make sure that you can sort the extension by more than one level such as system, area,phase, etc. You can do this on these. From what I have seen of Jaffe, it only has one level of sorting.
jim sutton
Senior Member
Re: estimating program
In your original post you mentioned jobs coming up for bid. You can google "dodge reports" or "reed reports" and get the contacts in your area. A word of caution though: you may find yourself bidding on a lot of work that you will not get unless you are very cheap; ie. you made a mistake. I find it to be very frustrating to bid jobs to GC's out of these reports and then not even get there return phone call to let me know how I looked. I came to think that if I did have a good number, they would give it to someone they had worked with anyway.
In your original post you mentioned jobs coming up for bid. You can google "dodge reports" or "reed reports" and get the contacts in your area. A word of caution though: you may find yourself bidding on a lot of work that you will not get unless you are very cheap; ie. you made a mistake. I find it to be very frustrating to bid jobs to GC's out of these reports and then not even get there return phone call to let me know how I looked. I came to think that if I did have a good number, they would give it to someone they had worked with anyway.
Re: estimating program
Thanks very much. I will check into them both. I do not do the estimating but I am the one that gets to search out all this info for them. We/the ones doing the estimating still do it all by hand no computers.
I know what you mean about contractors giving the job to someone else. Or worse we will be low and the another sub knocks a little off of our price and gets the job.
Don't know about your area but around here we will bid jobs and the sub with the low bid will be anywhere from 20 to 30,000.00 less than us. We will have more in quoted materials than they have in the whole job.
Thanks very much. I will check into them both. I do not do the estimating but I am the one that gets to search out all this info for them. We/the ones doing the estimating still do it all by hand no computers.
I know what you mean about contractors giving the job to someone else. Or worse we will be low and the another sub knocks a little off of our price and gets the job.
Don't know about your area but around here we will bid jobs and the sub with the low bid will be anywhere from 20 to 30,000.00 less than us. We will have more in quoted materials than they have in the whole job.
macmikeman
Senior Member
- Location
- Planet macmikeman
Re: estimating program
You might want to look into joining the General Contractors Association for your area. They usually have a plans room where for members there is opportunity to review plans from many sources and there is a bid system in place that is fair and rewards the subcontracts to the lowest bidders regardless of any influence from 3rd parties.
You might want to look into joining the General Contractors Association for your area. They usually have a plans room where for members there is opportunity to review plans from many sources and there is a bid system in place that is fair and rewards the subcontracts to the lowest bidders regardless of any influence from 3rd parties.
- Status