NOW YOU CAN ESTIMATE YOUR BUILDING PROJECTS FOUR WAYS

Do you estimate building projects? Well here’s a quick run down of an amazing FOUR options you have for speeding up your estimating process whilst ensuring accuracy and professional-looking outputs:

• Estimating with pre-loaded Templates
• Estimating without pre-loaded Templates for custom jobs
• Taking-off for an automatic estimate
• Us producing the estimate for you

WITH PRE-LOADED TEMPLATES

EstimatorXpress gives you hundreds of quote templates for a huge range of typical projects from extensions and new builds to garages and renovations. These pre-loaded quote templates enable you to cost a project from start to finish – extension estimates in under an hour and renovation work in thirty minutes.

The software comes ready to go. It has already identified the details of all the typical jobs – the length of time to undertake each phase, what trades you’ll likely be using, the materials and plant required. EstimatorXpress is a huge time saver – and massive problem solver.

1. You select a quote template that most closely matches your project, say, an ‘Apex Valley Roof Double Storey Extension’.
2. Key in the length and width of the extension, ceiling heights and roof pitch, and do a quick check of the default specification.
3. The estimate then builds as EstimatorXpress prices up each phase of the job, from foundations and footings through to final decoration.
4. It automatically estimates things like the area of brickwork, blockwork, cavity insulation, plastering and paint, plus the length of skirting board and so on, based on the length and height of the external wall, with any window and door areas netted off. It will of course estimate your slab or suspended floor, the doors and windows themselves…the roof structure and covering…and so much more
5. Make any tweaks to the specification – for example swapping the type of insulation or the brick price.
6. The estimate updates in real time.
7. And it’s done. An estimate and supporting documents are yours in pdf, word doc and excel form.

The process is highly automated whilst remaining incredibly flexible. What’s not to like?

WITHOUT PRE-LOADED TEMPLATES

As we say, EstimatorXpress is all about flexibility. There may be the odd occasion when you have a job that isn’t included in our residential templates, or a job that is less than typical and requires serious customisation. So you have the option to build your estimate, element by element.

1. EstimatorXpress comes with what we call estimating calculators for estimating all manner of residential projects. You can choose calculator by calculator what you want to include in the job to create a ‘bespoke’ estimate.
2. Choose your general specification, such as ‘extension’ or ‘renovation’ or ‘new build’, knowing that the software has already earmarked the kind of materials and plant you need. So for instance, the ‘extension’ specification is all set with mini diggers for small spaces rather than a large JCB for a new build.
3. Then you can tweak your spec choices for each phase of the project to get it spot on and enter your dims.
4. EstimatorXpress will then calculate the estimate, produce a customer quotation, and all your valuable project reports.

Now that’s bespoke software! And of course, you still have the option to use the Templates the rest of the time.

TAKE-OFF FOR AN AUTOMATIC ESTIMATE

Could this be even easier than selecting a template? Tracing over an existing drawing on screen, answering some questions, requesting an estimate, and done. You decide!

The take-off tool syncs with EstimatorXpress to give you the Take-off & Estimate Kit. And in brief, this is how it works.

1. Simply scan or import files (PDF, JPEG, DXF or DWG files) to trace over.
2. Using the tracing tool draw lines over the walls, doors, windows, roofs and the rest of the building to generate your dimensions of the footprint as well as key in any other dimensions for footings e.g. depth, walls e.g. height, roofs e.g. pitch and anything else required alongside in the spec notes.
3. Once you have your tracing, with all details of the project provided, import into EstimatorXpress, a process that takes less than two minutes
4. Using the dimensions from your drawings, EstimatorXpress will then AUTOMATICALLY calculate a 100% accurate estimate.
5. Again you’ll have your documents and reports at your fingertips.

How easy is that? And I should add, that if you opt for the Take-off & Estimate Kit – you automatically get the templates/without templates methods as well. A win-win!

WE’LL PRODUCE THE ESTIMATE FOR YOU

OK let’s face it there’s nothing easier than handing over your plans and getting a professional estimator from HBXL to do the estimating for you, courtesy of the HBXL Estimating Service!

Some building firms use our service for all their estimating; others use it on more complex or larger projects, or when they’re maxed out with work. EstimatorXpress users commission us usually when they’re particularly busy, knowing that they’ll receive all the EstimatorXpress files to keep. They can then drop them into their own software, for updating as necessary, or just for their records.

1. Send us your full plans via email or using the uploader on the HBXL Estimating Service website.
2. We’ll give you a price for undertaking the estimate and when you will receive it.
3. On the go ahead a dedicated estimator will get to work and they’ll discuss any queries with you directly.
4. On completion you’ll receive an estimate, customer quotation and valuable reports.

YOU ESTIMATE BUILDING PROJECTS – YOU’RE BUSY – SO WHAT NEXT?

Four different ways of arriving at the same accurate, professional-looking estimate and quotation – what would suit your way of working? Why not have them all? With the Take-off & Estimate Kit you have:

• Automatic estimates from a take-off
• Estimates using pre-loaded templates
• Estimates you build yourself

Give us a call on 0117 916 7898 and we can have a quick chat and set up a short 1-2-1 online demonstration. Or go straight to the booking page on the website.

And then there’s our HBXL Estimating Service for when you’re too busy to estimate building projects yourself and when you want the support of experienced professionals on an important project. Find out more here.