Beck Technology believes that many of construction’s serious problems can be solved in the preconstruction phase of a project. As a technology company founded to help fix one of the biggest problems in construction—preventing risk—we have an ongoing commitment to developing solutions that not only help mitigate traditional problems but current and future problems, as well.
It is our mission to revolutionize the industry and create the future. However, we know we can’t do that with our software alone. Though technology is a big piece of the pie, there are many problems preconstruction faces that can’t be solved with just technology. Labor shortages, material availability and cost, job burnout, increasing owner demands and expectations, communication and collaboration with the field, architects, and other offices, workflow inefficiencies…these are all problems that even a single source estimating software can’t solve by itself.
So, we aren’t out to just sell our products. Our hearts are truly in this, we really do want to make a difference in estimators’ lives. That’s why we have so many conversations with current and potential customers about what their biggest problems are—because we want to help make your life easier across the board, not just by fixing your estimating process, but also by offering solutions to other problems our software alone can't solve.
We were born from industry and employee industry folks. Through external and internal communication, we collectively curate the best advice from across the country from senior estimators, directors of preconstruction, preconstruction managers, technology directors, and other construction experts and present it in our blog and YouTube channel on a weekly basis.
Recent studies have shown that our problems in precon haven’t gone away and are anticipated to continue being an issue in the year to come. The following 15 blog posts have been the most sought-out recently for the answers to precon’s most burning questions.
Using Excel for Estimating
30% of preconstruction teams rely solely on Excel for estimating. Excel is great for certain things, but it isn’t designed to support the complexities precon teams deal with. When your job is to mitigate risk, why are you using software prone to errors? Estimators search for free Excel estimating templates and there are multiple subreddits where estimators ask what tools and programs they should be using for estimating. We’ve been in the industry for over 25 years, and what we know for sure is that Excel isn’t made for estimating. So, what should you be using? Here are three answers:
- Why You Need to Stop Using Excel For Construction Estimating
- Growing Your Business with DESTINI Estimator-Saunders Case Study
- When to Use Excel
Creating an Accurate Conceptual Estimate
How do new and junior estimators quickly crank out a conceptual estimate? Well, they probably don’t. For the best outcome, you most likely rely on your most experienced estimators. But wouldn’t it be nice for your entire team to confidently build an accurate conceptual estimate? DESTINI Estimator estimating software is built for you to build a defendable conceptual estimate easily and quickly. Read the following two blog posts to learn how.
- Conceptual Estimating in DESTINI Estimator
- Using Templates in DESTINI Estimator for Conceptual Estimating
Outdated Processes Are Leaving Us in the Dust 
90% of general contractors are using outdated methods for most of their processes. However, 87% of them believe that digitizing those processes will help them get ahead. This lack of efficiency is also turning people away from preconstruction. It’s not because the resources aren’t out there. There is plenty of technology preconstruction teams can adopt to help them improve their workflows, save time, and create better project outcomes. How are automation and data helping general contractors win more work? The following three articles give you the answers:
- 4 Advantages of Automation in Construction
- The Future of Model-Based Estimating
- 4 Reasons Why Bad Data is Bad for Business
Increasing Efficiency Doing Takeoffs
Imagine what it would be like for takeoff to take you minutes, not hours. What would you do with that saved time? Instead of clicking and dragging for half a day, you could be spending that time on higher-value tasks like value engineering and target value design and making the very best project decisions for owners. How do you increase your efficiency during takeoff? The three following articles show you how:
- How Takeoff and Conceptual Estimating Work in DESTINI Estimator
- Transforming the Construction Industry Through Augmentation
- The Power of Estimating Software Integrations
Job Burnout and Stress
When you read about the construction labor shortage in the news, it’s generally referring to the lack of skilled and filed laborers, not preconstruction. But preconstruction is not immune to the problem. Besides a generation aging out of the workforce altogether, younger estimators are demanding a better work/life balance, more flexibility, and the tools that enable them to use their true skills. With owner demands and expectations getting increasingly higher, estimators are burning out and wondering if a career in precon is even worth it anymore. As the foundation of the built environment, preconstruction professionals are essential in the construction process. If you’re thinking about leaving estimating, we encourage you to read the following four blog posts to help you make the best decision:
- Understanding Your Worth As An Estimator
- How to Make Preconstruction Profitable
- Reigniting Your Passion for Work
- 4 Reasons Why Estimators Love Their Jobs
What problems are you experiencing? We would love to hear from you. Email us at info@beck-technology.com and tell us all about it.
If you want to read more about solutions to common preconstruction problems, click here: Pitfalls in Preconstruction.
