Everything an estimator does has value. But not everything you do is adding value. Sure, you’ve got skills but are you using them? If you work in Excel, you know your skillset as an estimator is so much stronger than just manually moving spreadsheets around.
Outdated processes and inefficient workflows prevent good estimators from becoming great estimators.
To become a great estimator, you can't just stagnate. You need to keep growing, excelling, and adding value to project owners. You won't be able to do that through mundane and repetitive tasks that don't bring added value to you or the owner.
What do we mean by "low-value" tasks? These are the tasks you must perform when you use multiple estimating tools, things like searching for missing data, copying and pasting, figuring out formulas, and fixing errors. These are all what we consider "low-value," and when you spend most of your time on these types of tasks, you aren't utilizing your most valuable skillsets.
Low-value tasks become unnecessary with software designed for construction estimating like DESTINI Estimator.
DESTINI Estimator is an integrated estimating software with built-in takeoff that cuts your estimating time in half, so you have time to perform those “high-value” tasks for which you are better qualified. Our users testify that DESTINI Estimator has played a pivotal part in repeat work, faster turnaround times in deliverables, accurate conceptual estimates, and making useful sense of data.
DESTINI Estimator lets estimators spend time utilizing their experience and knowledge, like analyzing data and problem solving, assessing risk, and value engineering to make the best project decisions rather than fighting Excel headaches and scrambling to meet owner deadlines.
Data Analysis and Problem Solving
With historical cost right at your fingertips, using your analytical skills to interpret that data leads to decisions that reduce risks in the construction process and will help you deliver a better, safer product. Justin Wetherby, a Senior Estimator at Gilbane Building Company, says that DESTINI Estimator’s historical cost “is the cream of the crop.” Being able to leverage their data in real-time helps Gilbane tell a visual story to owners to help define where the estimate numbers come from. He says, “When you produce an estimate, you’re going to need to defend your estimate.”
Robbie Gronbach, Director of Preconstruction at Willis A. Smith says that being able to analyze their data allows them to ask the right questions and solve problems.
Assessing Risk
Our industry is inherently risky, and preconstruction is the best way to mitigate that risk. With data collected from the beginning to all the way through the construction process, something we call the Preconstruction Data Lifecycle, estimators can benchmark at any phase during the project. Stewart Carroll, Beck Technology president says because of this data capture, you can reduce the risks of cost, time, and quality, and deliver a safer product. In turn, you make your company and the industry more profitable.
Melissa Love, Project Controls Manager at Sundt Construction says DESTINI Estimator has given them the ability to lock down information which provides them a high level of accuracy in their estimates. This accuracy helps prevent problems and changes later in the construction process.
Value Engineering
Value engineering is critical to winning repeat work. With owner demands and expectations requiring you to do more in less time, if you can’t keep up, your business is going to fall behind. The only way you can do this is by modernizing your processes, so you have more time to spend on providing a higher value to owners than your competitors do.
DESTINI Estimator’s automatic pricing feature cuts the time in half it takes to build an estimate. One of an estimator’s strongest skill sets is providing ideas on how to build a better project while staying on budget. You can’t do that without the right resources and enough time.
Utilizing Your Estimating Skills and Winning More Work
Chris Torbert, Head of Sales at Beck Technology says you need to find the ways in which your current process is slowing you down. Once you get those low-value tasks out of the way, you will be able to focus on value engineering.
Ask yourself how much more value can you add to the owner and how much more likely are you able to not only win that job, but the next one and the next one if you could spend a week on value engineering.
We’d love to show you how we’re elevating the precon teams at some of the country’s ENR Top GCs with our DESTINI suite of preconstruction and estimating software. To schedule a free demo, click the button below.
