How to Find the Best Construction Estimating Software

Trying to find the best construction estimating software isn’t an easy or quick task. With changing economic circumstances and the rapid pace of innovation in construction technology, to grow and improve your business, you need to consider if your current systems and processes are going to continue to keep up with construction demand.

Here are the three critical features you need to look for when evaluating new integrated preconstruction software.

Data Strategy

You create highly valuable data, but are you utilizing it? Your preconstruction software should be backed by a single powerful database easily accessible to those who need it.

Make sure the platform you’re evaluating can capture, unify, and recall your data.

The challenge goes back to establishing a good data strategy. How do you make sure the data you’re collecting and leveraging is good data? How do you ensure that the data is entered in a uniform manner?

In DESTINI Estimator construction estimating software, it all begins with estimate templates. You can create templates based on market sector combined with regional variations of different projects.

For example, hospitality, office, retail, higher-education, healthcare, and so on.

Templates automatically push data back into the cost history database in a unified manner so there is no manual moving of data.

Flexibility

Do you have the flexibility to tell the story you want to tell owners? Are you able to maintain the art of estimating that differentiates yourself from your competitors?

The Excel emulator inside DESTINI Estimator allows precon teams to standardize things you’ve done before implementing new software.

You can then push your data into dashboards and display project information to owners in a way they understand from high-level to as detailed as they require.

Integrated Workflows

Make sure you provide your team with one platform that performs all the necessary preconstruction tasks. The days of having multiple programs to complete a deliverable is over.   

In DESTINI Estimator, you can input cost data, compare estimates, perform takeoff, analyze project alternates, and collaborate with stakeholders.

Accurate conceptual estimates, cost history, reporting, compare multiple estimate versions…. It’s all there at your fingertips in DESTINI Estimator.

When looking at new construction estimating software, make sure it creates a connected workflow. You want to eliminate the manual transfer of data from one software to another. The time you save by implementing one program allows you to spend on higher value activities like value engineering and working more with subs.

Before embarking on your journey to find the best estimating software for preconstruction, we have a few pieces of expert advice:

1. Involve stakeholders early on. Bring executive leadership into the fold and get their support.
2. Pay close attention to the software vendor’s product roadmap. What is that software vendor’s future plan? Are they continually innovating?
3. Talk to current users of the software. They will be able to give you first-hand knowledge of how the software works and how the vendor manages issues.

Check out the video below to learn what to look for in construction estimating software and how Beck Technology’s DESTINI Estimator solves common preconstruction problems.

Click here to learn how to build a business case.