When it comes to creating construction quotes, having the right software and tools is essential, especially when you are a small contractor or small business. But how do you find the right estimating tool to fit your needs with so many saturating the market? We’ve pulled together a quick guide to choosing the right construction estimating software for small businesses and how the leading platforms compare to bespoke quoting tools from Quintadena and QuoteWerks.
What is Construction Estimating Software?
Construction estimating software is a tool that is used by construction specialists big and small to estimate quotes for services and projects and issue proposals. Construction estimating software helps small businesses manage customer quotes and responses while integrating pricing systems for accurate proposals.
What Features Should Estimating Tools for Small Contractors Include?
There are a few different features you’ll need to look for when researching the best construction estimator for your team. When considering the quote building process, you’ll want your building estimating software to be able to pull on multiple pricing systems and display results in real time as labour and resource costs fluctuate. You’ll also want the ability to have your software scale with you as your business grows.
We’ve outlined the core capabilities your estimation software should include below:
- Access to material libraries with up-to-date pricing and availability
- The ability to track and calculate labour costs, hourly rates and more
- Tools to help calculate markups and profit margins
- The ability to track project schedules and progress as well as client interactions and quote progression
- Tools to enable collaboration between all stakeholders wherever they are based
- Integrations with other core software to help productivity
- A user-friendly interface and reliable support
In addition to this, having the ability to create custom construction quote templates will ensure any quotes or proposals sent out look professional and carry the correct information and your company branding.
How to Choose the Best Estimating Software for Small Contractors
When looking for the perfect fit, start by taking a look at what features your business needs and how this will work with any current systems you already use. Can your new software replace the need for multiple systems or integrate seamlessly with systems you want to keep hold of?
Will your team need training on your new system and is this offered by the construction estimating software provider? Do you need to be able to track key metrics in real time from wherever you are? Make a list of software requirements and check these off against your chosen provider. As a small contractor or business, it’s worth checking how well your chosen estimating tool works for smaller teams as some are designed for larger workforces.
What Are the Best Estimating Tools?
There are plenty of specialist softwares out there but how do they compare to custom QuoteWerks solutions from Quintadena?
As a BuildXact alternative for the construction industry, QuoteWerks excels at providing extensive customisation options for contractors of any size, enabling teams to tailor workflows, pricing structures and templates to fit their exact needs. Compared to the subscription-based format of estimating tools like BuildXact, QuoteWerks and its accompanying bespoke modules offer flexible pricing options to suit construction businesses of any size.
Find Out More About Why QuoteWerks With Quintadena is Perfect for Small Contractors
We’ve worked with a number of construction specialists over the years to find the ideal estimating tool to fit their needs. We’re able to create bespoke modules tailored to your exact business needs to streamline the construction quoting process with systems that everyone can access, on the move or on a desktop with up-to-the-minute pricing and quote information providing complete traceability.
To find out more about our construction estimating software for small contractors, take a look at our construction estimating service page or contact our team now to find out more about how we can help.