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Industry Insights focuses on what’s of interest to estimators—from technology trends and expert opinions to just-for-fun trivia.
Industry Insights focuses on what’s of interest to estimators—from technology trends and expert opinions to just-for-fun trivia.
Four Reasons Electrical Contractors Should Be Using Electrical Industry Takeoff Software Gather ‘round, electrical contractors, and hear my story. Recently, I installed an electric boiler in my home, replacing a failing gas boiler. The unit powers a hydronic heat system, giving us warm floors throughout. I’m a fairly handy guy — but not an electrician […]
Last Modified: July 9th, 2024 Overview Efficiency: Structural steel takeoff tools significantly enhance efficiency, reducing time by 50% or more. Customization: Tools like eTakeoff Dimension allow for on-the-fly creation of unique beam configurations. Automated Counting: Features like auto counts and SnapAI automate measurements and item counts, ensuring accuracy. Integration: These tools integrate with estimating software, […]
“One of the best designed construction takeoff UIs on the market.” eTakeoff is proud to announce that Construction Executive Magazine has included SnapAI in their list of Hot Products for 2021. Construction Executive Hot Product Awards recognize products that play a transformative role in the construction industry. eTakeoff solutions received previous Hot Product awards in […]
Last Modified: July 9th, 2024 Overview Accurate Measurements: Roofing takeoff software accounts for slopes, ridges, hips, and valleys, providing precise project scopes. Comprehensive Assemblies: Ensures no component is missed by quantifying all parts based on measurements. Speed and Accuracy: Balances both by performing complex calculations quickly and accurately, improving estimate reliability. Cost-Effective Imaging: Uses tools […]
Last Modified: July 9th, 2024 Overview Pattern Recognition: eTakeoff Dimension uses advanced pattern and symbol search, or auto count, to identify and count items on construction plans, improving estimator efficiency. Visual QC: Allows visual quality checks to ensure accuracy, displaying symbols for verification. Context Verification: Estimators can view symbols in a larger context to confirm […]
Earlier, we highlighted the 10 features that matter most in a digital takeoff solution, with a promise to circle back to take a closer look into several of them. Construction assemblies should be one of the essential features in an electronic takeoff application, especially if you use a spreadsheet as your cost estimating tool, yet […]
Electronic or digital takeoff applications have become indispensable tools for the estimators that depend on them. Electronic takeoff is at least 50% quicker than manual takeoffs in our tests. Estimators that incorporate electronic takeoff applications into their estimating process can get more done in less time with fewer mistakes. Not all takeoff applications are created […]
Bought a two-by-four lately? How about a sheet of plywood? Since the start of the pandemic, lumber prices are up 280%, hitting an all-time high in early May. With futures for 2x4s jumping from $63 to $1,481 per thousand board feet, we are likely to see new pricing records set as spring turns into summer. […]
Where we’ve been and where we’re going Humans have been building things for nearly as long as there have been humans. And undoubtedly, when we started building, we started estimating what materials we’d need — writing them down in some way and adding them up. Here we take a quick walk through the evolution of […]
Some construction industry watchers have been predicting the demise of 2D takeoff since BIM modeling hit the scene some 35 years ago. The reality is that 2D takeoff is not going anywhere soon. Estimators need rapid, reliable access to accurate data, whether that comes from 2D digital drawings, 3D models, or a combination of both. […]
In this 2017 article, authored by Walt Davis of Sage, Walt spoke with Nick Papadopolous, CEO of estimating and benchmarking technology consultant for Eos Group, to discuss construction estimating trends to watch. It got us thinking about what has and hasn’t changed over the past four years. So, we caught up with Nick to ask […]
What’s the current state of estimating takeoff tools and when will they get better? The accuracy of takeoffs depends largely on the estimator’s experience reading drawings and on the tools he or she relies on. While new technologies are transforming many areas of the construction cycle, 2D takeoff tools haven’t seen much innovation in years. […]
The construction estimating takeoff process went largely unchanged for decades. Until relatively recently, takeoff was entirely manual process where estimators would examine physical drawings or blueprints and painstakingly create lists of materials. Digital, or electronic takeoff capabilities began entering the scene in the late 2000s, providing estimators with a much better way to visualize the […]
Technology tools can help attract, retain, and engage a construction workforce The construction industry is facing one of the most significant labor shortages it has ever experienced. The shortage involves workers in virtually every construction role — from field to office to the upper levels of management. The fact that about 41% of the US […]
A look at the construction technologies impacting electronic takeoff software While everyone in the construction industry works hard, the industry has a reputation for being something of a slacker when it comes to adopting technology. For construction companies, producing takeoffs efficientlyand accurately is essential to speeding the estimating process, winning more bids and staying competitive. […]