Four Secret Tricks for Construction Estimators You Do Not Know

The construction estimate is the document that becomes a baseline for the bid proposal. This is a half battle when it comes to win-win bidding and gaining profitable building orders. Most construction estimators follow the traditional algorithms when it comes to costing and quoting. These strategies are not lacking in manual operations and much paperwork. But it is high time to switch to new-gen approaches that are 100% digital-friendly and automation-driven.

For example, one of the tips that are not secret for most present-day contractors is using construction cost estimating software. What about benefits? A wide range of advantages is waiting for you with the best-matching tool for costing, estimating, and bidding. You will have improved accuracy of the construction estimate, faster task performance, less paperwork, digital format of workflows, automated estimating stages, and many more.

Remember that a badly-done estimate means poor quoting and low-quality bidding background. Your bid proposal will not be among the winning ones. You risk losing many clients and ruining your reputation. Both overestimating and underestimating are risky for your business.

When you overestimate and offer a budget plan with higher costs, the customer can decide that you want to fool him. When you underestimate your work, you risk low-profit margins and even debts (rentals, salaries, and other payments will take place).

Follow some secret tricks for your construction estimate and stay pleased with the final result when it comes to your pre-construction arrangements and attractive bid proposals that bring you many willing-to-cooperate clients.

5 Top-Secret Estimating Tips for Contractors and Estimators to Take into Account

Unhappy clients can take place even if you are a very result-driven contractor. But usually, construction estimates are far from accurate. And this fact disappoints customers. Your bid proposal does not win and you lose profitable orders. Follow top-secret 5 tips to improve your cost estimating and quoting processes significantly:

1. Cut budget overruns with structured and automated costing. Throw away your paper reports, design your custom templates, and move step by step. Go from one expenditure item to another. All the budget overruns begin with missed details in costing. Check data entries several times before submitting the estimate.
2. Do not be too optimistic – a realistic contractor is always better. Let’s consider optimism in estimating as the forerunner of overestimating. Your expectations of the highest profit margins can be ruined by your client’s gone-over budget plans. At the same time, do not be too pessimistic – this is about underestimates and low profits. You risk losing good money.
3. Do not be limited to only one type of digital tool. Who said that you can use only one kind of construction software? Make your own ecosystem with the help of the best-matching construction quoting, costing, and bidding software together with communication applications, robotics, drones, VR/AR technologies, and other solutions.
4. Be open to experiments. Implement various strategies for your team, estimating algorithms, corporate culture, etc. Talk to your specialists – your skillful estimators can share some curious ideas, thoughts, and tricks. Do not forget about historical data – some keys to success can be found in the completed past projects. Use win-win strategies realized before for new achievements.
5. Hire professionals and do not save money when it comes to quality. Be sure that everything you do (starting with the team members you hire and finishing with the bricks you order for building) is of high level. Only qualitative components can be converted into awesome results and premium construction projects done.

All the unwelcome surprises concerning estimating are about your poor control and lacking leverage background to optimize and transform your costing, quoting, and bidding performance. Follow the above-listed recommendations and switch to digital-friendly approaches as soon as possible. Let decision-making and analytics be your main goals for better estimates while all the routine tasks will be delegated to software.