The Pros and Cons of Construction Estimating Software

It's every woman contractor's dream to be able to open up a software program, enter a few dimensions and have an immediate printout of her material's list and hourly labor requirements.

While construction estimating software plays a valuable role in figuring bids, it doesn't do it all by itself. The contractor must input a number of parameters and she may have to update them frequently, as well.

• Materials: Some estimating programs link to a national database for materials prices and update the list constantly. But if prices in your community vary much, you bid may be off.
• Labor: You must not only enter the average number of hours it take you, or your crew, to complete a specific job, such as taping out drywall or installing bathroom fixtures, you must enter each employee's wage. If some workers are much faster than others, your program may register a big discrepancy.

However, if you're spending too much time figuring your estimates and you have an office staff, you may benefit from having them monitor material prices changes in the program .

Good programs aren't cheap and there is often a steep learning curve. But they're still less expensive than hiring an independent estimator. The caveat here is research and buy with care.