When AI construction estimating software connects your favorite supplier, quotes become more accurate, efficient
One of the easiest ways to make mistakes when estimating home construction projects is to do things by hand. Most common construction estimating mistakes happen because we overlook certain details or lose focus after doing the same thing repeatedly.
What’s needed is an assistant to help when time is short or attention fades. But what builder these days has the budget to hire someone just to help with estimating?
The solution is an artificial intelligence, or AI, digital assistant that speeds up the entire process of writing estimates and winning more business. Construction estimating software enhanced by today’s AI technology is an affordable solution that brings even greater accuracy to construction estimating.
With AI-enabled software, the construction industry now has an effective estimating process that’s repeatable and predictable. It allows builders and renovators to quickly estimate a home construction project using updated material pricing based on local market conditions, all of this with minimal manual effort.
Gone are the days of wasting time measuring paper plans with rulers or stumbling over complex formulas buried within outdated spreadsheets. Software designed for construction estimating not only avoids material count and pricing errors, but also makes it easy to get started with natural language prompts and project descriptions that AI understands.
Let’s have a look at some classic construction estimating mistakes, and how construction estimating software powered by AI addresses them.
Construction estimating mistake 1: Growing too fast
A growing business might be a successful business, but only if you can handle the workload. Growth should not come at the expense of your nights and weekends with friends and family.
Consider that the average estimate, using manual takeoffs and estimates, for one project takes eight hours—and that doesn’t count the waiting time to get back quotes from trades. That’s long hours. Winning the number of projects to grow your business often comes at the expense of personal time as estimating takes up more and more free time.
Now, imagine kickstarting an estimate with AI. Imagine describing in a few sentences the size and scope of project phases and then using accurate measurements from a digital takeoff tool to quickly create a basic estimate. In fact, the best AI tools can estimate major project tasks, such as flooring or framing, in as little as 30 seconds. It’s hard to argue against construction estimating software in these terms.
This time savings obviously adds up. Construction estimating software like Buildxact cuts the overall time it takes to build a complete project estimate by 30%.
Construction estimating mistake 2: taking the wrong shortcuts
Guessing at your numbers based on past experience or an outdated cost estimating process is not the way to go.
With AI machine learning, you can be sure not to miss a thing because the AI assistant never tires and never overlooks a small detail. Now imagine having the materials that go with all those necessary tasks priced from a major material supplier. The right prices add up to the right estimate that wins the confidence of the customer.
AI estimating software with an intuitive interface helps keep you on the right path, even while reducing manual tasks. AI tackles the basic task of gathering all the necessary items and quickly pricing materials. With this done, you have more time to find the right tradie for your project or spend more time supervising the job site to ensure work meets your high standards.
Plus, with estimating software like Buildxact, you can create accurate estimates repeatedly by creating effective estimating templates unique to your business.
Estimating labor and material costs can be tricky. An effective template created with the help of an AI estimating calculator can ensure you win and complete more projects — all while employing better decision making. In fact, users of Buildxact complete 56% more residential jobs each year.
Construction estimating mistake 3: poor interactions with suppliers
With an AI estimating calculator, pricing basic materials is automated so you can carve out time with your supplier for the material requests that require extra attention. Don’t waste time talking to your supplier about a typical order of 2X4s. An AI estimator can reduce the chatter so you focus on what really affects your project plans.
When it’s time for direct conversations, modern estimating software communicates more effectively by automatically sending and tracking emails with your preferred suppliers.
Construction estimating mistake 4: unprofessional quotes
Not only does your quote need to be accurate, but it also needs to look good. Your quote reflects your brand and is one of the first impressions with a potential customer.
Leave a positive impression using construction estimating software that places your brand in the best light so you can quote and sell with confidence. After all, you’re asking this person to trust you to build their house, their most significant investment. In their eyes, an unprofessional quote may signal unprofessional work if they hire you. Not something you want in a competitive environment filled with other home construction companies.
In fact, builders report a 17% increase in quote-to-win ratio within the first eight months of creating quote with Buildxact. Buildxact enables builders to simply upload their own logo and photos for that perfect personal touch. Now, that’s value engineering.
Construction estimating mistake 5: unrealistic scheduling
Like it or not, the first company that submits a quote has an advantage—everyone else will have to justify why their quote is more or less expensive than the first one. That’s just the way it works in the home construction industry.
Unfortunately, paying someone else to put together the estimate can take even longer than doing it yourself. A third-party hire could take weeks and won’t guarantee quality.
Speed up your estimating time by up to 30% with construction management software that ensures all your I’s are dotted and all your T’s are crossed in one single automated platform with complete confidence.
Moreover, with the right construction estimating software, you can not only give your potential client an accurate picture of how much their project will cost, but you also can give them an idea how long the project will take by drafting a rough estimate of the project’s major phases.
Construction estimating mistake 6: human error
Compiling estimates via paper drawings and Excel creates many opportunities to introduce mistakes—transferring information from a supplier email to a spreadsheet and then to a proposal by hand. Not to mention how data inputs go wrong when you are in a hurry.
Cloud-based construction estimating software with an AI calculator ensures that your data is up to date in real-time, using the latest pricing and including all the tasks you need for a complete estimate. Builders often lose money when they forget to estimate necessary project tasks, and AI ensures builders cover all the bases.
The best construction estimating software also lets you rough out a schedule so that your prospect not only knows how much they will spend but how long the project is likely to take. Now, that’s a competitive edge.
Construction estimating mistake 7: selling on price alone
Some builders think the price is all that matters and is the only aspect of winning a quote. Good builders know how to sell their value and their work. For example, you may include a line item for a site supervisor who will be on the job every day to ensure the project elements are followed.
But you have to sell yourself and the reason your quote is a little higher. Builders who make those elements part of their story are the ones who will win the work. Construction management software streamlines your processes and gives your story more clout.
End the mistakes. See how Buildxact uses artificial intelligence to your benefit
The easiest way to see how Buildxact’s cloud-based construction management software can ease the estimating burden is to take it for a spin. Try our 14-day risk-free trial, or schedule a demo with one of our Buildxact experts.
