Takeoffs
21 Mar 2019 07:30 #31
by KLJames
Do you prefer using an estimating software or do you find going old school with paper and pen easier?
I have seen so many rounds of quoting on jobs that it doesn't make sense for me to put every round of the bid process in my software program. I generally put it in once the drawings and specifications are more complete and it looks like the contractor is getting closer to actually issuing a P.O. for the project.
I have seen so many rounds of quoting on jobs that it doesn't make sense for me to put every round of the bid process in my software program. I generally put it in once the drawings and specifications are more complete and it looks like the contractor is getting closer to actually issuing a P.O. for the project.
Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.
21 Mar 2019 11:14 - 06 May 2019 21:52 #32
by SteveB
Steve Behrens
https://www.commdoor.com/
Hi Kevin. I’m old school myself…but my answer to the question would be “a little of both”.
We use Comsense here. It’s a great program, once you learn the ins & outs. In the quoting stage, I definitely do all the HM doors & frames, wood doors, and all the prep work for them with paper and pen. Every job. It takes a good bit of time to get that info in Comsense…at least fully & correctly…so I’m faster with a pen on that.
However, I always enter the hardware sets in Comsense. Every job. Once I get 3 or 4 sets in there, I can just click on the items that are the same in other sets and they pop right in. I only have to create items I haven’t used yet, as I go along.
I find these hardware sets actually save me a lot of time. I can print a “Product Summary”, which is a full list of each Hardware Item I’m using including the quantities of each. I send this to Allegion when I ask for special discounts (along with my manual HM list prices). I also use the completed Hardware Sets print out when I’m listing all my prep work on paper (panic preps, closer reinforcements, deadlock preps, etc…all the items are there) and I also use it to send along with the quote to the GC. It shows exactly what we are supplying as far as hardware and includes all the openings #’s we are supplying too. Comsense also prices every item out with list prices. Once I get my discounts from Allegion, I enter them in and within a few minutes I have our exact total hardware cost.
That’s what works for me in the quoting phase.
We use Comsense here. It’s a great program, once you learn the ins & outs. In the quoting stage, I definitely do all the HM doors & frames, wood doors, and all the prep work for them with paper and pen. Every job. It takes a good bit of time to get that info in Comsense…at least fully & correctly…so I’m faster with a pen on that.
However, I always enter the hardware sets in Comsense. Every job. Once I get 3 or 4 sets in there, I can just click on the items that are the same in other sets and they pop right in. I only have to create items I haven’t used yet, as I go along.
I find these hardware sets actually save me a lot of time. I can print a “Product Summary”, which is a full list of each Hardware Item I’m using including the quantities of each. I send this to Allegion when I ask for special discounts (along with my manual HM list prices). I also use the completed Hardware Sets print out when I’m listing all my prep work on paper (panic preps, closer reinforcements, deadlock preps, etc…all the items are there) and I also use it to send along with the quote to the GC. It shows exactly what we are supplying as far as hardware and includes all the openings #’s we are supplying too. Comsense also prices every item out with list prices. Once I get my discounts from Allegion, I enter them in and within a few minutes I have our exact total hardware cost.
That’s what works for me in the quoting phase.
Steve Behrens
https://www.commdoor.com/
Last edit: 06 May 2019 21:52 by SteveB.
Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.
06 May 2019 22:40 - 24 Oct 2019 07:25 #55
by LumberGuy
Last edit: 24 Oct 2019 07:25 by SteveB.
Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.
