The construction business can be complex. Serving customers and clients in the correct way enhances your reputation, brings about loyal customers, and increases your overall brand value. For both small and established businesses, delivering quality end results is incredibly important.
However, to secure a deal, you’ll need to provide your clients with an accurate picture of your proposed plan and solutions. In the preliminary stages of a construction deal (including ideation and conception), cost estimation plays a pivotal role.
Estimates help construction businesses develop practical projections, with customers understanding the approximate costs associated with a project. However, developing manual estimations from scratch with Excel sheets can quickly become overwhelming. That’s where estimating software comes in.
Thankfully, there is plenty of construction estimating software available on the market. Which one is right for your business? Which one should you choose? This guide ranks the top construction estimating software programs to help you find the perfect business solution.
Ranking the best construction estimating software programs
We’ve ranked the best construction estimation software, including their benefits and features.
Bridgit Bench
Bridgit Bench offers a workforce intelligence solution. From dashboards to powerful integrations, their platform helps general constructors enhance profits and minimize risk. They also offer integration with leading construction tools and applications, including Procore, Building Connected, and Unanet.
For general constructors, Bridgit Bench offers the following benefits:
- Effortless people management for improved workforce planning and structure
- Completely customizable integration and dashboards
- Entire project timeline visibility for improved management
- Estimate planning and pricing plan reports
- Detailed, customized construction management reporting
Apart from estimation management, Bridgit Bench also has the following features:
- Risk management
- Project and resource forecasting
- Pursuit tracking
- Security and compliance
- Human resources management
- Remote planning
- Reporting and dashboard
- Project database
- Mobile applications
ProEst
ProEst is a pre-construction management software with cloud-based functionality for process and information management with coordination and collaboration features.
For contractors, ProEst offers the following:
- Leveraging of SQL databases to develop estimates, execute digital takeoffs, store project information, maintain a record of estimation data, and manage the bid process
- An overview of estimation summaries with elements including labor costs, materials, and other associated costs required for a project
- A customized layout for your estimates
- Third-party integration
Features of ProEst software include:
- Cost database and estimation
- Document storage
- Proposal management
- Proposal generation
- Real-time reporting
- Change order management
- Labor cost reporting
- CRM software
EDGE
EDGE is a construction estimation software that serves the commercial industry. Commercial contractors specializing in roofing, drywall installation, acoustic construction, electrical solutions, fireproofing, and more can manage projects and offer estimates using this software solution.
EDGE software offers:
- On-premise and cloud functionality
- Customizable templates
- Quotes and estimates based on predefined values and data gathered during production
- Third-party integration, including Viewpoint and Sage, to manage multiple assignments
- Reports based on profit recap, order volume, and alternate pricing
The software is suitable for small businesses, medium organizations, and large corporations.
Buildxact
Developed explicitly for residential builders and constructors, Buildxact enables construction management. Its features can help fast-track your project by providing quotes.
The cloud-based functionality allows Buildxact users to access their construction management tools remotely using a stable internet connection. The built-in features such as composite recipes, rounding features, price lists and wastage details help contractors with estimations.
Using Buildxact software, you can:
- Access project and estimation information from anywhere
- Manage estimates
- Schedule projects through estimates and progress tracking against the expenses invoiced
Features of Buildxact software include:
- Accounting synchronization
- Cost tracking
- Assembly takeoff
- Change order management
- Budget tracking and job costing
- Bid management
- Document management
- Contract management
- Cost estimating
- Communications management
Knowify
This software is designed with job costing and project management tools that enable accurate job estimates and performance tracking. The project management features include timekeeping integration for labor and material budget monitoring.
Dispatch management enables users to generate service tickets for allocating technicians. Onsite workers will also receive notifications through mobile applications. The notifications can include customized notes, photos, and details.
Other functionalities include verified login and logout tracking, time monitoring for onsite workers, accounting synchronization, and invoicing.
General contractors who use Knowify get:
- Support for several construction specializations, including solar installations, landscaping, roofing, electrical, painting services, HVAC installation and planning, etc.
- Invoice reconciliation for incorporating subcontractor and outsourced work to generate the correct invoices
- Bid management and contract generation
- Quickbooks synchronization for transaction data uploading and visibility on project records
- Centralized data for accessing and completing administrative workflows
Knowify’s most popular features include:
- Audit trailing
- Activity tracking
- Budgeting and forecasting
- Cost estimating
- Cost to completion tracking
- Contract management
- Compliance management
- Billing and invoicing
- Change order management
- Bid management
Software simplifies work
Construction cost estimation software has become a must in the construction industry. It eliminates the need to maintain complicated spreadsheets and perform manual comparisons and data analysis for generating estimation.
With centralized management and estimation tools, software enables easy estimation and bid management, thus streamlining the entire initial documentation process. Download the best contraction estimation software to start preparing estimation more efficiently and stay ahead of the competition.