Quoting software

[tommyl18]

Does anyone know of or use any software to help speed up and make it easier to quote on large jobs?

 

[KenGMac]

tommyl18, Hi.

For my sins I work in the Insurance sector, I have worked for and still work for "various" insurers, or Loss Adjusters.

All insurers have a "preferred" cost build up Software package, some good some less so, some have been compiled by the insurer some are so called "Off the Shelf"

There is a trend towards a package called Xactimate, it is I think an American pack BUT it is totally converted to British costs that are updated on a frequent basis, even reflecting local variations, such as South of England. London. Wales. Scotland.

This package appears to be gaining a lot of users within the very "Cut Throat" market that is insurance and the builders that are working for insurers have to use this package.

I have no idea as to what it costs to buy into and then keep it upgraded to reflect current costs, sorry about that I am only an end user, whoever I am working for pays the Licence fee.

this package allows a room by room cost build up for all trades. there is also a Drawing function that allows you to [with deadly accuracy] draw a plan and individual wall elevations of the room that combine to give a complete visual image of a house both internally and out.

I have seen on various [insurance] web sites training in the use of this package to attain accreditation in its use

There is a possibility that the package could be "tailored" to provide the "bits" of the package you need, namely the costing section only.

I suppose if you Google building coGoogleld up software there will be a lot of Information.

Bottom line is that there appears to be a lot if use of Xactimate? if several "hard nosed" insurers and Loss Adjusters are using it can not be that bad, but may be expensive?

ken

 

[noseall]

I use the old fashioned method of break the job down into material components, then price them, then work out how long the job is going to take and then price the labour, then add a profit percentage to the total.

I guess if you and your competitors are all using something similar then I would assume you will all be arriving at similar costings.

Only a full order book will tell whether you are too cheap or an empty one too expensive.

I try and sell our way of building to people before i even quote for the work.

 

[limerockconstruction]

I try and sell our way of building to people before i even quote for the work.

Out of pure interest, what is your way? AS we expand i'm Just interested in the different ways other people sell our services...

And for what its worth, i'm with Noseall, I do it the old fashioned way too.

 

[noseall]

I only ever build one job at a time.

No fags no radios and bring our own kettle and tea etc.

Leave when the job is finished.

It's not a bad selling point and has got me plenty of work, though i have lost or turned down a fair bit too.

 

[limerockconstruction]

Similar type of ethos to us - I find it works well with the right customers.

 

[noseall]

I find it works well with the right customers.

It is fair to say it works with a certain group, yes.

People who are fed up of going to cheap and getting rubbish, those that are in the time in their life where they can afford to pay and would rather have quality, those that would rather wait etc.

Many young people who may have recently bought their house or are struggling with a young family etc, want it right here, right now and right cheap. This is when they tend to get their fingers burnt for the first time.

 

[tommyl18]

Yea im doing it the old fashioned way but im pricing so much work my whole weekends can be taken up working out costs etc for no real gurantee on getting the work so anyway that makes life easier is a good thing