ESTIMATING CONSTRUCTION PROJECT COSTS USING SOFTWARE

When working on any project you need to estimate the costs for several reasons. Clients want to know how much they will need to pay. When estimating construction project costs using software your accounting team needs to know how much of the budget you are using. Only by tracking all of this with software can you keep costs low and contractors happy as well.

The Law of Averages

One valuable benefit you get from tracking all of this with technology is the ability to look at averages. You can estimate construction material costs from industry averages. Your own data can add into this so you can see the whole picture.

Comparing Construction Vendors

Looking at prices from hundreds or even thousands of vendors at once is something you can do with powerful contractor software. Those who run a highly efficient industry need to do this regularly. It is one of many ways to improve your cost/efficiency ratio.

More Project Benefits

There are also other benefits including:

• Clear views of project requirements for each contractor.
• Oversight for jobs that are taking too long.
• Discounts for buying items together.
• Sheets that show you just how much everything costs each month.

Every bit of information gives you a better picture of how well your contractors are working. For individuals it can give you the same excellent view of your own performance.

Avoiding Costly Guesses

Accuracy is what matters in this area as well. Without information you may have to estimate using your gut instinct. This is a notoriously unreliable way to do things so we do not suggest it. By going that route you can easily make a client angry or go way over budget. For this reason having a detailed system for this is a necessity in the competitive economy today.