If you manage a company specializing in home remodeling or renovations, it's a great idea to invest in some comprehensive remodeling estimating software. For contractors, a good remodeling estimating software package can make prepping for any job significantly more manageable.
This article covers what you need to know about this software and what you should look for when purchasing this for your company. We also include a list of reviews on the top remodeling estimating software solutions in 2021.
What Is Remodeling Estimating Software?
Remodeling estimating software is precisely what it sounds like — it's software designed to provide contractors with every estimate they might need before starting a remodeling or construction job.
This includes not only an estimate of the overall cost of the job but also estimates for the number of materials, and labor needed to finish the job, as well as the specific costs associated with both of these factors. Some can also provide you with a timeline estimate for when the project will be completed.
Using these programs can help home improvement contractors lower the cost of their projects by saving time in the planning process and reducing the likelihood of human error. Wether it's estimating the number of materials needed for kitchen remodel or new floor installation, it's amazing software to have on hand. Compared to using a simple spreadsheet, remodeling estimating software offers a much higher degree of functionality.
Remodeling estimating software isn't just valid for contractors; it's also helpful for their clients. This software can create bid proposals and calendars to give clients a better sense of when critical milestones in the project should be completed. Ensuring that the contractor and the client are on the same page concerning a project's deliverables is essential for a project's success.
How Does This Software Work? To generate an estimate for the cost and quantity of materials needed to complete a project, the solution links to a supplier's online pricing database. When a project is being planned, and the software needs to calculate the takeoff required, it pulls the cost and quantity of the materials from the database.
In most cases, these types of software are subscription-based, meaning you'll have to pay a monthly or annual fee to keep using them. Depending on the brand of software you want to use and what key features you need it to have, subscriptions can range in price from as low as $10/month up to $200/month.
What To Consider When Choosing Remodeling Estimating Software
If you want to get the most value for your money from a contractor software subscription, you should have a set of criteria in mind when choosing the one you want to use. It helps if you know what sort of functions you should be on the lookout for.
When looking for good quality software for your business, you should be on the lookout for something that includes the following features:
Takeoff Estimation Features - This might be obvious, but one of the most essential elements of any kind of estimation software is being able to estimate what your takeoff will be. If you have a good idea of how many materials you'll need before the job starts, it can make it easier to be transparent with your clients about where their money is going.
Cost Estimation Features - Good remodeling estimating software should also, of course, be able to give you an estimate of the total cost of your project. This includes not only the cost of your materials but also labor costs and subcontractor fees.
Bidding Features - The program should also include features to make the bidding process more accessible. This includes creating new proposals, keeping track of your customers and subcontractors, and creating schedules.
Integration Capabilities - The ideal solution should also be able to integrate with other software programs that contractors often use. This can mean combining it with your current client management software or field service management program. Although some solutions have all that packaged in one.
Now that you're more familiar with what this type of software has to offer, let's jump into our software reviews.
Top 6 Home Remodeling Estimating Software
JobNimbus
JobNimbus remodeling software is one of the top solutions to grow your remodeling business by streamlining processes and team communication. With the JobNimbus mobile app, all your contractors and sales team members can stay on the same page with straightforward access to various communication methods.
You can also access all your business information from anywhere and easily get in touch with customers. Using the Boards feature, you can gain full visibility into your remodeling business by quickly seeing each job status and other important details. The Boards feature gives you complete control over both your sales and job workflow.
When you join JobNimbus remodeling CRM, you also gain membership to the largest ecosystem of the best companies in the industry, like Global Payments, Quickbooks, and Sunlight Financial. With a large variety of customization options, JobNimbus exterior remodeling software makes contractors more efficient by giving them quick access to all their needs in one place.
On average, remodeling companies collect 25% more payments and see an increase in revenue by 43%. Remodeling businesses also find that they save an average of 8 hours per week per person, putting more money in their pocket or back into the remodeling business.
247PRO
If you're looking for the most comprehensive remodeling estimating software available, 247PRO might be one of your top bets. 247PRO is a web-based platform that offers pre-templates for any construction or remodeling job. The wide variety of features that 247PRO offers to contractors makes it a brilliant piece of software. You can do just about anything accounting-related like bid requests, invoicing, project management, customer management, and much more. It also allows users to create their own templates and re-use them when necessary.
Aside from the features, you'd expect from this type of software, like generating takeoff and cost estimates and creating bids, 247PRO offers many additional features that help it stand out. Most notably, 247PRO includes a website building/hosting app, allowing you to quickly create a website for your business.
If you're just starting off as a contractor and need a single platform to help your business grow, 247PRO is an incredibly solid option.
JobFLEX
JobFLEX focuses entirely on estimates and invoices and doesn't offer a ton of other project management-related features. The simplicity of JobFLEX allows you to have complete estimates of any renovation job within minutes. You can also use it to quickly send an invoice to customers.
Unlike the other software on this list, JobFLEX is primarily intended to be used via a mobile app. This software is designed to be quick and easy to use even if you're on the go. You can upload documents and contracts to the app and help you close deals faster. In addition, the subscription cost is one of the most budget-friendly options on this list.
Clear Estimates
For those in need of a simpler kind of solution, Clear Estimates might be what you're looking for. In contrast to the other software platforms we've reviewed so far, Clear Estimates only focuses on creating estimates and invoices; it can't be used to create schedules, assist you with CRM, or do any other fancy stuff.
Ultimately, Clear Estimates is probably for you if you already have other software to handle these other tasks and just need something to take care of the estimation process. Since they focus on just one thing, you can rest assure they’re really good at it. It can certainly help you avoid some common estimating mistakes.
They partner with industry leaders to ensure that you’re getting the most accurate estimates for the job based on your specific area. They also have helpful templates so that you can have calculations done for any home improvement job you might be doing within seconds.
Tolteck
Tolteck is another top-notch construction estimating and invoicing software that primarily offers takeoff, labor, and cost estimates in a simple-to-use package. Since it’s specifically designed for construction professionals, they include templates to make inputting information more straightforward.
Tolteck can be accessed on a variety of devices, including desktop computers to mobile phones. This software is also designed to work without any internet connection, so no matter where you are, you'll be able to quickly access any of your projects and easily generate quotes and invoices. This is very convenient when working in areas with very little to no reception.
Tolteck is also one of the more cost-effective software platforms on this list, making it very much worth considering. It’s a great choice no matter how large your construction company is, whether it’s big or small.
If you're looking for software to help you easily create estimates and manage complex projects, you've got a lot of choices to pick from. The various software platforms offer a wide variety of different features for a wide range of prices.
Buildxact
If you're looking for a comprehensive remodeling estimating software platform that covers you from start to finish, Buildxact is a quality choice. Buildxact gives you everything you need to generate estimates and manage the most critical aspects of your projects.
Besides takeoff estimation, you also get access to project scheduling features, cost tracking, quote generation, and accounting integration. A subscription to Buildxact also includes customer support and software training, so you'll never be in the dark about how everything works.
Perhaps the only downside to Buildxact is that it’s a bit pricier than other programs. Contractors in other construction industries like roofing or HVAC can also use it.
In any case, no matter what home improvement or remodeling you need to get done, having the right software can make completing projects significantly easier. We hope you now have a clearer idea of what to look for when it comes to remodeling estimating software, and we hope we've made it easier for you to pick. If you're a painter looking for similar software, read our guide for painting contractors.
