Masonry Magazine March 2009 Page. 26
SOFTWARE & TECHNOLOGY
Maxwell Systems Quest interactive 3-D Visual Assemblies ensure you deliver an accurate bid and give your clients a clear, impressive picture of your investment. Maxwell Systems has created dozens of Visual Assemblies for all standard structures for specific specialties, such as masonry.
Quest is already populated with a built-in database-a catalog of historical data-including up-to-date figures on materials, equipment, and crews and labor rates. Quest comes with a masonry database, as well as databases for other subcontractor areas, such as electrical and plumbing.
"You don't have to create that database by hand or with Excel," says Gillum. "Each contractor changes pricing to reflect their particular region. You can also bring in existing Excel spreadsheets" Particularly useful to the masonry contractor is one of the most unique aspects of Quest Estimator: the visual assemblies feature. This feature allows the estimator to provide a 3D graphic image for the contractor, whether for block, brick, glass block, composite wall, masonry paver or other materials.
Maxwell Systems Estimating Masonry Database allows masonry contractors to improve speed and accuracy of estimating with various user-focused features. It offers the ability to easily update data, perform fast takeoffs, as well as flexibility, quality content and ease of use.
"Not only do you get [estimates on] all the labor, material and equipment that make up a wall, but you also get a 3D image and a breakdown of what makes up the wall, such as brick, grout, etc.," Gillum explains. "Nobody in the industry has that. It enables the contractor to see a picture of exactly what they've built. It's especially useful for junior estimators who have to show results to leadership, and for use as a sales tool when marketing to a potential client."
Once an estimate is created, Quest offers multiple ways of sorting and filtering the information, including the ability to update pricing, make changes to overhead and change bid day data.
Maxwell has integrated the interoperability of BIM into the Quest Estimator, allowing small- to mid-size contractors to import, view, modify and export BIM models from large contractors, remaining competitive in an industry.
Product Watch
Tool Manager Software for the Smaller Contractor
Dynamic Systems Inc., a Redmond, Wash.-based software developer specializing in data collection applications for the construction and manufacturing industries, has released a low-cost tool manager based on bar code technology.
Basic Tool Manager targets contractors who want to reduce the loss of tools and time spent tracking down tools for jobs, but cannot afford the more complex systems available on the market. The cost justification is simple: If one minute is required to check a tool out or in versus a crew spending 20 minutes per day searching for tools, the overhead savings is significant.
Dynamic Systems says bar code data collection is both accurate and efficient for tracking or counting items. IMAS
The New Improved Quikpoint Drill-Mate Mortar Gun.
★ Tuckpointing
★Paving
★ Stonework
★Tile
★ Thin Brick
★Cultured Stone
★Steel Casements
★All types of masonry joints
Melvin Mancia (Mason Forman)
Job: The John Winthrop School, Dorchester, Ma.
Just scoop mortar into the three quart capacity hopper, pull the trigger on the drill and a continuous controlled bead of mortar can be applied, up to five times faster than conventional pointing methods, to any masonry application.
Quikpoint, Inc. 23 8 Bradford St., Concord, Me. 01742 USA
Phone: 978-371-3267 Fax 978-371-2292 Toll Free USA: 800-368-2292
Web: www.quikpoint.com E-Mail: sales@quikpoint.com