Masonry Magazine March 2009 Page. 28
SOFTWARE & TECHNOLOGY
Quest estimator also integrates with a number of other project-management, scheduling and accounting packages, including Microsoft programs, Primavera and Meridian. Training on the software is available at an additional cost and can be done on site at the customer's location, online or at regional training events offered by Maxwell in several states.
Carlson Takeoff
ANOTHER COMPANY with strong market share, Maysville, Ky-based Carlson Takeoff entered this market in 2005. While the takeoff program is relatively new, Carlson Software Inc. has marketed construction software programs for more than 25 years, says Bruce Carlson, president.
"In this digital age, the takeoff is moving from paper plans to capturing the information from digital drawing files, which contain a picture of the final design, often in 2D," says Carlson. "If the engineers do not make the entities of the final design fully 3D, the unique tools in Takeoff can be used to lift the entities from 2D to 3D."
Using a CAD engine based on Intellicad, the product is an integrated estimating package, almost like a hub going out to all software programs, Carlson says, with reporting going directly to Excel. An Excel presentation of quantities then can be created, formatted by the user, and output to a text file or Excel file. Takeoff reads both DWG and DGN formats, and writes to DWG.
Of utmost importance is the program's ability to calculate cut/fill material volumes, as well as the output of digital terrain modeling files used by the GPS devices directing heavy equipment on a construction site. The 3D viewing allows users to simulate driving across the terrain in 3D, distinguishing by color roads, building pads, ponds and other aspects of the site.
"It makes for a very effective presentation and confirmation," he says. "The 3D viewing allows you to double check that the terrain is correctly modeled. It's not just a pretty picture for a presentation, but an assessment tool for confirming quantities"
Having the ability to see the finished project in 3D prior to the start date helps avoid sometimes unforeseen errors in surface projections involving elevations and slope.
Carlson realizes the increased demand for BIM integration with estimating software. The program has been developed to read the symbols created to designate such aspects as fire hydrants, manholes, water valves, electrical poles, etc. The user can then develop a spreadsheet of the different names and numbers of the symbols, which then can be sorted and a cost per category determined, such as roads, electrical, utility and so forth.
"You have to bid projects to win them, and you have to bid as tightly and closely to the margin as possible to win over your competitors," says Carlson. "Precise bidding and estimating is crucial. One bad bid can risk bankrupting a mid-size company."
Carlson Takeoff is priced at $9,000, with a 20 percent discount given for additional copies. A three-day training program is offered through Carlson College, as is on-site training at the customer's location. Regional training events are held in Kentucky and Virginia.