5 signs your building firm needs to estimate differently

If you’re reading this, chances are you’re thinking about making changes to the way you estimate. Here are 5 signs you need to make the change now:

1. You’re busy but you’re not making big money

You’ve got jobs booked in well into next year and you’ve added an extra 10% onto your prices and yet your accountant tells you you’re barely covering your wages. You’re a business owner and you want to build up an asset, have money in the bank, a pension fund for the future… You’ve got years of experience in the building industry and you’re delivering quality building work for your clients. But you don’t feel you’re getting the financial reward you deserve for your time and efforts.

2. You’re having difficulty keeping on top of rapidly changing prices

You know material prices are spiralling but you don’t have time to ring around merchants checking prices each time you quote for a job. And you haven’t even considered adding inflation to your quotes. But you know you need to stay on top of material price increases otherwise you risk all of your profits going down the pan.

3. You’re missing things out of your quotes

Perhaps you use a spreadsheet or paper-based system for calculating your material requirements. But you find you’re often missing items or miscalculating quantities and inevitably covering the costs out of your own back pocket. You want to avoid oversights, avoid unnecessary wastage and protect your bottom line.

4. You’re struggling to keep up with ever changing situations

With the challenges of sourcing materials and finding available tradesmen, you’re spending hours getting the right people and materials on site when you need them. Things are falling through the gaps and projects are getting delayed. It’s inevitable. You’re trying to manage the site, keep the customer happy, quote for new work, stay on top of your business finances… something has to give.

5. You’re at risk of burnout

You’re working evenings and weekends to catch up with paperwork but you always feel behind and stressed out. You’re not sleeping well. You don’t see enough of your family and friends. You need a better work-life balance.

Sound like you? You need back-up in the form of software or an estimating service.