Heavy Construction Software Technology Advances, What’s new in heavy civil estimating
Estimating in heavy civil construction is the kind of thing that has caused many stomach ulcers – just ask any heavy civil project manager. Errors in estimating on multi-million dollar heavy civil projects can cost a company millions of dollars. Let’s explore the world of heavy civil construction estimating and how modern technology is revolutionizing it.
What is Heavy Construction Software?
Heavy construction software is a strategic tool created explicitly for contractors engaged in large-scale construction projects such as residential land development, highways, bridges, and dams. These projects demand intricate engineering and specialized equipment. Traditionally, the software aided contractors in preparing cost estimates, managing tasks, and monitoring expenses. Since about 2022, newer software platforms have come online that fill in the mang gaps left by the older generation of heavy civil software.
It’s designed to fulfill the unique needs of contractors in the road, highway, infrastructure, and civil construction industries. This includes site work, roads, highways, bridges, dams, tunnels, and utilities, as well as materials suppliers, quarries, and pits.
But what makes heavy construction estimating software stand out? Let’s look at the distinctive features that set top-rated heavy construction-specific systems apart from those designed for general construction other industries.
Key Features of Heavy Construction Estimating Software
Cost Estimating and Takeoff
Heavy civil construction estimating and takeoff is nothing like other industry project management. Project management needs in heavy civil requires these modules:
3D Takeoff: Heavy contractors need special takeoff capabilities that allow them to visualize the topography of their job. Tools must have earth measurement capabilities to determine cuts and fills, provide plan views, profile views, and section views. 3D visualization plays a vital role in these tools.
Heavy-specific Item Database: Estimators require a cost item database that is specific to their work. They need to determine costs of materials, equipment, and labor like any contractor, but they benefit from systems with pre-built templates that match operators to equipment, calculate fuel costs, and house a library of common items.
Fuel Costing: Fuel is a significant component of heavy jobs, making systems designed to track and estimate fuel costs in detail a boon for heavy contractors. Such systems keep fuel cost estimates up-to-date and link them to specific pieces of equipment, so you have different rates for equipment based on fuel costs.
Project Management
Unitary Billing and Costing: Unit-billing is central to heavy construction, so heavy contractors need a system designed to bill based on units completed. Both the job costing and billing components of the system should offer unit-based capabilities, as well as track progress/percent complete.
Resource Scheduling: Heavy civil construction companies schedule work crews and equipment to specific sites and specific times. A robust project management system should enable contractors to schedule crews, matching construction equipment with operators.
Mobile Capabilities: The location of heavy work shifts as the job progresses, so mobile support is critical for keeping field staff online and in touch.
Accounting
Specialized Pricing: Heavy civil construction requires special billing and accounting features. Other standard pricing options need to include: unit-based, work-in-progress (WIP), fixed-bid, and cost-plus..
Materials Management: Heavy civil contractors must ensure that the right materials arrive on time for jobs. Material cost tracking allows for heavy civil construction contractors and materials producers (like aggregate suppliers) by real-time reporting of orders and delivery.
Regulatory Reporting: Managing labor occupational health and safety reporting along with union or other stand wage requirements is something a heavy civil accounting system must do. This reporting and associated costs need to be factored into estimating software.
Choosing the right heavy construction estimating software can be challenging. Here are some strategies to help you make an informed decision.
Thoroughly Assess Your Needs
Begin by determining your company’s specific needs. How many employees will use the software? What integrations do you want the platform to support? If you already own a system, identify its shortcomings and how a new tool will address those.
Consider Security Features
The heavy construction estimating solution you choose should provide SSL/TLS encryption capabilities. Ask providers about additional security measures they employ to protect your data.
Test the Platform
Ask vendors if they offer demos or trials. This’ll help you assess the user-friendliness of their platforms, thereby shortening the learning curve.
Read Reviews and Seek Recommendations
Online reviews and industry guides can provide insights into the pros and cons of different platforms. Reaching out to other professionals using the software can provide honest feedback and help you make informed decisions.
Review Cost & Pricing Considerations
Understanding the pricing models, considering company size, deployment options, support, and training costs are crucial while evaluating heavy construction estimating systems.
Revolutionizing Heavy Civil Construction Estimating with Vizzn
Within the field of large-scale civil construction, Vizzn Inc. distinguishes itself by offering an inventive and distinct solution known as “Walk the Drawings”. This advanced feature empowers an estimator to navigate through any blueprint on their mobile device while concurrently moving around the physical construction location. As they traverse through the real-world site, their virtual representation (an avatar) mirrors their movement on the digital blueprints displayed on their phone. This enables them to spot potential hurdles and mark them for future study and resolution.
Vizzn has broadened its Walk the Drawings mapping tool’s capability, allowing project supervisors to streamline site layouts for utmost operational efficiency in construction processes. They have at hand a tool that can pinpoint optimum sites for haul routes, entryways, equipment staging zones, material storage areas and other job-specific particulars that might boost overall productivity at site operations. In addition to these efficiencies it provides another advantage – this mapping functionality serves as a record-keeping feature useful for extras billing procedures or quality control measures – even helping address environmental considerations if necessary.
Heavy civil construction estimating is no small task. However, with the right tools, the process can be streamlined, more accurate, and less risky. Whether you’re a seasoned estimator or a novice, staying abreast of the latest technology and best practices can help you stay competitive in this high-stakes industry.