Sewer/Road Profile Takeoffs

cgpete83

Hi Guys,

I'm new here, great forum! I'm really glad I found it, I've been reading a ton of old posts this morning.

I did a few searches and couldn't turn up anything so I wanted to post this question.

Does anyone on here use software for taking off cut/fill excavation from profile views on plans? I know Quest offers software that can do this using a digitizer board, but I'm really looking for a way to do it on-screen if possible. We currently use On-Center Software's On-Screen Takeoff (probably the most beneficial software package we have ever purchased, and we have invested over $100k in Timberline). Any help would be appreciated.

We are also trying to find software that would allow us to takeoff sewer profiles (breaking pipe down by depth in 2' increments) on-screen. If anyone is using anything like this I would greatly appreciate any info!! Thanks in advance for your help guys.

Sincerely,

Chris Petersen
Estimator
Mammoth Grading, Inc.

PipeGuy

Hi Chris,
What do you mean by "on screen"?

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rino1494

I don't know too much about them, but what exactly is a digitizer and how do they work ??

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jmic

Rino, It's not what you think it is.

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Joe

PipeGuy

A digitizer is a handheld device that interfaces (hooks-up) with your computer, by means of a proprietary application, and allows you to convert plan data to a digital format (digitize) by tracing the various graphic elements (lines and elevation data) depicted on the plans. Once the information is in a digital format the application can analyze and report on the job's surface areas, volumes and spacial relationships, and display the job in a variety of views on a monitor.

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rino1494

I looked at them a little online. They seem like a excellent tool. What brand do you guys recommend ??

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denick

Welcome to CONTRACTOR TALK and E&SW cgpete83, we're always glad to have new input.

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Nick

"Every day I remind myself that my inner and outer life are based on the labors of other men, living and dead, and that I must exert myself in order to give in the same measure as I have received and am still receiving" Albert Einstein

ELW1

cgpete83,
i too have been recently looking at sitework estimating software and am highly considering the quest software. they make a program called quest takeoff that you can upload digital plan files straight from your engineers computer. they are capable of uploading several differant applications so it really seems like a good program. i am somewhat green as far as estimating software goes so i am ecspecially enticed by quest's proclaimed ease of use.

what software is everyone else using? how easy is it to catch on to using it?

denick

Has anyone looked at Paydirt software? It's now owned by trimble and I know that it shares information with quite a few other programs.

I've seen that they have a site work and road work modules.

www.trimble.com/paydirt.shtml

We are way to small for that type of software.

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Nick

"Every day I remind myself that my inner and outer life are based on the labors of other men, living and dead, and that I must exert myself in order to give in the same measure as I have received and am still receiving" Albert Einstein

cgpete83

Thanks for the replies everyone.

The on-screen software we are using allows us to scan our plans in to a .tif file or .pdf file and look at the plans on the computer instead of paper. The software we are currently using allows you to measure areas, lengths, and counts of single items like valves or manholes. We don't have to measure anything with a scale on paper, or a wheel like we used to. This has cut down our takeoff time tremendously. As I said before though, there is now way to takeoff pipe by depth as we do with sewer and sometimes storm drain.

PipeGuy, you are dead on about the digitizer. We just replaced our old board (due to wear and tear) with a new one from GTCO and it's great, but the takeoffs simply take too long. If anyone here is looking for new earthwork takeoff software, I would highly reccomend moving over to a CAD solution. We use Carlson Takeoff 2007 (you can message me for their website, it wouldn't let me post the url, or just google it). With it you can build existing and proposed surfaces from an engineer's .dwg file and compare the surfaces to come up with an earthwork quantity takeoff. The size jobs we look at (anywhere from 100,000 to 2,000,000 cy of earthwork) would take multiple full days to digitize on a board, but I can take these jobs off in CAD in usually about an hour or less.

If anyone on here is looking at jobs in a lower size range a digitizer would be much more viable. When we used to do smaller commercial sites (5,000 to 25,000 cy) we had no problem using a digitizer. We actually do use Paydirt's software, but I think if we could do it again we would probably buy Quest's version because Trimble really is not focused on Paydirt much anymore and the support is not great. We currently don't use any Quest software, but I have heard great things about the company and their software.

I have been looking pretty hard for a software package that would allow us to do road profile takeoffs on-screen (as in viewing the plans on-screen and doing the takeoff with a mouse instead of a digitizer), but I'm pretty much convinced that it doesn't exist yet. As I think I mentioned previously, Quest has a standalone piece of software that can do road profiles with a digitizer, and I guess that will have to suffice until someone comes out with a better package. Unless any of you know of anything out ther (Please!!!).

Thanks again for all the responses. If anyone has any questions about software, feel free to ask me, we have been through quite a few packages as we have grown and I have a LOT of experience in this area.

Chris Petersen

Little

denick,

I use Paydirt by trimble just about everyday. The program is pretty decent. All you need to use it is a digitizing desk, the digitizing mat, and the program. I use the GTCO Roll-Up II digitizing board. The program allows you to do all you material quantities and earthwork quantities in the single program. For Cut/Fill analysis you can input shrink/swell values. In the math tools menu, you can take-off all the pipe quanties by lengths and also do areas. Damn gotta run, hehe.

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jdaviau

I used to work for Quest as a Trainer, and I can tell you the Take-off software is not for profiles, its for vertical construction. Either Trenchworks, Roadworks, or Cross Sectiosn will do your cut/fill quantities from profile views. Email me, if you have any further questions about Quest.

tbone

How much do these programs cost?

jdaviau

I wish I could teel you. About 4 years ago when I worked therem they went from $5k to $20K depending on the different modules you needed. You would have to call them to find out. questsolutions dot com, should find a phone number for you.