Paint Estimating Software?

Da Vinci

OK. I'm on software number 2, still has stuff I don't like. Tried the program offered by PDCA, which had a lot of good features but took more time than I had to set it up- lots of quirks.

This area is a definite bottleneck for me. Anyone have a good software program that they love, recommend?

It's discouraging to spend $1700 on software just to have things that don't work like you want...

SUGGESTIONS?

Bob
Bay Area Painting Contractor

back@it

I would hope that the software would come with some kind of warranty or satisfaction guarantee! Have you anything like that to fall back on? (I'm just stating the obvious here!)

daArch

When I managed the Mom&Pop in 89-90(as mentioned in the California Paints thread) the owner of the store also had a painting company (I bet at least one person on this forum in Mass worked for Alan Orth), and he wrote his own estimating software using Lotus 123. I used its principals to develop my own for my wallpapering business.

If you know your way around a spread sheet and know how to write formulas that average,round up & down, and can reference other cells, you can make one very effective for yourself.

After years in the business, you know how long it takes you to perform certain tasks. You know when you need to add a certain "difficulty" factor. And that's the crux of it.

You have cells for the number of doors, windows, sq ft of wall, lin ft of trim, etc. Those numbers are multiplied by the sum of the time needed to perform necessary tasks and those numbers are then multiplied by wage rates.

For instance, you have a house with 58 6/6 windows, you know your crew will be spending one hour prepping each window, 30 minutes priming and 45 minutes finish coating. You know that you need to charge $50/man hour.

It's just a matter of setting up a spread sheet with cells for each "unit", tasks, and wage.
58 x (1+.5+.75) x 50 =$6525
(and don't forget materials, set up, clean up, furniture moving, bush covering, etc)


Now when you hit some 12/12 windows that are in bad need of re-glazing, you have another cell that is adjustable for a difficulty factor. So you plug in 3 and you estimate is tripled for those windows.

It takes time and effort to set this up, but once you've done it, it is CUSTOMISED FOR YOU. AND knowing what you did, you can easily go back and tweak as needed.

I actually have one cell for hourly rate that all the others refer to determine costs. If I want to adjust for city vs suburbs, it is a simple matter.

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Wallcovering Installations by Bill Archibald|paperhanger|Eastern Mass|Greater Boston Area|Dover|Wellesley|Franklin|Sharon|MA

Da Vinci

Well the first one from PDCA did have a warranty- I was able to return it within 30 days which I did.

The second one was recommended by a large painting contractor out here- he uses it all the time, so I took his recommendation.
No warranty, still doesn't do exactly what I'm looking for...

I see you're from Dayton- I was raised in Dayton (actually Kettering, OH)

Bob
Bay Area Painting Contractor

Da Vinci

Thanks,
I actually have developed spreadsheets/formulas that I use (Excel). I wanted something that could do it quicker/more efficient, then take that info and transfer it into a proposal/contract/work orders for foremen. The one I bought does most of that, but I don't like the proposal boilerplate...

Bob
Bay Area Painting and Faux Finishing

slickshift

Not from personal experience, no
I have 3 on my computer, and use none of them

Use the search button, though
Look for "estimating software"

Someone, I can't remember who, has a post where they used one they liked

I think they are the only one though...lol

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Signature Quote

Quote:

Originally Posted by ModernStyle I have never used this crap before and I pray to the paint gods that I never have to use it again, I would rather use Behr

daArch

Bob,

Excel is very good at taking cell info and transferring it to another worksheet. I have set up my Estimate and Invoice templates on different worksheets than where I put my raw info. I type the customers name and contact info once and that gets transferred. The money figures get transferred once they are computed.

Excel is a very powerful tool (NO I am not shilling for Micro$haft - I am sure many other spreadsheet programs can do as well). I am convinced you can do all you want with it. Time will be spent, but you will get what you want. Perhaps hiring a consultant to work through the difficult pieces would be money well spent.

I too tire of these programs that try to be EVERYTHING for ALL people. They turn out to be impossible to operate memory hogs. IMO

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Wallcovering Installations by Bill Archibald|paperhanger|Eastern Mass|Greater Boston Area|Dover|Wellesley|Franklin|Sharon|MA

Da Vinci

Hiring a consultant- great idea! That may be the best way to go. Thanks for the suggestions.

Bob
Bay Area Painting and Faux Finishing

paint_booger

"Hiring a consultant- great idea! That may be the best way to go. Thanks for the suggestions." (Da Vinci)

From what I've seen, you have dozens of the best consultants right here ... FOR FREE. Take a little time to explore every nook and cranny of this web site, and you will find info in places you wouldn't expect. Check out the other trades.

"When I managed the Mom&Pop in 89-90(as mentioned in the California Paints thread) the owner of the store also had a painting company (I bet at least one person on this forum in Mass worked for Alan Orth), and he wrote his own estimating software using Lotus 123. I used its principals to develop my own for my wallpapering business." (Da Arch)

I did the same thing! Set up payroll, estimating, overhead, and projection spread sheets. I totaly agree with Arch! Using a "One-Size-Fits-All" program will never suit your needs 100% of the time. It may be so much easier to grab the box off the shelf at the local software store, but customizing your own is by far the way to go! And thank God for Exel!

Dayton > I was born at Write Pat AFB

Da Vinci

I realize there is a vast resource of knowledge here for sure- I love it. The software I bought was written by a painting company in LA doing 2 mil+ a year in sales, so I figured it was perfect. In many ways it is, but the proposals are not good format-that is one of the bottlenecks taking info from the spreadsheets transferring into a good proposal.

There are a LOT of good builder type estimating programs, but they are way too general to work for me.

Dayton > I was born at Write Pat AFB

I used to own a home minutes away from there off Smithville Rd. In fact, my senior year our drafting class got to go to the museum there and draft up a set of plans from the Wright Brothers "B" flyer for the Bi-Centennial.

Bay Area Painting COntractor

paint_booger

I remember doing 10 exterior repaint estimates a day ... to the point I could drive past a house at 30 miles per hour, and spit out prices.

I actualy used to copy addresses down, and mail estimates ... with out ever getting out of my car. I got a 10% return on the offers, and did well on the $$$$ side. I would toss the extras on as they popped up (always specifying what I was bidding).

Software is nice ... but we used to submit bids before "King Gates" was born.


GURU

BMAN

I agree with Booger on this one. For res repaints why make it more difficult then need be? The only thing wrong with the drive by estimate (I have done a few) Is when they say "so how much are you charging for the addition?" or the major repair to the back soffit. That takes some tap dancing to get around.

paint_booger

Just include exclusions. "Windows, doors, soffit only. Other work will be additional." Then set up an appointment.

plazaman

i agree with guru..



i think it would be alot easier without the software. On res. repaints, i can look it at and come up with a price without any software.

Exteriors, a quick measurement.


Or am i missing something? how can software benefit the estimating process?

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Westchester Remodeling Contractor
Hartsdale Remodeling Contractor
Ardsley Remodeling Contractor

Brian

Software provides accuracy, consistency, and documentation. With software, I have a record of every estimate I've given. This allows me to check my estimate against the actual results.

Coming up with a price is easy. Coming up with an accurate price is another thing. Taking our experience and applying it to a new situation is much easier with software.

For example, this week I looked at a 250 unit apartment complex, a 640 unit apartment complex, a wing of a retirement home with 70 residents, another 250 unit apartment complex, and a 15 unit condo (in addition to about 10 residential repaints). If I didn't have the data from years of residential repaints, these bigger projects would be almost impossible to bid.

Software provides me with easy and accurate access to a ton of data. I don't have to guess, or rely on my memory.

The more information I have, the better I can estimate. And this becomes even more important when the projects starting getting very large.

Brian Phillips

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Houston Interior Painting
Houston Exterior Painting
Houston Painting Contractor

daArch

Some people are real good at looking at a building and having an abilty to spit out an accurate price and amount of materials. and then there are people like myself.

Some of us DO make it more (apparently) "difficult" on ourselves, but that is our comfort level. We need to use the figures gleaned from years of experience.

My last couple of large estimates, I flew by the seat of my pants. This area will take XX man days to prep and install, liner on these walls will take xx man days, I'll need *** rolls of paper. Put it all together and came up with a healthy looking estimate, but I weren't comfortable. So I plugged the figures into my formulas, and damn if I didn't come up with comparable figures. I felt comfortable then.

ALSO, with estimating software you can send a slug out to take measurements and count architectural features. Ask him what he feels the "PITA" factor is. Plug the figures into the software, an VOILA a good estimate. You stay in the office or in the field being productive.

Another benefit with software is that your templates are automatically filled, and they look professional. This saves time.

I pdf my estimates and email them to the customer, another time saver.

Every system has its place. If you are good doing drive-bys, hand writing your estimates, and mailing them off, God bless ya. None of us is better than another, we just know our own comfort level.

What a country !!

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Wallcovering Installations by Bill Archibald|paperhanger|Eastern Mass|Greater Boston Area|Dover|Wellesley|Franklin|Sharon|MA

welovepainting

whats the best software to use then?

ED_Painting

I don't think those multi-units are considered residential. Single residential repaint a drive by is probably the best option.

ED_Painting

I find some of their task times unrealistic in residential repaint. Does anybody have the same experience?