The construction software
industry has changed over the past 8 years switching from paper plans
to PDF plans. Blueprint takeoff software for PDF plan takeoff has
become the common method for construction estimators who use
construction estimating software. Estimating software has also
changed where now you can find free construction estimating software
where in the past you would pay thousands of dollars. There is even
free takeoff software available for multiple trades. Takeoff
software is primarily for measuring from plans. PDF plan takeoff
software is also commonly referred to as onscreen takeoff software
because you measure directly from the PDF image on the screen.
Estimating software is taking the quantities generated from the PDF
plan takeoff or onscreen takeoff software and feeding the numbers
into a pricing database of material items. Construction takeoff
software is the past was all paper plan takeoff using a digitizer.
Today’s construction estimator sees primarily digital plans and
relies on PDF plan takeoff software and onscreen takeoff software
rather than working from paper plans. Construction estimating
software is no moving through a new stage where data is being stored
in the cloud. The software can be used by many trades and is ideal
for contractors who do electrical estimating since they deal with
such a large number of material items that benefit from being store
in an estimating software database up on the cloud where many people
can access the information. When I first started in the industry
construction estimating software was very primitive but today with
the advances in technology and the transition from the old DOS
operating system to Windows, construction estimating software has
expanded and including cutting edge technology like BIM. Blueprint
takeoff software has also changed and with the transition from paper
to digital plans, PDF plan takeoff or onscreen takeoff has become the
common takeoff software application that is used by the majority of
construction estimators. A product like QuickMeasure OnScreen
allows you to measure directly from a PDF plan without having to
print the PDF image.
The good news for the
consumer is that the technology has come down in price where in the
old days you would have to buy both estimating software, takeoff
software and a digitizer which would typically be thousands of
dollars. Now you can find free construction estimating software,
free takeoff software and you have eliminated the need to buy a
digitizer because all of the plans are provided as a PDF or digital
file. What does the future hold? Blueprint takeoff software will
continue to rely on PDF plan takeoff and onscreen takeoff for the
next five to ten years. Construction estimating software will
ultimately push to the cloud for access to the estimating software
from anywhere and anytime. At some point it’s possible that
architect’s will provide blueprint takeoff quantities in their
drawings eliminating the need for PDF plan takeoff or onscreen
takeoff but time will tell whether contractors will embrace the new
technology.
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