# Estimating & Bidding spreadsheets



## Backsight (Aug 10, 2007)

Anyone here use "Construction Link" software? I am on a demo right now and like what I am seeing, but it seems a bit complicated. I have only played with it for one hour so way too soon to tell how user friendly it is. I've been using a Excel file with autosum formulas for years...works well. This software seems to have the ability to really pinpoint actual costs.....providing your takeoff and production estimates are correct:laughing:


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## rino1494 (Jan 31, 2006)

I wish that I got into using software for estimating. It seems like it would be alot less headaches. Can you hit printscreen and post a screenshot of it, I am curious.


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## denick (Feb 13, 2006)

Back,

We use HCSS Heavy Bid Lite. Expensive but our little company has made more money using it than any other tool we have.


Welcome to E&SW I hope you post often


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## rino1494 (Jan 31, 2006)

Hey Nick, do you wanna buy a complete ripper set-up for a 955K ??


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## denick (Feb 13, 2006)

rino,

I'll give you my 955K so you can put the ripper on it!


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## Backsight (Aug 10, 2007)

You definitely can hit print screen. I looked at HCSS, looks nice & quite similar to Construction Link. About 2X the money though. The thing I really like about CL is how you can pinpoint actual job costs. For every bid item you can put your men & equipment / estimated production in. The data base you build for men includes all their costs associated to the company....rate, fringes, insurance, vacation, etc. For equipment; fuel consumption, depreciation, maintenance, etc. For each bid you can type in your current fuel cost and it automatically applies this to all the equipment and trucks. Pretty cool. The other thing I like is you can enter the bid quantities for each item. Then beside them you enter YOUR takeoff quantities. What ever items your coming up with of having more quantity it will make that bid item green...meaning hammer the $ to it. The items where the bid quantity is more than your takeoff, it makes red.....short the $ to these. Then it keeps a tally of where your bid should be and what it is now that you've unbalanced it, so you can get it back to where your bottom line should be now that you've messed with quantities. Then it gives you your "winfall". If everything measures up with what your takeoff is you will bill X much extra. Thats what we all want....go in low...come out high:thumbup:

I think I may be sold on this:laughing:

Gotta get it all figured out now


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