Taking the leap and adopting residential construction estimating software is a big step for any company. Whether you’re a subcontractor, a renovator, or a home builder, making a change like this comes with a lot of thought and consideration – as it should. Top of most people’s list is the cost, but there are also the challenges of getting set up, getting buy-in from your team, and learning something new – all while you’re trying to keep your clients happy. All of those things are important; however, at Bolster, we’ve consistently found that the ROI in time, money and effort far exceeds our customer’s expectations. Here’s why choosing the best construction estimating software out there is a good idea for your business.
When we built Bolster, we took many years of our own frustrations with residential construction estimating software and systems and distilled it down to something we wanted to use. Only once the construction professionals on our team were satisfied, we had the best construction estimating software out there did we start offering it to customers. But we also know that when you’re neck-deep in the construction business, there’s not a lot of time to set new systems up. So, we’ve built onboarding and training in. We’ll help you get your system set up so you don’t have to miss a step.
If you’ve ever tried to estimate a project with a complex spreadsheet with many pages and complicated formulas, you’ve probably seen the limitations of those kinds of systems firsthand. We didn’t want to build something that has the same problems you have with spreadsheets, so Bolster is like nothing else you’ve ever seen. The interface is simple, the steps make perfect sense, and we’re proud to say that most people can go from complete novice to doing their first quote in less than half an hour.
Do you know those old systems where you have to import all your prices as a CSV file every time you increase? You probably do that a few times a year. With Bolster, you’ll never have to do that again.
That’s because we’ve built an intelligent web crawler into the system. So, all you do is tell the system where your supplier’s website is, and you’ll always be using the latest prices for your chosen products.
Working with homeowners is rewarding, and it’s fantastic to see their faces when you hand over their dream home or renovation. But they’re not the most decisive people, are they? Most homeowners need at least ten different options for just about anything. They’ll go back and forth and back and forth some more. Often, they go back to the first choice anyway – but they want to be sure that they chose that option! Our residential construction estimating software is built to allow your clients to do that in real-time, with zero extra time or effort from you. Once you’ve sent your quote to your client, they have access to your “digital showroom” of products and alternatives. They can mix and match as much as they want, with real-time price updates to show them how the bottom-line changes with each substitution. It’s like having the worlds’ best salesperson in their living room, twenty-four hours a day!
When homeowners are shopping for a remodel, renovation, new kitchen or basement redesign, there’s a good chance they have a vision of what they want. There’s also a good chance that they struggle to articulate that vision to you. This is why, when we build the best construction estimating software, we made it a visual thing. When customers receive your quote and view options, they not only see prices and descriptions, but they also see images of the items and options they’ve chosen – and the others you’re offering. So, as they click, scroll, discuss, and decide, the images from your quote begin to overlay their vision for their space. At the end of the process, they’ll find it hard to imagine anyone else doing the job! We worked hard to make Bolster an estimating system that feels like an eCommerce shopping platform. We want your customers to see your products and finishes and picture them in their space, so when they decide to go ahead, you’re the company that gets the call.
Another reason we say that Bolster is the best residential estimating software out there is that our assemblies-based quoting engine can go from nothing to finished quote in under ten minutes. Once the system is set up and your assemblies are built, you simply work through the product and finishes list, choose options, and add dimensions, and when you’re done, the quote is ready to go. Clients can still opt to update their quote based on the options you’re offering, but instead of spending an hour on one quote, you can send several quotes in half that time. Since time is money in the construction world, this alone is enough to make a massive change in your business.
One of the best things about Bolster's quote and project engine is that even when the client accepts the quote, you can still make changes and push updated quotes out to your clients when they ask for them. All previous versions of your quotes stay in the system, and the new quote won’t become the most up-to-date version until the customer accepts it.
In most cases, this is all you need to do to manage change orders on your project, and that’s another great feature when you’ve got a lot of work to do and not a lot of time to do it in!
Having the best construction estimating software doesn’t end with sending prices to customers. There are a lot of other administrative tasks you need to take care of, too, including invoicing and progress billing. The Bolster invoicing and progress billing system plugs right into QuickBooks and has API options for most other popular accounting services, so once you’ve invoiced the job, you can update your books to match. The system itself is easy, and invoices can be based on quantities or percentages at your discretion. Like everything else in the Bolster system, it’s fast, easy, and accurate.
Giving your customers a well-designed digital quote that they can update and alter in real-time is a great start, but you also have to get the job done.
We’ve thought about that too. Because the Bolster estimating system is based on assemblies and line items, it’s easy to give your crews detailed work orders and pick lists that match your quotes exactly. So, all they need to get the job done is a drawing of the space and boots on the ground.
Most old-fashioned residential construction estimating software packages are pretty limited to where you can use them. You need to load the CD on your office PC or laptop, and that’s about it. If you’re not in the same room as the computer, you’re not getting any estimating or quoting done.
Bolster is different. It’s built in the cloud so that you can access it from anywhere you have an internet connection. It’s also fully responsive, which means you can use it on a computer, tablet or even a phone. So, no matter where you are when you need to access your quote system, you’ve got Bolster in your hand.
The truth is the people behind Bolster aren’t software engineers or accountants (although we have a few of those too.) They’re construction professionals who have owned and operated construction, trades, and renovations companies. We know why all the old systems don’t work, so we took all that knowledge and built something that did. We know that Bolster is the best construction estimating software system out there right now because it’s the system we always wanted and could never find. So, whether you’re still stuck with paper and a calculator or you’re wrestling with spreadsheets, and you think it might be time, get in touch. You’ll be amazed at how easy estimating, sales, and residential construction management can be when you have the right tool for the job.