Did you know that the construction industry is lagging significantly behind other sectors in its use of digital tools? If you're using contactor estimating software, this is already a good step forward. But are you using the right remodeling estimating software, and are you making the most of it?You could have the most cutting-edge renovation estimating software in the world (like Bolster) but still be missing out on key capabilities—simply because you're not using them. Want to make sure you're maximizing your contractor estimating software and using it to its full potential? Keep reading to find out how to make the most of Bolster.
Do you want your estimates to stand out from the crowd and wow leads? If so, you need to make them visual. One of the biggest problems with remodeling estimates and digital construction proposals is they are vague, boring lists of line items with a random total at the bottom. Even though they might list what materials and finishes are used, this doesn't tell leads much. Signing off on a traditional estimate forces clients to operate blindly. It's like buying an expensive clothing item, and all you've seen of it is a line item that says "grey dress" and gives you the price. Here at Bolster, we believe that forcing clients to blindly sign off on estimates is the way of the past. Instead of making leads feel confused and uncertain, estimates should get them excited about the final outcome of the project. This is why we have developed our contractor estimating software to be highly visual. Every estimate you create will automatically populated with images of the different selections. This gives clients an instant visual overview of how all the different elements pair together. However, to achieve this, you have to ensure that you add images when setting up your account. If you add a new selection, you'll need to add an image for it. This can take a little extra time, but it is well worth it, as visual estimates will help you win jobs and dramatically increase your acceptance rate. What's more, when you sign up with Bolster, you will get one-on-one assistance in our onboarding and customer success process.
Another problem with most estimates and digital construction proposals is that it makes the decision-making process for consumers very difficult. After they receive estimates from different contractors, they have to sign off on one to move forward. Once this is done, then only can they start picking out different finishes and selections. This usually involves driving back and forth to showrooms and meetings with the contractor to view samples. After they have made finish and selection changes, the client will typically be 20% over budget, before any work has even started. This process ties the hand of clients and can make things very stressful for them. Because of this, we developed Bolster estimates to be interactive. Instead of static estimates, your clients will receive estimates they can edit in real-time. If you take the time to load multiple selections into your Bolster profile, your leads will be able to browse upgrades and alternative options to things like tiles, countertop materials, lighting, vanities, etc. If they see something they prefer, they can select this and watch their estimate update to reflect the price change in real-time. The more options you pre-load into your profile, the more variety your clients will have to choose from. If you don't take the time to load selections, then you'll miss out on the interactive impact of Bolster estimates.
Another way you can maximize construction estimating software like Bolster is through the right mark-up settings. Analysis shows that contract bids are lagging considerably behind material prices and architectural costs. The main reason for this is that contractors aren't marketing up materials and retail items thoroughly. One of the big benefits of Bolster's remodeling estimating software is that it allows you to set a default markup on all items. If you utilize this feature, you can rest assured that you'll make money no matter what. Besides this, Bolster also protects you from discounts eating into your profit margins. If you give a discount on your quote, Bolster will notify you if you're going under your minimum profit margin. This is particularly useful if you have a salesperson out in the field wanting to give discounts to win you the job, but unknowingly ending up eating into your profit margin by doing this. What's more, you can also edit your profit margin for each job. Want to make more money on a certain project? All you have to do is increase your profit margin and the entire estimate will automatically update.
If you are using a renovation estimating software solution like Bolster, then you'll also have the capability to create assemblies. If you want to make the most of your contractor estimating software, it's essential that you take the time to create and fine-tune these. Once you have put your assemblies together, you can easily add them to quotes. Instead of having to work out how much of each material you need, you can just click on the appropriate assembly and input your measurements. This can save you endless amounts of time, as you won't be adding everything from scratch every time. Instead of having to work out the materials each time you quote on something like a kitchen remodel, you can just select the assemblies. However, to fully utilize this feature, you have to invest the time to "build" your assemblies in the remodeling estimating software. Does this sound daunting? If you sign up for Bolster, our onboarding and customer success teams will walk you through the steps.
If you're using Bolster or a similar contractor estimating software solution, then you'll also be able to utilize CRM features. Having a built-in CRM tool with your remodeling estimating software can streamline your lead nurturing process, save you time, and ensure that you never lose a lead's contact details. Therefore, make sure you take some time to investigate how the CRM features works so that they can start saving you time. For example, did you know that Bolster allows you to collect leads from your website? If someone fills in a form, you can use our script to automatically have this lead populate into Bolster. Not only does this save you time, but it also ensures that no website lead slips through the cracks.
Part of getting the maximum benefits out of contractor estimating software is utilizing it to its full capacity. The other part is choosing the right renovation estimating software tool. There are a plethora of options on the market, but Bolster is the only one changing up the game and truly revolutionizing the customer's experience through better estimates. Here at Bolster, we believe that an Amazon-like buying experience is the future in the construction industry. Our contractor estimating software solution gives your clients power and transparency, gets them excited about projects, and saves you infinite amounts of time. Book a free demo today.