Renovation projects can be as hard to complete as new construction projects. Some contractors may even say renovations are more challenging. Creating an estimate alone is cumbersome.
Well, if you’ve ever thought there should be a better way to optimize your renovation projects, we have good news.
With kitchen and bathroom estimating software, you can create accurate estimates quickly and manage your renovation projects effectively. You won’t have to go through tedious calculations, endless spreadsheets, and frustrating errors that will drain your time and resources.
In this article, we’ll explore how estimating software like Bolster can help optimize your renovation projects. You’ll learn how this innovative tech can make estimating costs and managing projects a breeze so that you can stay on top of your budget and deadline.
Let’s dive in!
Kitchen and bathroom estimating software is software that helps contractors to create accurate estimates quickly. It’s an innovative tech that uses advanced algorithms to access market databases and calculate estimates faster.
When you use the software for your renovation projects, it considers every item needed, including materials, equipment, and labor, and generates an accurate renovation estimate in minutes.
In addition, it has features that enable you to track your project progress, communicate with clients and subcontractors, and get paid seamlessly.
If you’re wondering how using kitchen estimating software or bathroom estimating software can optimize your renovation project, continue reading.
Kitchen and bathroom estimating software save you time and effort. You can say goodbye to hours or days of reaching out to suppliers and crunching numbers to create estimates manually.
You’ll also eliminate the risk of human errors. The software will automatically calculate your materials take-off and the total cost of your renovation projects.
All you have to do is enter the project details, such as the kitchen dimensions or bathroom fixtures, and the software will generate an accurate estimate at the click of a button.
The estimate will break down everything you need to complete the project. So, you’ll have a comprehensive budget based on a detailed and accurate estimate, and avoid underestimations that will stall your project.
Kitchen and bathroom estimating software enables you to track your renovation projects and manage expenses to ensure you stay on track financially.
After generating the estimate and getting the client’s approval, you can order materials from suppliers and hire subcontractors from the software. You can also collaborate and oversee subcontractors to ensure the project runs smoothly.
Overall, estimating software have built-in features that make it easier to manage your projects so you’ll stay on schedule and budget. Some, like Bolster, also integrate with other project management, CRM, and accounting tools like Asana, HubSpot, and Quickbooks.
Miscommunications during renovation projects can cause problems that result in delays and loss of funds.
With estimating software, you can communicate with clients effectively — no numerous back-and-forth phone calls or lengthy email threads where you can easily lose vital information.
The software will help you generate a proposal that will show clients all the details of the estimate. And, they can easily make adjustments or request additional features.
With the estimating software, you don’t have to wait days to receive a check. Or, go through the hassle of depositing and clearing it at the bank.
Clients can make payments for their renovation projects right in the software through a secure online payment gateway. So, you can get started on the project immediately and even pay for materials and subcontractors via the software.
Although the software automates everything, there are a couple of things you need to prepare to use the software effectively. Here are the two things you need to have in place before using a bathroom and kitchen estimating software.
When planning a kitchen or bathroom renovation project, you must define exactly what needs to be done.
Sure, the client wants to renovate their kitchen. But, what exactly do they want changed? Will you be changing the floor and installing a kitchen island? How about the cabinets and walls?
Take the time to discuss the scope of the project with your client. Discuss their preferences, lifestyle, and functional requirements.
This will help you understand the client’s goals and desired outcome, and guide you in selecting the appropriate materials for the project. So, you’ll be able to use the kitchen estimating software to create an estimate that covers all their needs.
After defining the project scope with the client, you need to visit the project site to take measurements. In this case, that would be the kitchen or bathroom to be renovated.
To create an accurate estimate, ensure that you take precise and detailed measurements. You’ll need to measure everything related to the work to be done on the project. And, take note of any structural detail you need to consider.
For instance, if you are installing a tub in the bathroom, you should measure the space where the bathtub would be installed. This is because you’ll have to enter the details into the bathroom estimating software to get the pricing of bathtubs that would fit the space.
Now that you have all you need let’s explore how kitchen and bathroom estimating software can help create accurate renovation estimates.
If you’re renovating a kitchen, the first step is entering the project details and measurements into the kitchen estimating software. The same applies when renovating a bathroom.
You’ll need to enter project specifications, such as the room dimensions, so the software can generate the material take-off. You can also input custom details to generate specific materials and fixtures.
Let’s say you’ll be installing tiles on the kitchen floor. You’ll need to enter the floor dimensions and the type of floor tiles into the kitchen estimating software to generate the exact quantity of tiles required.
Next, the kitchen or bathroom estimating software will access its databases to provide you with up-to-date materials, equipment, and labor costs.
So, you won’t waste time researching and browsing through numerous catalogs to find the current market prices. Or, reaching out to multiple suppliers and vendors.
The software will provide you with pricing information from different suppliers. And, you don’t have to do anything in this step.
You can set up the software to automatically use the pricing from specific suppliers. Otherwise, it would provide you with several options to choose from.
Ultimately, it saves you time and provides the pricing information you and your client need to make informed decisions.
Like the previous step, you don’t have to do this step yourself. Bathroom and kitchen estimating software have an advanced algorithm that enables you to make calculations automatically.
On entering your project dimensions, the software will automatically calculate the material take-off and multiply it by the current market prices to calculate the cost of each item on the estimate.
Everything is done automatically, so there’s no room for miscalculating errors. Besides eliminating underestimation, it also prevents overestimation, thereby reducing wastage.
Even better, Bolster estimating software performs the calculations in real-time as you add and remove items from the estimate.
By now, the kitchen or bathroom estimating software has generated a detailed estimate showing the accurate cost of all the items needed to complete the project.
So, what is left is to create the estimate proposal you would share with the client. However, you don’t have to go through the process of doing this separately with MS Word or PowerPoint.
At the click of a button, the estimating software would use the generated estimate to create a professional estimate proposal. Then, you can export and send it to your client.
Most bathroom and kitchen estimating software have pr-built templates, so you don’t have to start from scratch. They also allow you to customize the proposal with your business brandings, such as your company name and logo.
Bolster takes this up a notch by allowing you to present the estimate to clients in a virtual showroom. All you have to do is send the proposal link to the client, and when they click on it, they’ll be taken to an interactive page where they can view the estimate.
Despite careful planning and the use of estimating software to optimize your kitchen and bathroom estimating software, unforeseen challenges can still occur.
Nevertheless, you can navigate the changes caused by these challenges easier with the estimating software.
Let’s say you find some compromised load-bearing walls during a kitchen renovation. You’ll need funds for additional materials and labor to carry out the structural repairs or modifications of the walls.
However, your initial budget would be insufficient as the item wasn’t included in your original estimate. So, you’ll have to adjust your estimate and share it with the client for approval.
With kitchen estimating software, you won’t have to spend hours or days on this. You can quickly update the costs of the unforeseen challenge in minutes, so it doesn’t affect your timeline.
And, because of the transparency of the estimating process, your client would not delay approving the additional costs to the estimate.
No doubt renovating your kitchen or bathroom can be a daunting task. But it can be easier and faster. With the help of kitchen and bathroom estimating software, you can optimize your renovation project to save time, effort, and money.
Bolster is the most exceptional estimating software on the market, if we may say so ourselves. In addition to generating detailed, accurate estimates in 7 minutes (yes, we timed it), our software also presents renovation estimates in an interactive showroom.
This showroom enables clients to get more involved in the process, promoting transparency and trust. Clients can select upgrades and downgrades for items needed for their projects and see the updated costs in real-time.
And beyond generating estimates superfast, Bolster helps you streamline your processes to deliver excellent remodeling projects.
Want to try out Bolster to see how it would work for your company?