BUILDSOFT is the estimating software for the building and construction industry. Buildsoft Global Estimating is the software program for commercial use in the building and construction industry. It produces Bills of Quantities or detailed Estimates and Cost Plans. Its primary use is by Commercial building contractors and Quantity Surveyors. Conceived and designed in Australia, the software is successful right around the world and has been constantly improved and upgraded, often incorporating customer requests and suggestions. Information (Data) you enter into the program can be sorted or analysed using powerful grouping columns. The estimate can be summarised to produce totals by area, block, stage, cost centre, accounting group, or any user-defined set of codes. Subbies Comparison is an "add-on" module for Global Estimating that allows the prime contractor to refine the rates and subcontractor options. The original estimate may be used in its original form or sorted into groupings that are more suitable. Portions of the estimate can then be sent out to potential subcontractors, giving all the necessary references and quantities. The subcontractors can even be issued with Buildsoft software to price the items. The aim of getting subcontractors to electronically price items is to reduce the amount of time needed to re-enter the information at the prime contractor's computer. It also eliminates the possibility of mistakes arising from typing errors. At the end of this process, a revised estimate total is available. The difference between each original group total and the revised group total is displayed in columns headed "Add" or "Omit. Management can review the Comparisons and measure the impact of any changes they may wish to make to subcontractors, groupings of items, or methods of construction. This is a vital part of the estimating and management function. The Buildsoft Subbies Comparison software presents a clear analysis that can be combined with the estimating teams skills and experience to speed up job-winning submissions that will produce maximum profitability. BTOS Buildsoft Take-off system. This product is the latest advancement in on-screen take-off systems and features enhanced 3D viewing. It has the potential to change the way you do estimating forever and maybe put some fun back into the estimator s job. Certainly, it gives estimators more time to concentrate on using their skills rather than performing laborious measuring tasks. This software is a new product for Buildsoft but has already been upgraded using the latest in progressive software design methods. It has a streamlined interface along with multiple superior features to make it one of the easiest and most intuitive take-off systems on the market. Import a digital image format such as PDF, DXF and DWG into your project. Then simply trace over an image area with your mouse, and you can take off lineal metres, areas, volumes and vertical area results with just a few clicks of your digitiser or mouse. Then enter any deductions and the BTOS system will automatically calculate the quantities and transfer the information into your estimating program. BTOS is available as an "add-on" module for Global Estimating and Offsider Estimating. A staff with extensive construction and computer knowledge is there to back you up so that you get the most out of all Buildsoft products.
The main features of BUILDSOFT Global Estimating System; Bill of Quantities 4-Level Estimating BQ Production Lump sump BQ Composite rates Build up your composite rates for each item Can be saved in pricelist / library Libraries for description & rates keeping the standard description & composite rates in the pricelist / library Tendering function Transferring the rates from pricelist into a job Multi-level mark-up function Revising the job / element / item total Mark-up for the profit, overhead & wastage Easily adjusting the tender sum Estimating functions Estimate according to floor area / cost planning / elemental cost Job Analysis Abstracting part of the BQ items out from a job Converting the elemental bill into trades bill Preparation of Sub-contractor BQ Cost Analysis Analysing the overall materials & labours cost in particular job Providing the overall quantities for all types of materials in particular job Quantity Analysis Differentiate the item s total quantity into stages/levels Measurement Calculation Sheet Taking off the quantities from drawing Various formula can be keyed in at this level Transferring of secondary unit is available Interim Valuation / Progress Claim Claim your job by percentage Printing claim reports Tender Comparison System SCP Module Comparison of the tender between the different contractors or subcontractors Tender by diskette facilities is available Buildsoft Take Off System (BTOS) Cad Measurement Module Measurement by importing the soft copy from DWG, DXF, JPEG, BITMAP, PDF, GIF and TIF files. Auto detection of scale from DWG file 3D viewing Buildsoft Online Tendering System (BOLTS) Coming soon Fully online tendering Moving towards paperless and handy tendering process Benefits to QS Consultant firms & Developers Speed up BQ production process Speed up estimating process Speed up measurement process Speed up job analysis process Speed up tender comparison process Proper record of standard descriptions & cost data Easily checking measurement and rates Easily revise BQ quantities & rates Save time, cost and energy Easy to use and learn Benefits to Contractors & Sub- Contractors Speed up tendering process Speed up estimating process Speed up BQ preparation process for the lump sum projects Speed up job analysis process after awarded the projects Speed up measurement process Speed up tender comparison process Easily checking measurement and rates Proper record of cost data & standard descriptions Easily revise tender sum Save time, cost and energy Easy to use and learn
4 level estimating The four level estimating system has proven to be very successful and simple for the first time user. There are four estimating sheets that are very similar to manual estimating methods currently used. Level 1 - Job Summary This sheet summarizes your estimate. Typically, this screen contain a lists of elements, but depending on the type of job, it could contain cost centre's, elements or building stages. Different jobs can be setup under different trade name listings to suit Cost per unit of gross floor area for each element Subtotals elements / trades Spell checking facility Transfer of information from Price book Different mark-ups or extra contingency factors can be applied to individual elements Percentages of cost distribution are shown Graphical presentation available Separate labour and material summary available
Level 2 Element/Trade Breakup Items can be coded to produce job analyses Subheadings are highlighted in a different colour Specifications and notes can be entered Values can be dependent on other numbers in the same screen This screen contains the bill of quantity items for each element/trade. Each element/trade has its own element/trade break-up sheet. Unlimited number of items per trade Large item descriptions Bill references are shown next to each item and can be updated immediately Quantities can be typed in, calculated in detail or derived from a digitizer Rates can be typed in, linked to a price list or produced from a break-up sheet Formulas or standard mathematical functions can be used Level 3 - Calculation Sheet This screen allows you to enter dimensions as you take them off the plan or use the digitizer to calculate the quantity. Allows lineal, area and volume calculations Total returned to quantity column of Element/Trade Breakup Complex formulas accepted Deductions can be entered Lengths summary available A secondary quantity (eg. number of, length, or area) can be appended to the item description
This screen allows you to build up a composite rate that may include materials, labour, sub-contract, and equipment components for an item rate. Large item descriptions Quantities can be typed in, calculated in detail or derived from a digitizer Rates can be typed in, or linked to a price list Formulas or standard mathematical functions can be used Individual components can be coded to produce job analyses Values can be dependent on other numbers in the same screen Level 4 - Rate Breakup Sheet Buildsoft Take Off System (BTOS) Cad Measurement Module Allows you to directly take -off quantities using one of the following methods Import DWG / DXF / Bitmap / PDF / GIF / JPG / TIF Files Digitizer Scanner
BTOS Features Menus and toolbars can be easily repositioned anywhere on the screen More than one result can be obtained from each shape The result of each shape is available in addition to the overall drawing result Circles, arcs, ellipses and rectangle shapes can be entered easily Drawings can be previewed on-screen within the estimating system Informative print reports including layout of drawing and all individual dimensions of the drawing Notes can be stored with individual shapes within drawings Text can be entered onto the drawing itself Can be used in "digitizer" mode or "mouse" mode - allowing you to zoom in and draw shapes A standard default list of shape names is user maintainable Can draw polyline Various results can be obtained such as linear metres, area, vertical area, volume, length by pitch, area by pitch, volume by length and etc.