What if Estimating for Controls Contractors Could Be as Easy As building with Children’s Blocks?
by adminAs a kid, building with blocks was my favorite thing to do. I had this one box that contained all sorts of shapes and colors that I imagined using for different functions. As I grew up, I upgraded to more advanced sets with various interchangeable components that filled the same box. There was nothing I couldn’t build with that box.
As an adult, and a veteran controls contractor, I can’t help but notice the hundreds of product components we use daily to build HVACR, lighting and other system estimates. Imagine yourself at work, and you’re tasked with reaching a sales quota but you’re stuck behind your computer screen building estimates, creating production orders and constantly following up with internal staff to ensure your projects are moving according to schedule. While it may sound simple, I can vouch that it’s not. Estimates, production orders and SOW’s can be very time consuming for control contractors, preventing even the best of us from growing our business.
Many controls contractors utilize spreadsheets to create estimates. Spreadsheets are still a great tool, however, they can become a time suck. Beyond spreadsheets, there are dozens of useful estimating tools on the market that ‘save you time’ and ‘improve your work process’. While advanced estimating software can be a better way to manage your process, many times they too are complex and are not relevant to our industry.
So how do building blocks and sales estimation processes relate to controls contractors?
What if you could quickly pull together the materials to build an HVACR or lighting system diagram by dragging and dropping components (building blocks) and within moments produce an estimate that includes a scope of work, system diagram and a detailed production order? We thought this would be pretty cool!
Presenting Cube’s estimating module, a product that we’ve been working on with this exact vision in mind. Using preloaded materials and past project records, building your estimates should be as easy as building with your childhood building blocks.
Cube’s Estimating Module: Check out these 3 simple steps:
1. Create a New Project
2. Drag and drop components to build your system diagram
3. Finalize by saving your project
And…voila, Cube automatically produces your materials list, production order and a scope of work.
