Estimating With Electronic
Documents
Kevin R. Miller, Ph.D.
Brigham Young University
kmiller@byu.edu
Technology Assisting the Estimator
• Estimating loads are becoming more
demanding.
• Estimate more projects in less time.
• Electronic documents help estimators fight
back.
• Electronic documents may help estimators
win more projects.
What Are Electronic Docs?
• Same thing as paper, just on a computer
screen.
• Spec’s are typically PDF files.
• Drawings are often TIF, CALS or DWF
files.
• They are not the computer automatically
calculating all the quantities.
Creating Electronic Documents
• Generated directly from CAD or Word Processor
– Generated from the applications in the exact same way
as paper documents.
– The files that are created are Read-Only.
– The PDF spec files can are searchable.
• Scan Documents
– Readability issues.
– Wasted resources.
– Scanned specifications are typically NOT searchable
• OCR helpful but not 100%
Drawing File Types
FILE
TYPE
READ- SOURCE OF FILES Color
ONLY
DWF
YES
Designers
Color
CALS
YES
Corps of Engineers
B&W
TIF
YES
Reprographics
Companies
B&W
DWG
NO
Designers
Color
• The print driver for each file format comes
standard with AutoCAD.
PDF Drawings
• PDF
– PDF files will work in some of the takeoff
software packages but may operate slower.
– Multi page PDF files may or may not work
depending on the which takeoff software
package is being used.
– PDF file creation is not a standard Autodesk
print driver.
Electronic Docs Come From
• Owners
– Corps of Engineers
• Corps of Engineers on pilot project saved $20,000 in
reproduction costs.
– Federal / State Agencies
• Designers
– Architects / Engineers
• Planrooms
–
–
–
–
FWDodge.com
Repromax.com Network or reprographic companies
SBR Technologies - Utah
utbx.com
Builders Exchange network
Typical Costs to Contractors
• The contractor pays a local reprographics
company to print the entire set of documents
• Contractors prints only the sheets they need.
• The contractor may elect to print smaller sheets to
reduce costs.
• A free viewer is used to print the documents to
scale in-house.
• The above options does not represent a cost
savings to the project, rather a cost shift is what
has occurred.
Alternative to Printing
• Takeoff Viewers
– Measurements are taken from the computer
screen.
– Identifies what has been taken off.
– An organizational structure can be used.
– Integration with Estimating Software
Takeoff Viewer Features
• Digitizer like Features
– Count
– Lineal measurements
– Area
Additional Features
•
•
•
•
•
•
Markups are placed on the documents.
The measurements are modifiable.
Review of takeoff easily accomplished.
Work Breakdown Structure
Highlighting
View multiple views at a time.
Electronic Document Benefits
• Contractors can review the doc’s to decide
if they want to bid the project.
• Receive project documents quicker
(Internet/Email).
• Addenda docs are readable vs. faxed docs.
• Better distribution to subcontractors.
• Subcontractors receive a full set of plans
that they can keep.
Takeoff Viewer Benefits
• Greater accuracy than digitizers.
• Easier to identify where cost differences
occur in design/build projects.
• Measurements are modifiable and stored.
• All the measurements can occur before
calculating quantities.
• Easier archival of documents.
• Ability to overlay drawing changes.
Benefit to Estimators
•
•
•
•
•
•
Plan checkout time is reduced.
Plan return process is eliminated.
Takeoff time is reduced.
Standardized colors can be used for takeoff.
Takeoff review is visual.
Plans are easily taken with you, as well as the
takeoff tools.
Benefits for Clients
• Graphically designated quantities with the
numerical quantities.
• Increased communication prior to
construction.
• Limits liabilities.
Other Benefits of Using
Electronic Documents
• Presentations to show staging and site
considerations.
• Project Manager can verify estimate
quantities.
• % complete calculations and provide
support to the calculations.
• As-built drawings.
Google Earth and Takeoff Viewers
• Allows for preliminary site takeoff
• GPS integration using .gpx files with Google
Earth
• Layouts of site roads and utilities
• www.earth.google.com
Screen Size Does Matter
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•
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Minimum monitor size should be 17”.
Recommended 19” or 20” Viewable.
Screen resolution 1600 x 1200 or above.
Dual monitors are great.
– Plan view on one screen; details, schedules,
specifications, or estimating software on the
other screen.
Challenges
• Learning curve
– Large curve until you start, then it is small. (half
a day or less to start using the software)
• Hardware 15” screens difficult to work with.
• Proprietary image file formats
• Getting the documents from designers without
scanning
Takeoff Viewer Companies
Product
Company
URL
On-Screen Takeoff
Takeoff Tool
Max View
BidScreen XL (Excel Add-in)
On-Center Software
US Cost Inc.
MaxView Corp.
Vertigraph Inc.
www.oncenter.com
www.uscost.com
www.maxview.com
www.vertigraph.com
Elect. Doc’s in Education
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Greater accessibility to plans & specs
Reduced cost to students
Introduce students to more types of projects
Easier to show students the solutions.
• Require students to still use scales and
digitizer.
Elect. Docs in Education Cont.
• Computer lab has 25 computers with dual
screens.
• Faculty have gone to dual monitors.
• Industry is switching as a result of summer
hires and graduates.