Commercial Estimators

Hi Mark,

You and I have talked in the past, and I hope to do so more in the future.

But as for the matter at hand - I agree whole-heartedly with your sentiments - especially the one about always searching for improvements to efficiencies. I haven't tried SmatBid so I can't comment on it. However, I did want to chime in and say that the new (new to me anyway) interface between OST and iSQFT is awesome. Click the link on the emailed ITB, clink the link in the red shaded box on the iSQFT window that pops up, and then click on any plan in the Plans tab.

OST opens automatically, sets up the bid in your database, and adds a Planroom tab next to the Conditions and Zones tabs. All the plans, specs, and addenda are listed there, just waiting to be downloaded as needed. No more selecting a download directory, or cut/pasting the drawings from that directory to another, or even having to set up the bid.

PLUS as new addenda are added to iSQFT, links to them are automatically added to the Planroom tab. Just double click to view or download. 

I find iSQFT a bit of a pain to use in "manual mode", but when starting from a link in an ITB from a GC, it's as smooth as butter. And the auto-updates are awesome.

 Of course, for those not using OST.....   well, as Rosanna Rosanna Danna used to say (if you're old enough to remember)......  nevermind.

That is a nice function. But, as I am using ISqFt for 2 of my clients, it is so cumbersome to look at the projects before you are deciding to bid on them. I believe this function works by having the plans read off a directory that is not on your PC ...is that correct?

Hey, Mark I'm a GC and we're looking for an integrated ITB and virtual planroom solution.  I have looked at Isqft and for us its just too expensive.  We are a regional contractor so most of our projects and subs are within a couple of hours drive.  We have a "home made" system that works okay but we really need to move to an internet-based ITB system that can fax and email.  We are linked up with our local builders exchange and use their virtual plan room service and it works okay but its not a "custom" solution.  We typically send 100-300 invitations with each bid and would like to combine our invitation to bid with access to our own plan room and have tracking/feedback features with the ITB software.  We have a large (8,000+) database in ACT! that we use currently that we would like to import that into any new ITB software.  Based on your experience with SmartBid, does it sound like a solution for us?  Thanks

I agree that ISqFt is expensive.  I used it for a year working for a GC.  They had the "Private Planroom" feature.  It has everything you listed as wanting in an ITB system.  It e-mails or faxes or both.  If you have plans not in the public planroom you can upload them to your private planroom and mark the project "private" and no one can see it except those you invite.  It's like having your own plan room.  You can upload your database into the system and no other GC's or subs can see your list.  One note of caution.  Check ISqFt's list of CSI codes and revise your list to match before uploading.  We had a list of CSI codes that we developed off the cuff as we went and the first 2 numbers were correct, but not the others.  When imported into their list many were in the wrong trade and couldn't be found by searching by CSI for subs.  Plus you can see all the ISqFt subscriber list.  There is a great tracking feature.  You can see how many have viewed the project or downloaded a plan or spec and who it was. 

I am also a new user to the OST/ISqFt interface.  I love it.  Especially the automatic addendum update.  When you click on one plan it loads everything into Planroom tab, including specs and addendums.  When you want to view something, it downloads it to a directory of your chosing, setup in OST File location menu ahead of time.  It converts the CPCs to TIFFs and saves both.  The problem is that it saves them in a directory named with the ISqFt Project ID number only.  If you want to access the files directly, you have to know that number to find your project.  In the Plans subdirectory they are numbered without any names and a specific plan can't easily be found.