Estimating With Electronic Documents Kevin R. Miller, Ph.D. Brigham Young University kmiller@byu.edu

1. Estimating With Electronic DocumentsKevin R. Miller, Ph.D.Brigham Young Universitykmiller@byu.edu

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. 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%

5. FILE TYPE READ- ONLY SOURCE OF FILES Color DWF YES Designers Color CALS YES Corps of Engineers B&W Reprographics Companies TIF YES B&W DWG NO Designers Color Drawing File Types • The print driver for each file format comes standard with AutoCAD.

6. PDF Drawings • PDF • PDF files will work but may operate slower. • PDF will operate faster if they are converted to a TIF format. • PDF file creation is not a standard Autodesk print driver.

7. 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

8. 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.

9. Alternative to Printing • On Screen Takeoff • Measurements are taken from the computer screen. • Identifies what has been taken off. • An organizational structure can be used.

10. Takeoff Viewer Features • Digitizer like Features • Count • Lineal measurements • Area

11. Additional Features • The measurements are modifiable. • Review of takeoff easily accomplished. • Highlighting • View multiple views at a time. • Ability to efficiently perform repetitive takeoff. • Ability to copy and paste or link into estimating software.

12. 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.

13. Additional 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.

15. Benefit to Estimators • The Takeoff and plan checkout process is streamlined. • 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. • Takeoff can be “Linked” to Excel

16. Benefits for Clients • Graphically designated quantities with the numerical quantities. • Increased communication prior to construction. • Better estimates from contractor.

17. 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. • For remodel work, photographs can be included with the drawings.

19. 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

21. Screen Size Does Matter • Minimum monitor size should be 17”. • Recommended 19” or Larger. • 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.

23. Challenges • Learning curve • Large curve until you start, then it is small. (half a day or less to start using the software) • Small screens difficult to work with. • Getting the documents from designers without scanning

24. Takeoff Viewer Companies Product CompanyURL On-Screen Takeoff On-Center Software www.oncenter.com Takeoff Tool US Cost Inc. www.uscost.com Max View MaxView Corp. www.maxview.com BidScreen XL (Excel Add-in)Vertigraph Inc. www.vertigraph.com Plan Swift Tech Unlimited, Inc. http://www.planswift.com Capture E-Ring http://www.ering-cad.com/

25. Elect. Doc’s in Education • 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.

26. Elect. Docs in Education Cont. • Computer lab has 50 computers with dual screens. • Faculty have gone to dual monitors. • Industry is switching as a result of summer hires and graduates.