Estimating and Virtual Reception Solutions

FastPIPE Mechanical Estimating Software for commercial and industrial contractors  (www.fastest-inc.com, 800/828-7108), suitable for laptop and one-monitor users, supports a variety of digital plan formats, including PDFS.

The solution features a customizable Quick-Pick Menu that allows users to customize items they utilize most into a small moveable menu to takeoff more efficiently and allows customizing corresponding hot keys, enabling keyboard shortcuts for the items they use most. The software also includes a plumbing and mechanical-specific pricing catalog, jobs and bids. The Master Catalog has over 150,000 items, with data for every major manufacturer of piping, fittings, valves, flanges, and hangers. Specifications can be tailored to each plumbing and mechanical job.

Takeoffs are performed directly on digital job plans using the software’s on-screen digitizer. Labor rates are based on industry standards that can be adjusted for job or site conditions. Material pricing can be job-specific based on your supplier quotes. (FastPIPE supports Ferguson, Harrison and Allpriser independent pricing services. Ferguson includes a feature, Live Pricing, that enables users with the ability to import their specific Ferguson pricing in real time with a click of a button.)

FastPIPE comes with standard templates for commercial plumbing and HVAC piping and you can use existing jobs as templates for new jobs.

The software also can generate labor and material reports filtered and sorted as the user requires. Results can be exported to a Microsoft Excel workbook for final quote.

Additional features of FastPIPE: AutoConnect—to automatically take of the appropriate length of pipe between two fittings if there is a line between the fittings; hundreds of built-in HVAC and plumbing assemblies ready for use in a takeoff.

FastPIPE calculates linear feet, diameter inches, weight, surface area, volume, material costs and labor with a single click. Material adjustments and job factors can be applied directly to the report. Reports can be broken down by sections, specs areas, zones, cost-codes,item tags, and more.

FastPIPE shares a common user interface with FastDUCT, for simplifying bidding sheet metal and industrial ductwork jobs, and FastWRAP mechanical insulating estimating software for commercial contractors.

FastDUCT –  commercial HVAC estimating software useful for bidding sheet metal and industrial ductwork jobs. It can utilize your company construction standards or purchased duct. Your reports and spreadsheets will seamlessly integrate into FastPIPE.

FastWRAP -mechanical insulating estimating software for commercial contractors featuring on-screen digital take-off.

Pricing: One-time Purchase option and Lease Option available; additional yearly fees for Maintenance, optional after the first year or lease term.   

PataBid Quantify

PataBid Quantify (www.patabid.com, 877/472-8224) is a digital estimating software platform for residential, commercial, and industrial MEP contractors. Designed for small and medium sized companies and scalable for enterprise companies as well, the solution features graphical screen takeoff, built-in pricing and labor tools.

The platform includes industry standard installation labor units for all items in the database. This allows contractors to properly allow the assignment of individual work crews to the estimate to ensure that labor rates are properly managed for a total value; materials are also managed on an estimate basis, allowing for a complete and comprehensive price to be assembled. HVAC materials and assemblies are built in for residential and commercial work. The tools for HVAC takeoff are still in the beta stage.

The REQ templates are created in standardized customizable Excel files that can be easily exported and sent to for pricing suppliers (currently electrical supply houses, with HVAC supply houses in the preliminary stage with 2025 the target date). A Prioritized Pricing feature allows users to integrate material pricing from multiple sources and vendors and set which vendor pricing takes priority.

While the solution already includes integration with two supply houses on the electrical side—giving users the ability to input up-to-the-minute pricing directly into estimates within seconds—integration with suppliers for HVAC customers is still in the works, with a target date sometime in 2025.

Pricing: yearly licensing fee; pooled licensing available for license sharing with multiple users in a company; free 14-day trial.

AnswerForce

AnswerForce (www.answerforce.com, downloadable at the App Store, GooglePlay, or for Desktop, 800/461-8535) offers virtual reception services for contractors, with a mobile app, that provides 24/7 live answering to a single business phone or multiple business lines, lead capture, follow-up calls, scheduling, live chat, and team messaging. Users can prioritize interactions and add notes, photos and reminders to important messages from preferred numbers.

When you register for the solution, AnswerForce works with you to create a customized call script which the live answering team uses to answer calls on your behalf. Immediately after each call, you receive a summary, including notes and details, via the AnswerForce app, SMS or email. Plus, an inbound tab contains every interaction between your customers and receptionists.

In addition, the AnswerForce team can help book appointments, make follow-up calls, and qualify leads. For scheduling, AnswerForce partners with Setmore (reviewed in my January 2024 column), providing intuitive appointment scheduling that allows you to accept online booking from site-visiting customers, and integrates with many job management systems, CRMS, and other business tools. The software syncs with Google Calendar, Outlook, and Office 365 via Setmore. 

Pricing: tiered by number of minutes and number of chats, upgradable any time during any month.

Patti Feldman writes articles and web content for trade magazines and manufacturers of building products. She can be reached at [email protected].