Construction groundworks are hard work. Between digging the foundations, laying drainages, and performing site clearances, among other works, groundworks estimating can use up anything from a few hours to a few days, and that’s just an average. Some estimates can take days or even weeks to calculate, and still have potentially damaging errors.
The entire weight of the building project is always going to rely on its foundation stage. Therefore, groundworks are some of the most important initial steps of a construction project. Other than demolitions or other site, enabling activities that a construction project may require, groundworks are usually the first stage of any construction project. Therefore, you’ll want to always be on the money.
When are groundworks an absolute requirement? The onus mostly lies on the foundation contractor who will not only evaluate but will also plan the depth and types of groundworks required to ensure a sturdy building or construction project. Therefore, depending on your project, the contractor may recommend a new foundation or a foundation repair. Some of the main groundwork solutions are driveways, excavations, footings, concrete surfaces, piling block flooring, flagging, and drainage systems.
Groundworks primarily refer to the initial set of actions that involve initial excavation works that eventually lead to the laying of foundations. They prepare sub-surfaces for the start of a construction project and may also include ground investigation, substructure and ground stabilization works, landscaping, terrain, underpinnings and general site clearance. Depending on the project, groundworks can also include such activities as laying of cables and drains, and utilities installations such as water, electricity, telephone lines, water pipes, gas pipes and fibre optic cables.
Performing groundworks estimates by hand can be daunting and also eat up a lot of valuable man-hours. Groundworks estimating software knocks down this time-consuming task in to only a few minutes. Contractors can now spend more time on the project sites than they do behind desks when it comes to creating estimates. This means that they can do more within the same time frames, which means more profits for the firm.
Groundworks usually involve labour and materials. Groundworks estimating software provide tools for contractors to organize plans, measure and calculate volumes and areas, and to determine the supplies or materials they need. If you get it all wrong from the beginning, that means you will inevitably incur extra costs which will eat into your profits. Therefore, it is incredibly important that you get it spot on right from the outset.
Since you cannot take groundworks for granted, coming up with accurate groundworks estimates is absolutely critical for any contractor. Groundworks estimating software not only ensures better accuracy and less hassle, but it also hands back man-hours to contractors’ days.
With groundworks estimating software, contractors no longer have to imagine being able to cut down the time previously spent on measuring and increasing accuracy. They no longer have to struggle to produce more accurate estimates within the same, tight tender periods that clients usually provide. Groundworks estimating software essentially knock down the overwhelming workloads and significantly boosts the quality of tender submissions.
Software developers are often frowned upon because they are usually perceived as desperately trying to change the old ways of doing things, or trying to reinvent the world. Despite evidence to the contrary, some contractors still make a case for the traditional, manual methods of estimating. But groundworks estimating software have now simplified the entire process of generating an accurate estimate, and within a small fraction of the time it would typically take.
However, groundworks estimating software wasn’t designed to change anything about construction estimating other than to improve the process. It almost always pays for itself and is often well worth every penny spent on it.
A computer program can count, measure, calculate faster than you can, and with a much higher accuracy rate. Therefore, allowing software to take up the hard work is a no-brainer. With just a few clicks, groundworks estimating software can produce the figures on a screen within minutes. You simply add your fees, the cost of materials, labour and other costs, and a professional estimate is ready to be sent to a client.
Contractors always make it a priority to spot potential pitfalls even before the construction project kicks off, which saves everyone money down the line. Therefore, it is critical that, since they are usually the first ones to work at the site, they get a realistic program of works and that the project is delivered in the highest quality, on time and within budget. Estimating software can ensure this is possible, and with minimal stress or hassles.
Building clients don’t just rely on the lowest bids and certifications when selecting contractors. They also consider great reputations. Many construction companies that have been in operation for a number of years have built great reputations for quality, integrity, and reliability and pretty strong project management capabilities. Only such attributes can ensure repeat business, solid recommendations and a strong brand in their respective markets. This can only be achieved by constant improvements and always looking out for innovative ways to increase efficiency and staying ahead of the pack.
Constant improvement is at the core of construction companies’ strategies. Imagine the potential impact of reliable software that guarantees improved efficiency. With the market crowding every day and competition intensifying by the minute, technology has helped give many companies that extra edge. Software now ensures companies now do more with their time by significantly cutting down the amount of time it would usually take to perform certain actions.
The construction industry has indeed not been left behind by the wave of computer technology that has brought increased efficiency across many other industries. Groundworks estimating software and other estimating software have almost become the industry standard for the construction industry. This is not quite surprising, given that estimating is one of the most critical activities of a construction project. It is so easy to get wrong and can spell doom for any construction project from the get-go, whether it is a private, simple residential build, a commercial building or a superstructure.
