2013 Craftsman Costbooks are Available in Version 1.6
February 26, 2013 Filed in: Construction Cost Estimator
Version 1.6 of Construction Cost Estimator is now available. This update includes the option to purchase the 2013 Craftsman costbooks as in-app purchases. If you already purchased the 2012 Craftsman costbooks, the 2013 update is free. Version 1.6 is also the last update that will support iOS 5. Version 1.6.1 will require iOS 6.0 or greater.
The 2013 Craftsman costbook data has been updated to include the top-level categories, such as Demolition, Electrical, and Painting. This makes it much easier to browse through the cost items in the same way that you would browse the Table of Contents in a printed book.
The costbook search algorithm has also been significantly improved to search through all levels of the hierarchy to find matching cost items. Additionally, all of the parents and children of those matching items are shown in the search results as well. So if you search for "painting", you would see the top-level category called "Painting and Finishing" and all of the sub-folders and individual cost items within the Painting folder. You would also see an individual cost item called "Touch-up Painting", along with the following parent folders in the hierarchy: Doors -> Exterior Doors -> Door Repairs. This will make it much easier to quickly find the cost items you are looking for.
Version 1.6 also includes some other new features that customers have been asking for, such as the ability to show or hide the Material, Labor, Other, or Subcontract columns individually, the ability to assign a default Cost Category the the cost items in your custom costbook, and the ability to display the total labor hours at the bottom of the estimate.
Version 1.6.1 should be available sometime next week, with a few bug fixes and the ability to delete the associated cost items from the estimate when you delete a Phase or Area from a project. Note that version 1.6.1 will require iOS 6.0 or greater.
The 2013 Craftsman costbook data has been updated to include the top-level categories, such as Demolition, Electrical, and Painting. This makes it much easier to browse through the cost items in the same way that you would browse the Table of Contents in a printed book.
The costbook search algorithm has also been significantly improved to search through all levels of the hierarchy to find matching cost items. Additionally, all of the parents and children of those matching items are shown in the search results as well. So if you search for "painting", you would see the top-level category called "Painting and Finishing" and all of the sub-folders and individual cost items within the Painting folder. You would also see an individual cost item called "Touch-up Painting", along with the following parent folders in the hierarchy: Doors -> Exterior Doors -> Door Repairs. This will make it much easier to quickly find the cost items you are looking for.
Version 1.6 also includes some other new features that customers have been asking for, such as the ability to show or hide the Material, Labor, Other, or Subcontract columns individually, the ability to assign a default Cost Category the the cost items in your custom costbook, and the ability to display the total labor hours at the bottom of the estimate.
Version 1.6.1 should be available sometime next week, with a few bug fixes and the ability to delete the associated cost items from the estimate when you delete a Phase or Area from a project. Note that version 1.6.1 will require iOS 6.0 or greater.
Video Interview with TUAW
February 14, 2013 Filed in: Construction Cost Estimator
TUAW just posted a video interview that we filmed last summer. I talked about how the apps came about, and discussed some my design philosophy.
http://www.tuaw.com/2013/02/08/origin-stories-joel-grasmeyer-construction-cost-estimator/
http://www.tuaw.com/2013/02/08/origin-stories-joel-grasmeyer-construction-cost-estimator/
Construction Cost Estimator for the Mac
December 04, 2012 Filed in: Construction Cost Estimator
Construction Cost Estimator is now available for Mac OS X. The world of construction cost estimating software has long been dominated by complex and expensive Windows software and ugly spreadsheets. Many of them cost over $1,000, and they’re not very user-friendly. Many contractors have been moving from PCs to Macs over the last few years, but they have been disappointed by the lack of high-quality business software. We would like to change that.
The Mac version of Construction Cost Estimator is designed to be simple and intuitive so you can get your estimate out the door as fast as possible. You can quickly search through 3 Craftsman costbooks available within the app to get the material and labor costs for over 30,000 common construction items. You can also create your own custom costbook to save the cost items that you use the most. When you’re done creating your estimate, you can email it to your customer directly from the app.
Take a look at the sample estimate below. It’s clean and simple, and you can customize the layout to suit your needs. If this would save you time and money, go buy a copy today from the Mac App Store.
The Mac version of Construction Cost Estimator is designed to be simple and intuitive so you can get your estimate out the door as fast as possible. You can quickly search through 3 Craftsman costbooks available within the app to get the material and labor costs for over 30,000 common construction items. You can also create your own custom costbook to save the cost items that you use the most. When you’re done creating your estimate, you can email it to your customer directly from the app.
Take a look at the sample estimate below. It’s clean and simple, and you can customize the layout to suit your needs. If this would save you time and money, go buy a copy today from the Mac App Store.
New Features in Construction Cost Estimator version 1.3.1
September 20, 2012 Filed in: Construction Cost Estimator
Construction Cost Estimator version 1.3.1 introduces some great new features, along with iOS 6 compatibility. I've been receiving some excellent feedback from customers over the last few months, and I've tried very hard to prioritize the feature requests based on the relative demand. Here's a summary of the new features since version 1.0:
• Terms and Conditions can be added to the bottom of the estimate
• You can add some project notes that can be hidden from the customer, but visible on internal reports
• You can display a discount below the estimate total
• The cost item totals and the estimate totals can be completely hidden in the reports. This is great for generating Bid Requests.
• You can also display the Quantity and Units independently of the Cost Breakdown now.
• The estimate date, and customer signature date can be edited
• Now you can enter the labor productivity in either Hours per Unit or Units per Hour
• Your logo is shown at a larger size on the reports
• The default text within the emails can be edited in the settings
• The app has a great new icon!
You can download the latest version by launching the App Store app on your iPhone or iPad, and then tapping on the Updates tab.
Construction Cost Estimator for Mac
Quite a few people have been requesting a version of Construction Cost Estimator for the Mac. I'm actually working on the Mac version right now, and it should be ready in about a month. If you're interested in beta-testing the Mac version within the next few weeks, just send me an email and I'll add you to my list of beta-testers. After that, I'll be able to get back to adding new features to all of the apps.
Pricing and Availability
Construction Cost Estimator is designed to help contractors create professional on-site estimates and email them to the customer as a PDF. The customer can even add their signature to the estimate directly on the iPhone or iPad. Users in the U.S. and Canada may optionally install 3 different Craftsman Costbooks containing detailed cost breakdowns for over 30,000 common construction items.
You can get more detailed information at www.ConstructionCostEstimator.com.
Construction Cost Estimator is $19.99 for the iPhone and iPad, and it is available worldwide exclusively through the App Store in the Business category. The Craftsman Costbooks are available as in-app purchases for $49.99 each.
• Terms and Conditions can be added to the bottom of the estimate
• You can add some project notes that can be hidden from the customer, but visible on internal reports
• You can display a discount below the estimate total
• The cost item totals and the estimate totals can be completely hidden in the reports. This is great for generating Bid Requests.
• You can also display the Quantity and Units independently of the Cost Breakdown now.
• The estimate date, and customer signature date can be edited
• Now you can enter the labor productivity in either Hours per Unit or Units per Hour
• Your logo is shown at a larger size on the reports
• The default text within the emails can be edited in the settings
• The app has a great new icon!
You can download the latest version by launching the App Store app on your iPhone or iPad, and then tapping on the Updates tab.
Construction Cost Estimator for Mac
Quite a few people have been requesting a version of Construction Cost Estimator for the Mac. I'm actually working on the Mac version right now, and it should be ready in about a month. If you're interested in beta-testing the Mac version within the next few weeks, just send me an email and I'll add you to my list of beta-testers. After that, I'll be able to get back to adding new features to all of the apps.
Pricing and Availability
Construction Cost Estimator is designed to help contractors create professional on-site estimates and email them to the customer as a PDF. The customer can even add their signature to the estimate directly on the iPhone or iPad. Users in the U.S. and Canada may optionally install 3 different Craftsman Costbooks containing detailed cost breakdowns for over 30,000 common construction items.
You can get more detailed information at www.ConstructionCostEstimator.com.
Construction Cost Estimator is $19.99 for the iPhone and iPad, and it is available worldwide exclusively through the App Store in the Business category. The Craftsman Costbooks are available as in-app purchases for $49.99 each.
Construction Cost Estimator for iPhone and iPad
July 23, 2012 Filed in: Construction Cost Estimator
Today we're happy to announce that Construction Cost Estimator 1.0 is available for the iPhone and iPad. Construction Cost Estimator is designed to help contractors create professional on-site estimates and email them to the customer as a PDF. The customer can even add their signature to the estimate directly on the iPhone or iPad. Users in the U.S. and Canada may optionally install 3 different Craftsman Costbooks containing detailed cost breakdowns for over 30,000 common construction items.
Craftsman Costbooks Available for Purchase within the App
• National Construction Estimator
• National Home Improvement Estimator
• National Renovation and Insurance Repair Estimator
Construction Cost Estimator is currently available for iPhone and iPad. A version for Mac OS X will be available in the future. The app is designed for use by many types of contractors, estimators, and service companies, such as: general contractors, electricians, plumbers, builders, landscapers, roofers, painters, carpenters, heating and air conditioning, flooring, siding, tile, concrete, asphalt paving, bathroom and kitchen remodeling, deck builders, handyman services, pest control, real estate flippers and rehabbers, insurance repair estimators, and more.
Feature Highlights
• Fast and easy user interface for creating cost estimates
• Customize multiple types of PDF reports, and email them to customers directly from the app
• Add the logo and contact info for your company to create professional-looking estimates
• Costs are organized by Phases, Areas, and Categories that can be customized for each project
• Enter your overhead, profit, and tax rates for each project
• Also create Cost Plus Fixed Fee estimates
• Provides full support for international currencies and units
Construction Cost Estimator uses a clean, spacious user interface that makes creating estimates a pleasure. Users begin by entering some basic data about the project, such as the project address, customer contact info, markup rates, and tax rates. Users can also assign unique Phases and Areas (e.g. Kitchen, Bath, Exterior) to each project. Users can also create custom Cost Categories, such as Flooring, Electrical, and Plumbing. The app also provides full support for international currencies and units.
30,000 Cost Items at your Fingertips
Costs are neatly organized by Phase, Area, and Category, and each cost item is broken down into Material, Labor, Subcontract, and Other costs. Users can customize exactly which information to display in the estimate. Since many contractors use the same cost items over and over again, the app lets users create a Custom Costbook with saved cost items. This makes it easy to put together an estimate. For example, if you know that installing a certain type of tile flooring costs $3 per square foot in materials, and $1.50 per square foot in labor, you would just add that flooring to your Custom Costbook. Then if you need to add it to an estimate in the future, just choose that type of flooring from the Custom Costbook, enter the number of square feet, and you're done.
Users in the U.S. and Canada may purchase 3 different Craftsman Costbooks within the app that contain detailed cost breakdowns for over 30,000 common construction items. These reference volumes allow users to provide a cost estimate for work that they may not have done previously, or if they need to do a sanity check on cost estimates from subcontractors. Users can also copy cost items from the Craftsman Costbooks to their own Custom Costbook, and then edit the costs as desired.
Custom, Branded PDF Reports
When it's time to present the estimate to the customer, the user can choose to email it as a professionally formatted PDF, or print a hardcopy directly from their iPhone or iPad. The contractor can even have the customer formally accept the estimate by signing it directly on the iPhone or iPad. Users can create an unlimited number of custom report templates that are completely customizable. For example, a contractor might want to only show a top-level cost estimate to the customer with the markup rolled into the estimate, but he might want to create an internal report with the cost breakdowns and markup amounts shown separately to send to another employee within the company.
Pricing and Availability
Construction Cost Estimator is $19.99 for iPhone, and $29.99 for iPad, and it is available worldwide exclusively through the App Store in the Business category. The Craftsman Costbooks are available as in-app purchases for $49.99 each.
You can get more info at www.ConstructionCostEstimator.com
Craftsman Costbooks Available for Purchase within the App
• National Construction Estimator
• National Home Improvement Estimator
• National Renovation and Insurance Repair Estimator
Construction Cost Estimator is currently available for iPhone and iPad. A version for Mac OS X will be available in the future. The app is designed for use by many types of contractors, estimators, and service companies, such as: general contractors, electricians, plumbers, builders, landscapers, roofers, painters, carpenters, heating and air conditioning, flooring, siding, tile, concrete, asphalt paving, bathroom and kitchen remodeling, deck builders, handyman services, pest control, real estate flippers and rehabbers, insurance repair estimators, and more.
Feature Highlights
• Fast and easy user interface for creating cost estimates
• Customize multiple types of PDF reports, and email them to customers directly from the app
• Add the logo and contact info for your company to create professional-looking estimates
• Costs are organized by Phases, Areas, and Categories that can be customized for each project
• Enter your overhead, profit, and tax rates for each project
• Also create Cost Plus Fixed Fee estimates
• Provides full support for international currencies and units
Construction Cost Estimator uses a clean, spacious user interface that makes creating estimates a pleasure. Users begin by entering some basic data about the project, such as the project address, customer contact info, markup rates, and tax rates. Users can also assign unique Phases and Areas (e.g. Kitchen, Bath, Exterior) to each project. Users can also create custom Cost Categories, such as Flooring, Electrical, and Plumbing. The app also provides full support for international currencies and units.
30,000 Cost Items at your Fingertips
Costs are neatly organized by Phase, Area, and Category, and each cost item is broken down into Material, Labor, Subcontract, and Other costs. Users can customize exactly which information to display in the estimate. Since many contractors use the same cost items over and over again, the app lets users create a Custom Costbook with saved cost items. This makes it easy to put together an estimate. For example, if you know that installing a certain type of tile flooring costs $3 per square foot in materials, and $1.50 per square foot in labor, you would just add that flooring to your Custom Costbook. Then if you need to add it to an estimate in the future, just choose that type of flooring from the Custom Costbook, enter the number of square feet, and you're done.
Users in the U.S. and Canada may purchase 3 different Craftsman Costbooks within the app that contain detailed cost breakdowns for over 30,000 common construction items. These reference volumes allow users to provide a cost estimate for work that they may not have done previously, or if they need to do a sanity check on cost estimates from subcontractors. Users can also copy cost items from the Craftsman Costbooks to their own Custom Costbook, and then edit the costs as desired.
Custom, Branded PDF Reports
When it's time to present the estimate to the customer, the user can choose to email it as a professionally formatted PDF, or print a hardcopy directly from their iPhone or iPad. The contractor can even have the customer formally accept the estimate by signing it directly on the iPhone or iPad. Users can create an unlimited number of custom report templates that are completely customizable. For example, a contractor might want to only show a top-level cost estimate to the customer with the markup rolled into the estimate, but he might want to create an internal report with the cost breakdowns and markup amounts shown separately to send to another employee within the company.
Pricing and Availability
Construction Cost Estimator is $19.99 for iPhone, and $29.99 for iPad, and it is available worldwide exclusively through the App Store in the Business category. The Craftsman Costbooks are available as in-app purchases for $49.99 each.
You can get more info at www.ConstructionCostEstimator.com