Commercial concrete contractors face profit margin pressures from competitive bidding and fluctuating costs. The EDGE concrete estimating software addresses these challenges through automated calculations, real-time pricing, and integrated takeoff capabilities.
Construction teams use concrete to form the foundation of everything from roads to bridges to residential and commercial buildings. However, despite its integral role in the construction industry, concrete projects often offer tighter profit margins due to:
- Competition for concrete projects
- Fluctuating material and labor costs
- The complexity of larger concrete pours and building codes
- The need to manage timelines and work around other trades
Tight margins and competition lead to costly delays and reduced profit margins for concrete contractors.
According to the Concrete Financial Insights Index, concrete costs have increased 6% annually since 2016, rising from $113.08 to $179.89 per unit. This consistent price escalation makes real-time cost tracking critical for maintaining competitive bids and healthy profit margins.
Ultimately, many concrete estimators want a trade-specific solution that’s designed to handle the complexities of concrete estimating. That’s why many estimators are investing in concrete estimating software — like The EDGE.
The EDGE delivers unique tools that simplify concrete estimating, saving estimators time and money versus generic estimating software.
In this article, we’re going to explore The EDGE and why it is a great tool for concrete estimators looking to improve their efficiencies and win more jobs.
Concrete Estimating Key Takeaways
- Concrete estimating offers tight profit margins and competitive construction bidding so it’s important to invest in concrete estimating software — like The EDGE — to create more accurate estimates and winning bids.
- The EDGE offers all-in-one takeoff and estimating, allowing concrete estimators to perform accurate takeoffs and estimating on the same screen, saving time and reducing errors.
- The EDGE offers trade-specific databases that allow estimators to review costs in real time to help them reduce the risk of overbidding or underbidding.
- With The EDGE estimators can automate complex calculations and update their labor rates instantly based on project task complexity.
- Estimators can use custom layouts within The EDGE to set up common conditions like concrete depths and widths and then make quick adjustments based on job-specific requirements.
The EDGE Simplifies Concrete Estimating
The EDGE is purpose-built to handle the complexities of concrete estimating. From takeoff to the finalized bid, estimators can rely on The EDGE to refine their concrete estimation process.
The EDGE is designed to address common pain points of construction estimating like:
- Relying on multiple disjointed systems for takeoff and estimating
- Complex material and labor cost calculations
- Sourcing concrete materials at affordable prices
- Limited access to concrete estimates when in the field
Let’s explore each of these features and their benefits for concrete estimators.
1. All-in-One Bidding Platform
Most concrete estimating software lacks both takeoff and estimating capabilities in the same solution, forcing estimators to invest in two separate, often disjointed, systems. These systems can slow down the takeoff and estimating processes and cause errors due to manual data entry.
But with The EDGE, estimators can complete concrete takeoff and estimating on the same screen. That means contractors perform measurements their estimates update in real-time without the need for manual entry.
2. Trade-Specific Databases
One of the biggest challenges for concrete estimators is managing the variability of the cost of materials. The EDGE includes trade-specific material databases, allowing estimators to easily review real-time costs for essential materials like:
- Concrete, cement and aggregate mixes
- Rebar and other reinforcement materials
- Formwork materials like plywood
The EDGE updates these cost databases regularly to ensure that you have the latest pricing available, eliminating the risk of underbidding or overestimating costs due to outdated information.
Estimators can easily access accurate prices and construction specifications from their databases while constructing concrete assemblies, such as;
- Footings
- Slabs
- Columns
- Beams
- Walls and stairs
Ultimately, these construction cost databases improve estimators’ bid preparation process.
3. Automated Calculations
Concrete estimating software can streamline the entire estimation process by automating many of the tedious and complex calculations that result in costly errors and delays.
Automated calculations help estimators determine essential project-specific information, such as:
- Concrete volume
- Reinforcement calculations
- Equipment costs and labor costs
For example, when estimating a slab, The EDGE can automatically calculate the necessary volume of concrete based on the slab’s dimensions, depth and design and account for reinforcement requirements.
Ultimately, The EDGE’s automated calculations ensure faster more accurate estimates that account for the complexities of concrete construction projects.
4. Smart Labor® Technology
Labor costs are a significant component of any concrete project, and accurately predicting labor needs is crucial for maximizing profit margins.
The EDGE’s patented Smart Labor Technology gives estimators the power to adjust labor rates in real time based on task complexity.
Whether it’s rebar installation, pouring concrete or finishing the surface, the software can accurately estimate labor costs by factoring in the specific skill level and time required for each task.
Smart Labor Technology helps estimators stay competitive by providing realistic labor cost projections, which can prevent underestimating or overestimating labor costs that could affect their bid and profit margins.
5. Custom Layout
The EDGE offers a custom layout feature that allows estimators to easily set up and adjust conditions for various concrete tasks based on project-specific requirements.
Whether it’s slab on grade, elevated slab, foundation walls, footings, columns or stairs, estimators can set and adjust the specific depth and width measurements required for each aspect of the project.
The EDGE allows estimators to quickly adjust common conditions for layout configurations, ensuring that measurements are accurate, and the resulting bid reflects the true scope of work.
6. Vendor Quote
The EDGE’s Vendor Quote feature allows you to compare material pricing from multiple vendors simultaneously in just a few clicks.
Concrete cost estimators can then select the vendor based on what fits the project scope and budget best. This approach delivers faster sourcing and more accurate proposals.
7. Cloud-Based Access
Two big sticking points for many estimators involve:
- Being able to access their estimate on the go
- Instant updates that clear up any confusion if teams are working from multiple versions of an estimate
The EDGE provides a solution for both points with cloud-based access. Estimators can access their estimates from anywhere, and when updates occur, they’re universal and instant.
The Impact of The EDGE on Concrete Project Profitability
By using concrete estimator software, like The EDGE, you can combat the complexities of commercial construction concrete estimating.
With tight profit margins and competitive bidding, it’s important to invest in concrete estimating software to put your business in a position to maximize profitability while building winning bids.
The EDGE allows you to:
- Perform accurate measurements and easily factor them into your estimating
- Automate complex calculations for faster more accurate estimates and improved construction cost control
- Access trade-specific databases to review material costs in real time and source materials from reliable suppliers
- Adjust conditions based on project-specific requirements
- Make changes to labor rates in real-time based on task complexity
For more information about The EDGE’s concrete estimating capabilities, speak with an expert.
