In the world of construction estimating, accuracy is crucial. Whether it’s managing material costs, calculating square footage, or labor hours, a minor miscalculation can turn a profitable project into a costly endeavor.
Labor costs are one of the most difficult components to estimate due to the various factors that can influence productivity. That’s where all-in-one commercial construction estimating and takeoff software like The EDGE® excels.
In fact, The EDGE is ranked #3 on the top 10 Construction Estimating Software leaderboard based on a comprehensive analysis performed by SelectHub research analysts.
The EDGE is equipped with Smart Labor Technology, a powerful feature that transforms the way contractors estimate labor.
Smart Labor Technology provides estimators with data-driven insights and real-time adjustments around labor costs that allow estimators to offer more precise bids and better project outcomes.
Let’s explore what makes Smart Labor Technology so brilliant.
Key takeaways for construction estimators:
- Smart Labor Technology automatically adjusts labor productivity rates based on job-specific factors, ensuring accurate and tailored estimates.
- The system leverages historical data to refine future estimates, improving accuracy over time.
- By automating labor adjustments and eliminating guesswork, Smart Labor Technology helps contractors create more precise bids and reduce the risk of labor overruns.
- The ability to customize estimates with manual adjustments and site-specific factors makes Smart Labor Technology valuable for complex or unique job sites, ensuring contractors stay competitive and profitable.
What is The EDGE Smart Labor Technology?
Smart Labor Technology is an advanced feature within The EDGE estimating and takeoff software that enables contractors to adjust labor productivity rates based on specific project conditions.
Rather than relying on industry averages or guesswork, Smart Labor Technology tailors each estimate to the unique demands of the project. It can be used to:
- Estimate labor hours for large-scale commercial projects
- Adjust productivity rates for difficult or unique job sites
- Provide more accurate bids for complex projects with variable conditions
- Track and analyze labor productivity over time to continuously improve future estimates
It goes beyond traditional fixed labor rates by incorporating dynamic factors to streamline the construction estimation process.
By automatically adjusting labor rates according to real-world scenarios, this technology allows contractors to have a clear picture of how labor requirements will fluctuate based on the specifics of each job.
Whether estimating labor for roofing, fireproofing, interior finishing, or exterior finishing trades, the software adapts to the specific needs of each trade.
How Does Smart Labor Technology Work?
Imagine you’re a painting contractor. You know your team can typically paint an 8-foot wall at a certain speed.
However, if the wall is 10 feet high, the process will take longer due to ladder adjustments.
Smart Labor automatically calculates these changes, saving you time and ensuring your estimate is accurate.
When an estimator inputs job-specific conditions into the construction estimation software, the system analyzes factors such as square footage, project location, material type, crew size, and custom criteria created by you.
Based on these inputs, the software adjusts labor hours and associated costs to provide a more accurate estimate.
For example, a roofing estimator bidding on a job with steep pitches and challenging access conditions would input these factors into the estimate.
Smart Labor Technology would then adjust the labor hours needed for tasks such as installing roofing materials or managing safety protocols, giving the contractor a realistic estimate of labor costs that reflects the project’s complexity.
What Are the Key Features of Smart Labor Technology?
Smart Labor Technology offers a suite of features designed to streamline and improve the labor estimation process in construction.
By providing accurate, efficient, and flexible labor cost estimates, Smart Labor Technology can help you win more estimating jobs, maximize profit margins, and enhance your overall business operations.
Dynamic Labor Adjustments
Smart Labor Technology enables users to automatically adjust labor rates depending on factors like project difficulty, crew size, and working conditions.
Conditions such as working at height or in confined spaces can be factored into labor productivity, providing a more realistic estimate of how much time it will take to complete a task.
The ability to input site-specific factors, such as challenging work environments or specialty materials, ensures that your complete estimates are tailored to each project, providing greater accuracy and reliability.
Project- Specific Labor Factors
Labor productivity is often not a constant value; it can vary significantly depending on the nature of the project.
Smart Labor Technology allows users to create project-specific labor factors, which can be tailored to unique site conditions or challenges.
This capability helps contractors avoid underestimating labor costs in complex or difficult environments, improving overall job profitability.
The software also comes with built-in labor productivity rates based on industry averages for specific trades.
Estimators can leverage these built-in standards and then adjust them to reflect their team’s actual performance or unique project conditions.
Estimators can also build their own database of labor productivity rates, which can be reused for future construction estimates, ensuring consistent and accurate labor calculations.
Historical Data Integration
Smart Labor Technology allows estimators to leverage historical data analysis to enhance estimate accuracy.
The software can provide more precise labor hour estimates for new projects by allowing users to analyze past performance on similar construction jobs.
This data-driven approach helps avoid common pitfalls like over- or underestimating for better construction bidding and improved project outcomes.
Flexible Customization
Users can make manual adjustments to the labor productivity rates at any time.
This flexibility is helpful when dealing with unexpected changes in project scope or conditions that were not anticipated during the initial estimate.
Smart Labor Technology also allows for adjustments to be made at both the global level and the individual project level, depending on needs.
How Does Smart Labor Technology Enhance Estimator Confidence and Management Oversight?
By integrating with other construction software and providing comprehensive construction takeoff capabilities, Smart Labor Technology not only improves the accuracy of estimates but also boosts the confidence of both estimators and management.
By providing a data-driven approach to labor estimating, the software empowers estimators to make informed decisions and reduces the risk of errors.
Benefits for Estimators
The software’s intuitive interface and pre-populated data significantly reduce the learning curve for new estimators.
Estimators can focus on understanding project specifics rather than labor nuances by providing reliable baseline labor rates.
With the support of data-driven insights, estimators can have greater confidence in the accuracy of their estimates.
The software’s ability to automatically adjust labor rates based on various factors eliminates guesswork and ensures consistent results.
Benefits for Management
Managers can easily review estimates and identify any deviations from standard labor rates. The software’s clear visualization of adjustments allows for quick and efficient oversight.
By standardizing the estimation process and providing detailed cost estimates, Smart Labor Technology helps ensure consistency across different projects and estimators while maintaining accurate construction takeoff data.
New estimators can be trained more quickly and efficiently, as the software provides a solid foundation for understanding labor costs and productivity.
See How The EDGE Can Simplify Your Takeoff and Estimating Process
In an industry where precision can make or break profitability, The EDGE’s Smart Labor Technology is a game-changer for construction companies.
Its ability to dynamically adjust labor rates based on real-world conditions allows contractors to generate more accurate construction cost estimates, reduce the risk of costly overruns, and improve their overall bidding process.
For contractors looking to stay ahead in the competitive commercial construction market, Smart Labor Technology is a must-have tool.
Whether you’re a seasoned estimator or new to the trade, this feature provides the insights you need to maximize efficiency and profitability on every construction project.
Contact us today to show your experts how The EDGE can transform your bidding process!
