As an electrical contractor, I have been involved in estimating for a long time. I always felt that using a computer for estimating would be more accurate and help eliminate errors. The problem was that I couldn’t find a software program that was designed specifically for estimating residential jobs.

I couldn’t believe that there were so many programs available for commercial applications, but none that were designed to meet the unique requirements of the residential contractor. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that the other estimating programs out there aren’t good. What I am saying is that the other programs are good for estimating commercial projects, whereas TurboBid is great for estimating residential projects.

For the past 15 years, the housing market has been extremely strong. I think that most contractors felt that if their estimating procedures got them in the ballpark, they were OK. In today’s tighter housing market, ballpark pricing just doesn’t work anymore. It’s crucial that you know what your exact costs are. If you don’t know you true costs, you might not get the  job. Or even worse, you might get the job but end up losing your shirt.

TurboBid is structured to help contractors easily identify and account for all possible labor and material costs. Material prices can be updated with the click of a button. Assemblies are automatically assigned the correct labor unit based on the construction factors of the house. Your estimating will be more accurate and your profits will be consistent. No longer will it be, “Oh well, you win some and you lose some.” Let your competition take the losers.

TurboBid is reasonably priced at $699. What people need to keep in mind is that estimating software is a tool. I don’t think too many people would say “Why should I buy a battery drill for trimming when I can use a screw driver?” We all know that investing in the proper tools results in increased efficiency. The same principle applies to estimating software. Purchasing a quality estimating software program is an investment in your company’s success.