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Gale Hawkins
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, November 11, 1999 - 12:19 pm: | 
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Chuck I am sorry about my error in the last post. It has been brought to my attention this morning that some current software does not yet let you enter items on the fly to the screen just like if you were in Excel. They do have indirect ways that will let you add non-database items I have been informed depending on what adjusting software you use. |
Gale Hawkins
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, November 10, 1999 - 10:32 pm: |
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Chuck I had a question about something you posted a couple days ago. I understand your need for commercial items and that is why all the vendors have or in the process of finding / developing a commercial database. My question is why you just don’t type the missing items on the estimate grid in your adjusting software instead of doing it in Excel. That way you can do them faster and have your reports created for you when you finish. All adjusting software will just let you type in what you jolly well please in the fields on the screen on the fly and do the math for you just as if it was in the database. In a couple minutes you can permanently add it to your current database so it will be there next time and you will not have to look up the price again. Chuck I am serious because I think we, as vendors are not getting the word out how flexible the estimating software out there today is. I know we are not because I get the calls. There is never going to be a ‘complete’ database I am certain so learning to punt with estimating software has to be easier than going back to a spread sheet. I promise no vendor wants to see their customers revert back to a spreadsheet when you have their system on your computer. Really today’s estimating software is little more than a spreadsheet with a database. (Don’t tell a programmer I told you that secret.) I bet others are doing the same thing you are doing Chuck. How are others of you how you handling issues that you software does not do for you easily? What are some of areas that you feel need more flexibility in estimating software in general? If you ask for it there is not a vendor out there that will not try to add it to some future release. |
Chuck Deaton
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, November 09, 1999 - 6:48 pm: |
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I am just looking down the road and hoping that someone will see a way to make this less time consuming. We are all in it for the money and as schedules get leaner and leaner I want it to be quicker and quicker. I like to think about what could be done with DVD. Can you beleive that I watched a movie, A Long Kiss Goodnight, on this laptop. 5 years ago it wasn't imaginable. Some enterprising firm will put all the policies, schedules, estimating, commercial and residential on a disk with a map and satelite pictures. Hot Damn. |
Tom Joyce
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, November 09, 1999 - 12:44 pm: |
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I have a a great deal of success over the years with the means which is available on CR-ROM. Keeping up contact with general contractors (commercial) and a good hands on engineer always helps.
By the way, it's a toss up with NCJUA and FWUA, but one thing is for certain, there is a lot less traffic and communication problems in NC.
Have a good day, these little storms are getting tough to make a living on. |
Jim Flynt
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, November 09, 1999 - 8:14 am: |
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Chuck and Dave:
For my money's worth, I generally can find most commercial items and pricing in either the National Construction Estimator or R.S.Means pricing guides. Sweet works well for the oddball item which can't be found anywhere else.
For large and specialty estimates, appraising steel and concrete can take more knowledge than just some general square footage cost allowance. NCE has one of the best, if not THE BEST pricing guides for structural steel, components, and assembly. Same for concrete. Also take a look at the Thomas guide for assembly/construction techniques and pricing.
Have you guys tried NCE or Means? |
Chuck Deaton
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, November 09, 1999 - 7:37 am: |
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I was surfing when I found an estimating program that sparked a thought. With the advent of DVD would it be possible to put the inventory and prices of specialty suppliers together on one disk, use a search engine (I am over my head here) to find that flush valve and a price, slate roofing and a labor and materials price, many of those specialty, niche items could be put in one area.
Just something to think about. |
R.D. Hood
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, November 08, 1999 - 10:42 pm: |
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The concept of a "Realistic" commercial estimating system , IMHO, if a long way off.
Having been involved in commercial work for more years than I care to remember, the data bases that would contain the items we need are not be found, period.
You are 100% correct, Chuck. We all have to preform miricalous tasks when writing a correct scope on a school, industrial building, hospitals and the like.
Never have found a flush valve, fire damper, chair carrier,floor drain,boiler piping or insulation, rigging,terrazzo flooring,well im sure you get the intent.
There is just too much for anyone to comprehend in the vein of commercial construction with all the items that are strictly indigenous to this type of work.
Fortunately, with this medium of exchange, almost everything we need information on can be obtained freely and easily, using items such as the Sweets Catalouge and the Blue Book. |
Chuck Deaton
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, November 08, 1999 - 12:25 pm: |
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As I move along I find that some good ideas are just that "good ideas". I tried pen tablets and they are a "good idea", I tried a Yashica digital camera, another "good idea" I love the form factor, but 8 AA batteries a day, I don't think so.
Find it, go to it, inspect, measure, scope, write the estimate and report, bill it and do it quick and accurately that is the name of this game.
Gale, I need a comprehensive commercial estimating program. I don't need a commercial claims program, just lots of commercial items. The current programs just don't do it and I find my self using Excell to fabricate an estimate on greenhouses, shadehouses, stables, plants, steel buildings and the like. |
Gale Hawkins
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, November 08, 1999 - 10:27 am: |
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Dave and Chuck you make it clear that just because a digital camera may look best when looking at the tech sheets does not mean it is the most “practical” one. I think the 3.5 floppy drives came out in about 1987 in an IBM PC yet still are the preferred storage device for digital photos by many adjusters. Sony took a gamble that the old way was the preferred way and found success. There must be a lesson there. |
Chuck Deaton
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, November 02, 1999 - 8:42 pm: |
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I have owned and used several digital cameras, but the Sony is by far the best for the cat adjuster in a hurry. I have an inverter hard wired in the truck, have the Sony battery charger plugged into the inverter. After taking 100 photos of a large commercial loss I just pop the battery into the charger and drive to the next loss. I am told that there is an extended battery. It might be a good idea. I carry 50 to 75 disks so that I can change disks as I move from building to building. |
R.D. Hood
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, November 02, 1999 - 7:27 am: |
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For my $$, I have had the Casio Digital since 1996, the Sony MV7 since 1997 and now the Sony MVD91 for 5 months. The Sony 91 , is far and away the most efficent and versatile camera. It is especially helpful when the insured questions your finding on a roof or other inaccessable location (to them). Just pop the floppy into the insured's computer and verify the findings. "A picture is worth a 1000 words".
There are others that we have used and reviewed that do produce a finer quality photo, especially on Photo Paper, and cost significantly more. BUT, the Sony, having a 14 X zoom, voice overlay, AVI capabilities, and using the Fine setting, and 94-97 bright 20# paper is excellant for this business and the cost is acceptable. Not to mention the fact of additional software , cables , download time, sorting etc. All are time consuming and time is money. |
JPaul Zacharias
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, November 01, 1999 - 9:22 pm: |
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I work for small insurance company in Canada, we use a Cannon Powershot Pro digital camera. We have tried many, but this is by far the best one. It cost's approximately $1495.00 Canadian. |
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