Your Estimators Now Have A Personal AI Co-Pilot

When we ran the numbers, a striking trend emerged: estimators across the construction industry are dedicating half of their time on manual takeoffs. 

That's 50% spent on something that could be automated. 50% that could instead lead to strategic decisions and competitive bidding. 

It's time we talk about the elephant in the room - your takeoff process.

The Current State of Takeoffs: A Cycle of Inefficiency

Currently, your estimators are hunkered down, flipping through hundreds of pages of plan sets, manually extracting quantities for estimates. This is monotonous and, frankly, an inefficient use of their expertise. 

As your estimators spend 50% of the bid cycle on takeoffs, per estimator, this translates to up to 1,040 hours annually.

Now the question isn’t, "Why are we still doing this?" but "What opportunities are we missing while we do?"

Estimators miss opportunities like early supplier negotiations, thorough risk assessments, and smarter design decisions.

This early involvement, if prioritized, could significantly impact project costs, timelines, and profitability.

The Shift: From Manual to Strategic

This is where AI fits in. With AI-based takeoff solutions like Beam AI, we're overhauling the old way of doing things. With Beam AI doing your takeoffs, your estimators can do more. Get time back.  And be strategic powerhouses.

Also read: Breaking the Bottlenecks in Construction: Starting With Takeoffs

Because with Beam AI - the takeoffs are done for you. Period.

By automating this aspect, we free up estimators to focus on what truly makes a bid competitive: value engineering, strategic bidding, and refining estimates.

As you refine estimates, your team can better control costs and prevent profit leaks, ensuring margins are maximized on every project.

Why Focus on Value Engineering?

When estimators are freed from manual clicking and drawing polygons, they can invest their time in tailoring proposals that exceed client expectations. Thereby finding smarter, more cost-effective solutions without compromising on quality.

For instance, by applying value engineering principles, estimators can help select more efficient materials or construction methods. 

The Power of Strategic Bidding

Pricing strategies win you projects. With more time on their hands, estimators can analyze market trends, assess risk, and customize bids that are both competitive and profitable. 

Think about the endless possibilities. Estimators can use their newfound time to engage in detailed competitor analysis and apply dynamic pricing models that adapt to fluctuating market conditions.

For example, by understanding the cost drivers and market demand, estimators can strategically decide when to bid aggressively and when to seek higher margins. 

Collaboration Made Easy

Beam AI is cloud-based and helps with real-time collaboration across with vendors, subs, and prospects.

Shareable link? Check. PDF export? Check. Excel sheet? Check. 

You can also get custom Excel outputs in formats that align with your current estimating workflows.

The Future is Now

The proof is in the numbers:  150+ contractors have already adopted Beam AI, changing completely how they approach bids. Teams are now processing estimates 30% faster and with guaranteed 98%+ greater accuracy. 

Auto-detection features in Beam AI eliminate the need to manually sift through spec details and keyed notes. Addenda? Handled. Quality checks? Done. What once took days now takes hours and with almost no errors.

Your New Reality

With AI, you're not replacing your team; you're empowering them. You're giving them time back - time that can be spent on negotiations, relationship building, and strategic planning. 

This shift is essential because estimators should be focusing on activities that leverage their expertise in market and financial analysis, to build trust and in securing strategic partnerships. 

A Call to Rethink and Rebuild

So, here’s my challenge to you: Rethink how you’ve been estimating. Look at your team and ask yourself if they’re really doing what they do best. It’s time to move away from the tedious. 

Let AI do the heavy lifting, so you can focus on what truly matters - winning jobs.

Isn't it time we gave our estimators their time back? 

To see AI-based takeoff software in action, start your Beam AI free trial today. Your first AI takeoff is on us.