Onscreen take off software, a scanner and a camera I am looking to add a digital projector. This has cut my estimating time by 70% and increased accuracy. Paper drawings are for the field, not take offs. I think 10 years ago or more it would have been nearly impossible to achieve sales of $1.4ml a year with only 2 people in the office (PM and administrator) and 12 people in the field.

We also have two people in the office (not always full time) and average aboute 1.2 mil per year. We have tried a few different estimating tools, however, we keep coming back to a traditional take off. After nearly 20 years in demo I feel the take off only confirms what the gut told you. Some of my best jobs have been quoted on gut feeling. It can sometimes be very risky, but even the best take off / estimate can't guarentee the best ($$$) project.

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Tom Abbott
AMC Demolition, Inc.
www.amcdemo.com

Isn't that the truth? I remember looking at a project with another estimator within my former company; it was removing a 6 story car elevator within an old historical building in Downtown Seattle. We walk out of the project he had a number in mind I had a number in mind, we wrote them down separately and showed them, and we were within $500.00 of each other.

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