Jewson use HBXL Estimating Service for take-offs

HBXL are pleased to say that Jewson has teamed up with the HBXL Estimating Service. If you have a Jewson trade account any estimate or materials take-off we produce for you can be populated by Jewson prices – all coded from Jewson – and at no extra cost.

You can even order your estimate at your local Jewson branch - or contact the HBXL Estimating Service Team directly.

So now you have the choice of prices from Jewson or our independent Price Tracker – a live link to 1000+ materials at trade prices and kept constantly updated.

Don’t miss out on the benefits of this rapidly growing service. To find out more send for our free sample pack - form here

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HBXL will be at the National Homebuilding & Renovating Show

21-24 March 2013 at the NEC Birmingham

Stand A136 – free entry when you book a demo AND demo ticket holders get an EXTRA SPECIAL discount 

It has become the UK’s biggest self-build and renovation event with over 450 exhibitors, seminars, a planning clinic and expert advice for self-builders and anyone in the construction trade involved in renovation or home improvement.

The National Homebuilding & Renovating Show is a great opportunity to stay ahead of your competitors and keep up to date with the latest industry trends.

And HBXL are going to be there on Stand A136. Tickets are £12 in advance and £17 on the door but if you book a demo on the HBXL stand – your ticket is free! Just book online here and save yourself up to £17.

This is a great opportunity to put HBXL’s software through its paces – chatting face-to-face with one of our expert demonstrators. And if you like what you see – you can take the software on the day! Plus, as demo ticket holder you'll qualify for additional discounts on the day!

We’ll be demonstrating EstimatorXpress, PlansXpress and Health & Safety Xpert so whatever your business needs right now, we can help.

Demo slots are limited so make sure you book now to avoid disappointment.

Any questions – just give us a call on 0845 1234 065 (9am-9pm Mon-Fri and 10am-2pm Sat)

And there's more!

We’ve also teamed up with Homebuilding & Renovating’s magazine, the UK’s best selling self-build publication, to bring you an excellent offer. Click here to subscribe for a year and save 40% (just £30.60 for a year’s subscription.

Estimating service proves value of software!

Software specialists HBXL is giving builders the chance to road-test its new estimating service to see for themselves the time and money they could save when pricing up work using the company’s award-winning estimating software.

 

The UK’s leading building software company says builders are still spending unnecessary amounts of time totting up figures when they could be out finishing jobs or finding new projects.

 

However by using either HBXL’s Estimating Service or EstimatorXpress software, builders will cut down dramatically the time spent producing new quotes, time they can spend on site doing the work or enjoying some down time.

 

To prove how effective its EstimatorXpress software is any builder that uses HBXL’s Estimating Service and spends £300 or more will have up to £300 taken off the cost of the software should they want to buy it outright.

 

HBXL marketing director Joanna Mulgrew said: “Our new estimating service is the perfect solution for builders who want to present professional estimates but are either too pushed for time to do it themselves or aren’t engaged with using IT and computers.

 

“We are convinced that once they have used our Estimating Service they will see why EstimatorXpress is so good and will want to use it on a daily basis themselves.”

 

The new Estimating Service is ideal for those working on extensions, new builds, garages or loft conversions and its availability coincides with the results of a survey of construction sector work patterns which revealed that estimating took up most time followed by getting in new business and travelling.

 

Joanna added: “We all know that producing quotes and estimates still takes out the most time in any single day and to produce a totally accurate estimate for more complicated projects can and does in some instances take up a whole day.

 

“On top of this many builders simply don’t have the time to price up accurately the cost of a build so either lose the job because of delays in getting back to the client or don’t make the money they should have on the job.

 

“This means many builders are working on into their evenings and weekends to price up work EstimatorXpress can handle in half the time.

 

“While most builders are enthusiastic about new tools or equipment which can save them time on site they are not using technology and services that have been tailor made specifically for them in the same way.”

 

The HBXL Estimating Service is aimed at builders working on extensions, new builds, garages or loft conversions. To make use of the service all builders have to do is send the plans to HBXL where expert estimators will price it quickly and accurately. Prices range from just £79 for a garage, £140 for an extension or loft conversion and £199 for a new build.

 

The builder receives a detailed estimate report pack outlining a summary of the project’s cost, detailed cost breakdown for materials, plant and labour, cost breakdown of each build phase, cash flow projection and a build program for when each part of the project will take place.

 

Joanna added: “We are so convinced the package will impress we will deduct hire costs of up to a maximum £300 from the purchase price.”

 

For details on the HBXL Estimating Service please call T: 0845 1234 095 or visit the web site www.estimating-service.co.uk

Act Now to Prepare for Real Time Information (RTI) PAYE Reporting says FMB

News report from the FMB. From April 2013, the way that businesses report PAYE data to HMRC will be changing. This will come as a surprise to many building firms. Nearly all employers will have to send data electronically each time they pay their employees, rather than sending a separate return at the end of the year.

Returns will include details of the employees' pay, tax and reductions. You need to speak to your accountant or Payroll software or services provider.

Good news is that Construction Industry Accounts software available for builders from HBXL will do all this for you (if you opt for the Payroll module).

Buy CIA online

More info on CIA

Watch the CIA video
Book an online demo

Find out more from the HMRC

HSE Refurbishment Inspection Initiative runs from 18 February to 15 March

HSE Construction inspectors are carrying out an intensive inspection initiative during February and March 2013, focusing on the refurbishment/building site risks that make construction one of Britain’s most dangerous industries.  Inspectors will be targeting high risk activity, such as working at height and the risks associated with the removal of asbestos.  They will also check for general good order on site, assess welfare facilities and whether suitable PPE, such as head protection, is being worn.

• Falls from height remain one of the most common causes of fatalities and major injuries in the construction industry, with more than five incidents every day. 
• 54% of the workers who have died in construction over the last few years were doing refurbishment, repair and maintenance jobs.

HSE will not hesitate to take action if we find poor practice that is putting the lives of workers and the public at risk.
Many incidents are completely avoidable by taking simple commonsense precautions. It’s therefore even more important than ever before to demonstrate that you’ve considered all the risks on site and that you’ve made the necessary assessments. Version 4 of award-winning Health & Safety Xpert software is the ideal time-saving solution to producing that paperwork, including risk assessments, method statements and policies.

With Health & Safety Xpert on your side you have less reason to fear fees, fines and litigations! Whatever size your business it pays to ensure that you cover yourself before an accident or incident happens, and with Health & Safety Xpert you have a simple, time-saving package to produce all your paperwork and prove you've considered all the risks.

Health & Safety Xpert is the award winning health and safety software from HBXL - and now more comprehensive than ever with the new version 4.You don’t need to be a health and safety expert yourself as its built in knowledge base determines the likely tasks and risks involved on site and generates all the necessary paperwork for the job! With Health & Safety Xpert at £648+VAT you can be sure your paperwork is covered as we keep your software up-to-date with all the very latest legislation changes.

Getting ready for end of the tax year

The end of the tax year is 5th April, and as such it's that time of year when we all need to try and get our accounts and finances in order. For builders and the trade, you could do a lot worse than take a look at CIA Lite.

Check out the recording of a live demo on 20th February of CIA Lite - an accounting software package for the construction industry. From job costing, VAT and invoicing to PAYE, CIA Lite is ideal for builders, developers and the trade...

Click here for more info.

To book a 1-2-1 demonstration or speak to one of our Business Consultants about CIA Lite, call 0845 1234 065 or click here to register your interest.

Estimating service helps builders claim back their time

Builders still regard estimating to be the most time consuming part of their job.

That’s one conclusion from research carried out by building software specialist company HBXL which wanted to find out a bit more on builder work patterns and how they managed their time on a day-to-day basis.

Of those surveyed 44% said estimating took up most of their time followed by getting in new business (18%) and travelling (15%) being the next most time consuming functions.

All of those surveyed said they work either in the evenings or on weekends.

Joanna Mulgrew, marketing director at HBXL said: “These results show that builders still find that estimating for new work a real challenge. It also shows they are not necessarily using technology and services that are tailor made specifically for them.

“As a result they are spending a huge amount of time putting together quotes and estimates, time which could be better spent either on site, developing their business or relaxing and enjoying some leisure time.”

Joanna believes that the evidence suggests builders were concentrating so hard on simply pulling in business on a hand-to-mouth basis they are neglecting to make full use of a unique time-saving service the company has developed.

Called the HBXL Estimating Service, it’s ideal for builders working on extensions, new builds, garages or loft conversions.

Joanna added: “We all know that producing quotes and estimates still takes out the most time in any single day and to produce a totally accurate estimate for more complicated projects can and does in some instances take up a whole day – possibly more if the plans are particularly taxing such as an extension combined with internal alterations or a loft conversion.

“They should be straightforward but often takes much longer than anticipated.
“On top of this many builders simply don’t have the time to price up accurately the cost of a build so either lose the job because of delays in getting back to the client or don’t make the money they should have on the job because it was priced up in a “quick and dirty” fashion.

“Sometimes it may take several days just to get prices back from suppliers! This all takes time out from what they are good at, namely building.  “The HBXL Estimating Service is cheaper than asking someone in the office to do it, not to mention the opportunity cost of losing out on work as they haven’t been quick enough to quote or are missing out on building time!  “To neglect using a service which could expedite the time builders spend poring over estimates doesn’t sound like good business sense.”

To make use of the service all builders have to do is send the plans to HBXL where expert estimators will price it quickly and accurately. Prices range from just £79 for a garage, £140 for an extension or loft conversion and £199 for a new build.

The builder will receive a detailed estimate report pack outlining a summary of the project’s cost, detailed cost breakdown for materials, plant and labour, cost breakdown of each build phase, cash flow projection and a build program for when each part of the project will take place.

Builders will get a customer quote as a Word file, including mark-up, which can be easily edited before it is shown to customers so the builder doesn’t even have to write up the quotation. Joanna added: “The beauty of this new service is that once the builder has sent us the plans of the project they need a quote for they can focus on the jobs in hand knowing that within a guaranteed time frame they will receive a fully itemised cost break down and totally accurate customer quotation.

"Failing to make full use of packages like HBXL’s Estimating Service means more builders will be working into the evenings and on weekends, tackling their estimating the hard way. This is not the most efficient way to produce quotes for a customer.  “This really is the perfect solution for builders who want to present professional estimates but are either too pushed for time to do it themselves or aren’t engaged with using IT and computers.”

For details on the HBXL Estimating Service please call T: 0845 1234 095 or visit the web site www.estimating-service.co.uk

Fees for Intervention

In October the HSE introduced new Fee for Intervention (FFI). These new fees mean that following a site inspection that requires any follow up action from them, the cost of writing to you, or issuing any action will result in a direct cost to you.

According to the HSE, “These Regulations will put a duty on HSE to recover its costs for carrying out its regulatory functions from those found to be in material breach of health and safety law.

“A material breach is, when in the opinion of the HSE inspector, there has been a contravention of health and safety law that is serious enough to require them to notify the person in material breach of that opinion in writing.”

It’s therefore even more important than ever before to demonstrate that you’ve considered all the risks on site and that you’ve made the necessary assessments. Version 4 of award-winning Health & Safety Xpert software is the ideal time-saving solution to producing that paperwork, including risk assessments, method statements and policies.

Health & Safety Xpert is the award winning health and safety software from HBXL - and now more comprehensive than ever with the new version 4.

You don’t need to be a health and safety expert yourself as its built in knowledge base determines the likely tasks and risks involved on site and generates all the necessary paperwork for the job! With Health & Safety Xpert at £648+VAT you can be sure your paperwork is covered as we keep your software up-to-date with all the very latest legislation changes.