Founder Adrian shows one of his own developments benefitting from HBXL software

As a business owner, taking on the job of constructing a new build, adding an extension, or even fitting a bathroom brings with it responsibilities, and invariably time pressures and financial issues.

So the more help you can get - to be sure your costs are correct, the project will be profitable, all the health and safety measures are in hand, that everyone and everything will be in the right place at the right time, that you’ll get paid – the better!

Which is really what prompted Adrian Wild to found HBXL over ten years ago. He was a property developer for over 25 years and in his time, built around 80 new builds (not to mention hundreds of extensions), and achieved a turnover of around £4-5 million per annum.

That was a lot of estimating to undertake let alone everything else he was responsible for! In fact it was borne out sheer frustration and nothing else on the market that he devised EstimatorXpress with an innovative team of software developers. And a whole suite of award-winning software exclusive to builders and developers followed.

The upshot? Use EstimatorXpress and you’ll win more business, you’ll be more profitable, you’ll get your life back. Start using PlansXpress and you’ll have another profit stream, another weapon in your armoury to win over customers. Work with Health & Safety Xpert and everyone’s in safe hands. ContractsXpert – and ProjectXpert for that matter – will both help you sleep at night!

This article is an opportunity for Adrian to express just how effective HBXL software is with a case study on one of his own developments. ‘Stubwood’ is a 5-house development in the Midlands. And here we focus on the ‘middle’ house.

Stubwood: Design stage

PlansXpress produces professional plans and elevations using a wealth of construction drawing tools that can be used for Building Regulation submissions and planning applications.

It also enables you to create a photographic 3D rendering of your drawings with HBXL’s 3D PhotoVisualiser plug-in (all in a click of a button). It comes with PlansXpress Ultimate edition or separately for an additional charge. It’s what Adrian calls the ‘wow factor’. And now has another important role to play. Increasingly planning departments are requesting 3D visualisations to ensure that the proposed scheme is fully understood.

As Adrian says, “The cost of going back and forth to architects to get designs amended with changes from planners is expensive (although we don’t underestimate the advice they can offer). PlansXpress gives you control and flexibility – and saves you money on outsourcing."

Stubwood: Cost stage 

Accuracy is key. An EstimatorXpress estimate covers absolutely everything down to the last screw and man-hour – specific to the property being built or refurbished. From the data accumulated from the final estimate – the software automatically produces 50+ vital reports. These include project cash flow, profit forecasts, detailed cost breakdowns and even inflation for long projects is taken into account.

Adrian’s Cost Summary is one of the many valuable reports produced for the Stubwood development. It gives him a breakdown of labour and material costs for every phase of the build – together with wastage costs.

Important tip: Adrian knows how tempting it can be to cost on the basis of an average sq ft or sq m. "But it can be misleading since every site today is different, as are the architectural details. If you assume you can use cheaper materials or forget costly items you could be delayed or worse – jeopardise the entire project."

Stubwood: Negotiating stage

Of course you want to reduce your material costs whether it’s simply to reduce your outgoings or increase your profit margin. EstimatorXpress gives you a full material schedule for timetabling. It can also be sent off to the merchants for negotiating discounts and ordering.

Adrian: “I found that if suppliers could see the scale of the project and the volumes involved, there was a greater chance of them entering into more significant negotiations for either materials – or the project as a whole. The materials schedule meant that there was far less piece meal purchasing."

And another point worth making on the reports – if you want to show the bank manager, investor, associate or sub-contractor that you mean business – the professional reports can be used to arrange loans, analyse the business and keep everyone in the loop.

Alongside PlansXpress and EstimatorXpress, Adrian adds, “Equally important is having the materials and plant in the right place at the right time, along with the labourers, which is why ProjectXpert has proved such a valuable tool. Time really is money. The longer you take the more it usually costs – especially if a lender is involved.

“And I don’t mind saying how stressful I found the ever-increasing Health & Safety red tape wrapping up my projects. Of all the products we’ve produced I have to say Health & Safety Xpert is a particular god-send. You still have to be responsible for addressing the H & S requirements – but the software tells you what you need to do to comply, which is half the battle. And I don’t know of anything comparable that automatically updates you with changes in legislation.”

He adds, “I often used to pay my architect to act as a CDM Co-ordinator – expensive! No more with Health & Safety Xpert which guides you through the paperwork required by law including CDM Regulations 2007.”

Property developers as well as smaller construction firms need contracts in place and ContractsXpert, very simply and straightforwardly answers this requirement – specific to your project. “People often talk about cowboy builders, but there is a small swathe of cowboy customers. Getting a proper contract in place protects you and ensures you get paid – and if they don’t, you have a remedy – and can take them to court!”

So it’s not surprising that the HBXL software suite has become the success that it has, having been created by a builder who knew all the pitfalls first hand. And today there are 10,000+ customers, education sector partenrships, associations with the Federation of Master Builders, Guild of Master Craftsmen, Builders Merchants and more!

So if you're as frustrated as Adrian used to be - at least you have a solution! Why not give one of the HBXL team a call and chat through your own particular circumstances and what software would best suit your needs on 0845 1234 065 or visit the website at www.hbxl.co.uk