Keeping the customer happy is paramount if you’re going to succeed in the construction business. And that means ensuring everyone knows where they stand from the initial quote to the final bill.
That’s according to Mark Jones, managing director of leading Cornish building firm MJ Building Services, which is continuing to expand operations from the Tamar to Land’s End since launching in 2001.
Friday 25 October 2013
At the Helm of property recovery
With the property sector beginning to emerge from the downturn, busy builders are turning to the latest estimating software to help them deal with a widely anticipated uplift in business.
Taking the hassle out of supplying quotes and estimates, HBXL’s EstimatorXpress has been saving building firm’s valuable time and as inquiries show signs of returning to pre-2007 levels, is a must for those wanting a totally accurate idea on how much a project is going to cost.
Taking the hassle out of supplying quotes and estimates, HBXL’s EstimatorXpress has been saving building firm’s valuable time and as inquiries show signs of returning to pre-2007 levels, is a must for those wanting a totally accurate idea on how much a project is going to cost.
Estimating service proves popular with builders
A new service that provides builders with speedy and accurate estimates has been so popular it’s already been used to provide quotes worth in excess of £40 million.
Estimating service supports construction's new dawn
As the private housing sector gathers momentum, developers and house builders wanting to profitably kick start developments can make use of a new estimating service that has already taken the sector by storm.
Developed by HBXL, the building software specialists, the HBXL Estimating Service has already been used to quote in excess of £40 million worth of projects helping developers generate decent returns and improving their bottom line.
Developed by HBXL, the building software specialists, the HBXL Estimating Service has already been used to quote in excess of £40 million worth of projects helping developers generate decent returns and improving their bottom line.
Estimating service proves invaluable for self builders
Self builders wanting to get an accurate view on how much their dream home will cost can take advantage of a service that, having taken the build sector by storm, has been used to provide quotes worth in excess of £40 million.
Merchants take off with estimating service
Builder’s merchants wanting to improve profitability by offering speedy and accurate quotes for their customers can make the most of a new service that has proved popular across the residential building sector.
Already used to provide quotes in excess of £40 million, HBXL’s Estimating Service not only allows builder’s merchants to establish better working relationships with local building firms but helps them increase market share and improve profit margins.
Already used to provide quotes in excess of £40 million, HBXL’s Estimating Service not only allows builder’s merchants to establish better working relationships with local building firms but helps them increase market share and improve profit margins.
Wednesday 9 October 2013
Fee for intervention crackdown places health and safety onus on builder
Builders need to improve their onsite health and safety or risk receiving hefty invoices for breach of their obligations.
The warning follows the first full year of the Fee For Intervention (FFI) initiative which was introduced by the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) in October 2012 to improve safety on site.
The warning follows the first full year of the Fee For Intervention (FFI) initiative which was introduced by the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) in October 2012 to improve safety on site.
Friday 4 October 2013
Hidden benefits II: Realistic timetables with EstimatorXpress
EstimatorXpress is so much more than an estimating package.
As a builder and developer for over 20 years, Adrian Wild, owner of HBXL, has learnt that no matter what the building project, careful time and financial
management is the key to success. Project management involves a very wide skill
set to ensure the project runs as smoothly and efficiently as possible. And the
build program and linked reports that come with EstimatorXpress take away all the guesswork.
- Do your projects ever pass their planned completion dates?
- Do you have to extend your rental on plant?
- Can you demonstrate to customers or lenders, in advance, the sequence of events?
Hidden benefits I : Margins tight? How to eek out more profit with EstimatorXpress
It’s tough going making money in building on a good day in a buoyant year! The bad news is that figures from the
Federation of Master Builders suggest that 70% of SMEs surveyed believe
material costs will rise in the next 6 months, whilst just 20% consider they
will be in a position to raise output prices.The inevitable result is a
continuing squeeze on margins at both ends.
(BM Magazine).
Hidden benefits V: Bespoke estimating with EstimatorXpress
EstimatorXpress isn't just for extensions, new builds and lofts. It's for every kind of domestic construction project. As well as providing a range of extra modules (Bonus Packs) offering additional calculators, HBXL can also tailor EstimatorXpress to suit your business - in other words a totally bespoke version.
Our Power Pack at £199+VAT (the Advanced version includes images and dimensions boxes for £299+VAT) will add tailored workbooks to your EstimatorXpress software - and for full-on customisation support, why not take advantage of our consultancy service.
We can help you set up the software exactly to suit your business including the creation of bespoke estimating calculators for your line of work, getting prices from your local merchants/suppliers into the software, as well as specialist labour. Then there's the software specifications using your preferred resources, plus the bespoke reports from the estimate data, bespoke gantt charts with your own build phases... and so on.
Finally we can help set up the quotation to look exactly as your business wants it - including your logo and the standard written information you want your customers to read.
Our consultants are available at £49+VAT per hour online or £399+VAT (plus expenses) for a face to face session.
So whatever your business, be it wood burning stove installation or solar panels, the first step is talk to a member of the team on 0845 1234 065 (for free!) to discuss your own business and how we could help you produce high-quality, accurate estimates - and win more business - with our award-winning estimating software.
For more information on EstimatorXpress itself visit here.
Our Power Pack at £199+VAT (the Advanced version includes images and dimensions boxes for £299+VAT) will add tailored workbooks to your EstimatorXpress software - and for full-on customisation support, why not take advantage of our consultancy service.
We can help you set up the software exactly to suit your business including the creation of bespoke estimating calculators for your line of work, getting prices from your local merchants/suppliers into the software, as well as specialist labour. Then there's the software specifications using your preferred resources, plus the bespoke reports from the estimate data, bespoke gantt charts with your own build phases... and so on.
Finally we can help set up the quotation to look exactly as your business wants it - including your logo and the standard written information you want your customers to read.
Our consultants are available at £49+VAT per hour online or £399+VAT (plus expenses) for a face to face session.
So whatever your business, be it wood burning stove installation or solar panels, the first step is talk to a member of the team on 0845 1234 065 (for free!) to discuss your own business and how we could help you produce high-quality, accurate estimates - and win more business - with our award-winning estimating software.
For more information on EstimatorXpress itself visit here.
| Have you tried estimating software? | ||
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| More info | Online demo | Chat online |
| Call 0845 1234 065 | ||
Hidden benefits III: Managing cash flow with EstimatorXpress
EstimatorXpress not only accurately costs your projects quickly and accurately but it also automatically produces essential reports that allow you to analyse all your costs in detail – giving you a complete picture of your cash flow status.
The need to prioritise cash flow remains essential, while also ensuring proper payment is made for the work undertaken.
The need to prioritise cash flow remains essential, while also ensuring proper payment is made for the work undertaken.
Hidden benefits IV: Scheduling and forecasting with EstimatorXpress
Are you wasting money instead of making money on your building projects? Other than some of the items we have already discussed in eeking out a profit and cashflow, materials management is something that EstimatorXpress can really help with AND save you money on using our Materials Ordering reports which operate very much like a BOQ.
Materials management – a massive cost to builders is the actual vehicle and fuel cost of regularly going to merchants, and the often unmeasured cost of time going to the merchant. One of the chaps at a recent London course calculated that at a cost of 60p per mile plus his hourly rate for his time, he was effectively spending around £11,000 a year going to and from merchants.
Materials management – a massive cost to builders is the actual vehicle and fuel cost of regularly going to merchants, and the often unmeasured cost of time going to the merchant. One of the chaps at a recent London course calculated that at a cost of 60p per mile plus his hourly rate for his time, he was effectively spending around £11,000 a year going to and from merchants.
Wednesday 2 October 2013
HSE spot checks reveal hundreds of sites in breach
At the time of writing, we have the figures up to 17th
September 2013 for the major inspection and enforcement initiative carried out
last month by HSE Construction Inspectors targeting the refurbishment sector.
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| HSE points out insufficient propping of load-bearing beam |
The HSE will use the
enforcement tools at their disposal to prevent immediate risk and bring about
the improvements they’re striving for. It's not worth cutting corners - it's not worth the safety risk - or the the risk of fines and worse.
A number of sites were also served enforcement notices.
Final figures will be published once all the data has been compiled.
Those wanting to comply and avoid an eye-watering fine can
turn to Health & Safety Xpert software. Encouraging a more active approach
to health and safety, it is already used by thousands of builders across the
country.
As Joanna Mulgrew of HBXL said: “The Health and Safety
Executive has maintained quite a robust inspection initiative so building firms
have to keep a constant vigilance on its health and safety obligations.
“Anyone working on any building site should look out for
hazards and take time to control the risks as best they can. Health &
Safety Xpert goes a long way to help manage such risks and reduce the number of
accidents.”
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| More info | Online demo | Chat online |
| Call 0845 1234 065 | ||
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