Sage today announced the launch of a new integrated Building Information Modeling (BIM), takeoff, and estimating solution developed through a collaboration with Autodesk and eTakeoff. This BIM solution is a unique best-of-breed approach to automating the time-consuming, manual process estimators face when trying to produce detail cost estimates from 3D models and 2D digital plans. It also paves the way for integration with cloud based solutions used in field project collaboration, on mobile devices and in today's digital plan rooms.
"We are proud to be working with eTakeoff and Autodesk to offer solutions to help bridge the current gap between BIM and estimating," said Jon Witty, vice president and general manager of Sage Construction and Real Estate. "By simplifying and improving this process and opening up more opportunities for cloud based collaboration, construction firms can feel more confident about their estimates, create more estimates in less time, and ultimately win more work."
The amount of estimating-related information included in a model can vary greatly. As a result, estimators have to refer to 2D drawings to get details, such as floor coverings, that are often missing from the model.
"This new integrated platform speeds up takeoff from models, allows estimators to override model quantities, and uses the same interface as a 2D takeoff tool," said Kevin Miller, a user of the product and construction management professor at Brigham Young University.
The new model-based cost estimating solution integrates eTakeoff software and Autodesk Navisworks with Sage Estimating. It provides an easier way to do detailed takeoff simultaneously from both 3D models and 2D drawings. With this new integration estimators can:
- Drag and drop objects from a BIM model onto selected estimating assemblies, eliminating the time-consuming task of transferring quantities and measurements.
- Obtain information missing in the BIM model directly from 2D drawings, all in the same integration tool.
- Drill down from the estimate spreadsheet all the way back to the 3D model to review the original takeoff source and any changes that have been introduced.
"We're providing a way for construction firms to integrate these best-in-class solutions to effortlessly move between 2D and 3D content for production-level estimating," said Curtis Peltz, CEO of eTakeoff. "It's all part of our efforts to provide the most innovative and practical BIM takeoff and estimating solution available today."
This integrated platform offers a way to provide more reliable feedback and cost saving strategies much earlier in construction project planning to help firms easily turn building model information into full-blown estimates, saving time and streamlining the process.
"The tight integration between Navisworks, e-Takeoff software, and Sage Estimating provides estimators with all the tools they need to help quickly provide BIM design-cost analysis. This will be a game-changer for estimators," said Sarah Hodges, director, construction business line for Autodesk.
Sage Construction and Real Estate is the market leader for financial, project management, and estimating systems used by more than 50,000 construction and real estate companies in North America. With a whole spectrum of solutions from back office accounting to cloud based collaboration tools, Sage helps construction companies to manage more than 500,000 jobs, seven million subcontracts, and 622,000 rental units each year. Today, Sage Construction and Real Estate is leading the Building Information Management (BIM) revolution through strategic partnerships with industry leading solution providers, such as Autodesk and eTakeoff.
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