Take your business to another level. Add value. Improve profits.

Some would say that to secure a long-term, profitable future for a building firm, offering Design & Build is essential. You can overtake the competition. You can avoid the architect’s delays. It’s business on your terms. With HBXL’s PlansXpress and EstimatorXpress you really stand out from the crowd. Bypass complications and concentrate on offering practical, achievable plans and accurate costings that will win you (rewarding) work.

“What emerges at the end is amazing considering the simple to use tools. It makes you feel like you’re cheating at CAD.”

It’s really straightforward. You select your choice of exterior wall from the menu, provide dimensions, then you click, drag and drop your walls onto the ‘drawing paper’. Do the same with floor slab, windows, doors, stairs, roof…

“It’s like having an architect on your shoulder. The amazing technical-cum-construction knowledge is in-built. It’s the business.”

The drawings you produce will be of an architect-level quality. Dimensions, floor plans, elevations, section showing levels, scaffolding plan, joist layout, notes… all the detail. And you’re guided every step of the way.

“I assumed overlaying the detail would be a protracted manual process. But of course, with PlansXpress, it’s automated.”

Using the hatch buttons on the toolbar you select areas of wall, roof, tree and so on. Different block paving, brick and tile styling, clay, concrete effects, and so on. Once selected, the software automatically adds texture and patterns in your chosen colours.

“The steps are logical. The prompts are handy. And the 3D model is just amazing. It brings my projects to life.”

As you draw your design, the powerful 3D engine automatically creates a 3D model (solid, textured or wire-frame) in a window so you can check your design as you go. The onboard model rotates and re-angles to give the full effect. You can email them to the customer!

“It would cost hundreds of pounds to get an image like this from the architect. I give the customer added value.”

Our 3D PhotoVisualiser Plug-in comes with the Premium version and can be added to the Plus. The colours and textures you applied are re-rendered to be even more realistic. You can choose the direction of the sun and drop the design into a supplied background or your own photo.

“Once I’ve designed an extension I will have the cost in no time as well – customers love the speed I can change things.”

Your drawn from scratch or traced plan, full of valuable information, goes into EstimatorXpress to produce an INSTANT cost estimate, quotation and reports. Adjust your designs and costs quickly and easily. Management Reports are included.

“The feedback I get on the quotes is amazing. They literally win us work.”

People are swayed by appearance not just price. Customers who recognise quality and have a profitable job for you, want to see professionalism. And the quote that EstimatorXpress automatically produces from the estimate, says it all.