Latest News

Ever feel like you’re leaking money from expensive delays, estimating errors and cowboy customers? Often, builders find themselves thrust into a leadership role due to family circumstances or the organic/unplanned growth of what started out as a one-man-band. It’s a big leap from builder to boss, and all the admin that goes with it.

Suddenly, you have to navigate the complexities of project management, a role that requires a different set of skills altogether. And it’s not helped by fluctuating material prices, regulation changes, safety challenges and so on.  That’s why HBXL’s software tools are such game-changers, offering invaluable support in estimating, design, health and safety and managing building projects effectively.

Meet John…

Picture this scenario: John, a seasoned builder with years of hands-on experience. His expertise lies in brick-laying, ensuring all brickwork on site meets the high standards of the family business. However, with little notice his father decides to retire, leaving John solely in charge of the company. John suddenly finds himself not just a builder but a boss, responsible for overseeing projects from inception to completion.

Initially, John feels overwhelmed by the newfound responsibilities. While he excels in using the tools and supervising work on site, he lacks experience in project management. The intricacies of budgeting, scheduling, and resource allocation seem daunting. Every decision now impacts not just the construction process but also the financial health and reputation of the business. He doesn’t want to damage his father’s legacy.

Enter EstimatorXpress, the UK’s leading software solution designed to streamline the estimating process for construction projects. With its user-friendly interface and clever estimating calculators, EstimatorXpress takes away a lot of the uncertainty.

It enables builders like John to create accurate estimates quickly and efficiently, and manage jobs through to completion. The software gives him the material prices, the number of hours of labour, the plant required, wear and tear and wastage. John just adds the overhead costs and his profit margin percentage. EstimatorXpress then generates precise estimates that he can present to customers with confidence.

Planning your building projects

Another challenge John faces is managing project schedules and timelines. Delays and setbacks can wreak havoc on construction projects, leading to cost overruns and client dissatisfaction. With EstimatorXpress, John can see what needs to happen, to the day – thanks to the Build Programme the software automatically produces. By sticking to this, John minimises the risk of delays and keeps the building project planning on track.

EstimatorXpress also gives John:

• The Build Programme – tells him who’s needed where, when and what materials and plant need to be on site
• Materials schedule – automatically produced – something he can present to the builders merchant – helping him get the best price possible and everything delivered in good time
• Cashflow analysis – John knows what money is going out and when to make sure he has funds coming in
• Plus another 80+ reports to give him the confidence to manage the jobs effectively.

By sharing these reports with clients and subcontractors, John builds trust with them. They like his professionalism and transparency.

‘Mission-control’ dashboard

The software gives John valuable insights into project profitability and performance. He can look at the financial viability of his projects. He can see where the money is being spent. Armed with this data, John can make informed decisions on whether he’s taking on profitable work or not.

All the software tools synced with each other

It gets better. EstimatorXpress integrates seamlessly with the other HBXL software tools, using its own unique X-Connex technology.  With Health & Safety Xpert, John can ensure compliance with regulatory requirements and maintain a safe working environment for his team. All he has to do is drop the estimate in the H & S software and answer a few questions.

Legally-binding contracts – sorted

The same goes for ContractsXpert. Drop the estimate into the contract software and it will produce all the letters required by law, as well as contracts for the customer and the sub-contractors.

Design as well as Build

John can also use PlansXpress to either trace over an existing drawing and drop the file into EstimatorXpress for an AUTOMATIC estimate. Alternatively, he can design from scratch and get an estimate from that. It’s an exciting prospect for growing a building firm.

Everyone knows what they’re doing

The new BuildProjex software tool gives John another layer of control, enabling him to manage his team, assign tasks, store all the plans, documents and so on in one place.

The journey from builder to boss may be challenging, but at HBXL we want to help builders to feel comfortable about learning from technology and growing as a result of it. We can help you take charge of your building project planning with confidence, enabling you to manage costs, schedules, and resources effectively.

What next? A free 14-day trial.

Download a free 14-day trial. No credit card details required. No obligation. Just time to assess the software in your own time, with all the support from us that you need. And you can stop leaking money and start making maximum profit.