The HBXL solution to the worrying FMB statistics
Thursday, September 07th, 2023
Both the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) and HBXL know very well that running a small to medium-sized building firm in the UK comes with its own set of challenges, especially in these testing times. The FMB recently reported concerning statistics that highlight the impact of increased material costs and outgoings on businesses. With 79% of members indicating material cost hikes in Q2 2023 and 72% anticipating this trend to continue, it’s more crucial than ever to manage your expenses efficiently to prevent month-on-month losses.
The growing challenge: Managing increasing costs
The construction industry has been grappling with escalating material costs, a challenge that has led 69% of FMB members to increase their prices in response. Unfortunately, nearly half of these businesses foresee the possibility of taking on a loss due to these adjustments. On top of that, 19% of firms have had to restrict new staff hires due to the financial strain caused by rising costs, according to the FMB which HBXL feels is a worrying trend.
Solution: EstimatorXpress
Times might be challenging, but there’s a tool that can help your building firm navigate the construction market effectively. EstimatorXpress is a powerful software solution developed by HBXL, designed to speed up your estimating process, improve the accuracy of your estimating and minimise the risk of ongoing losses. Basically you need to stop funding your customers’ projects! Not £100, not £1000 or worse…
Key Benefits of EstimatorXpress
Accurate Estimates: EstimatorXpress gives you precise and detailed estimates for your projects. It thinks of everything, every last nail, tube of mastic, and roll of tape…By factoring in accurate material costs, labour, wear and tear, wastage, inflation and overheads you can protect your profitability.
Material price tracking: Buy or subscribe to any version of EstimatorXpress and we’ll track the material prices every month – it’s all included in your Support & Updates package. The team checks well over 6000 products in the EstimatorXpress Price Book using our Price Tracker+ technology. It’s a huge undertaking. But it makes a massive difference to our users. Utilising a range of data sources they scan and collate average prices, sense checking as they go. We’re not tied to one particular chain of merchants so we’re able to give users a carefully considered cross-section of prices.
Professional looking customer quotations: Impress your customers with professional-looking quotes that detail every aspect of the project (you have the option to show less). Clear and transparent proposals instil confidence in customers and reduce the chances of misunderstandings that could lead to additional costs. It’s time to out-estimate your customers!
Valuable reports: EstimatorXpress takes the details of the estimate and automatically feeds it into a set of reports – a significant set of reports. For example, the cash flow analysis report helps you plan your income and expenditure. The Materials Schedule makes it easier to order materials in one hit rather than every other day. It’s all about working smarter not harder.
Support and training: One of the standout features of EstimatorXpress is the help you receive. Don’t get us wrong – EstimatorXpress isn’t difficult to use but we’re committed to helping you make the most of the software. You receive an onboarding session, and an invitation to a free software skills course. Then there are tutorials and training videos plus over-the-phone assistance. You get the idea. You’ll have access to resources that enable you to harness the full potential of the tool.
Taking control of Your Building Firm’s finances
In the face of the FMB statistics, it’s clear to HBXL that errors and under-pricing and the resulting losses are a real concern for building firms. EstimatorXpress emerges as a game-changer that helps you regain control over your projects’ finances.
In an industry where every penny counts, the decision to invest in reliable estimating software like EstimatorXpress could be the turning point for your building firm. By making informed decisions based on accurate data, you can navigate the challenges posed by rising costs and embed a prosperous future for your business. Worth investigating? What have you got to lose?
WHAT NEXT?
If you’re ready to outperform your competitors and win regular profitable work, take the next step. In the first instance, see just how straightforward our estimating software tool is. Download your free 14-day trial of EstimatorXpress today. Better still, let us give you a walk-through of the software first. It’s time to out-estimate your competitors and build your future with HBXL.