Make estimating work for you

By Emma Peterson. 

Learn how to use digital tools to make the traditional estimating process more efficient and profitable. 

In the roofing industry, time truly is money and one of the big slow down points for many contractors is the estimating process. This is typically a tedious process that can involve more calculations and headaches than anyone wants. Luckily, contractors today can access a variety of tools to make this crucial process more seamless. One example is the Unified Steel Material List Generator! In this episode of Roofing Road Trips®, Heidi J. Ellsworth spoke to Mitch Heitsch of Westlake Royal Roofing Solutions about this free, interactive tool! 

In this digital age, more than ever, people expect expediency in service. Mitch explained, “When you’re running and gunning and getting inundated with quote requests, to spend 30 or 45 minutes on a quote, it's just not acceptable... We're in a digital age, everything is at your fingertips. For some customers, if they don't hear from somebody in a couple hours, they’re like, okay, what's wrong? So being able to only take 30 or 45 seconds to do a quote or to do a bid, it makes a world of difference.” This estimator integrates seamlessly with roof measurements, whether they’re taken traditionally or through 3D software solutions, to create accurate product lists for contractors. With reps in the field often getting upwards of 15 or 20 quote requests in one day, speeding up the estimating process and delivering quotes faster is a powerful advantage that can help you win more bids.  

Mitch explained how this might play out, sharing, “With this tool, your estimator can sit down and say, ‘Hey, the sales rep's out in the field, he sent you over a request for a roof report. Once you get that report, you can sit down for five minutes and have an estimate in that rep’s hands.’” And this tool doesn’t only come in handy at the beginning of a project. If you register and make an account, you can build a record of your projects and your estimates. Mitch shared how this can be helpful, saying, “It might be six months down the road and you're like, I was short on that project, what happened? Then you can see, oh our sales rep told me that I had 200 feet, when really I had 250 feet.” This allows you to have a better understanding of how your business is functioning and performing.  

Read the transcript, Listen to the entire conversation or Watch the recording to learn more about the Unified Steel Material List Generator and what it can do for your business!