There are many specialized Estimating Software for Flooring Contractors. However, it can be difficult to choose the best one. I have personally worked on the following software for our clients at Advance Informatics.
1. Measure by RFMS
2. Callidus
3. Floor Right
4. Planswift
5. On Screen Takeoff
The first three are specialized flooring software, while the last two are general estimating software which can also be used for flooring estimates.
If you are a flooring subcontractor only, I would recommend going with a specialized software for flooring takeoffs as it will enable you to:
1. Calculate the waste very accurately
2. Make a seam plan for sheet products
3. Save time doing the takeoffs.
Of the first three softwares in the list above, I would recommend Measure by RFMS. It has the maximum number of features. Doing seaming and taking off wall tile is also very easy and intuitive in the software. The interface and look is also much better.
In terms of cost it is significantly cheaper than Callidus (based on the quotes we received at the time of enquiry). I am not aware of Floor Rights cost, as we used our clients licence only. The cost for using the Measure software is a monthly subscription which is $149 per month or $1400 per year for the premier version. I wouldn’t recommend anything less than the premier version for most contractors, as you can’t import pdf or cad files into the software without it.
Of course, there are many softwares out there. Many of them including Measure will offer you a free trial for a month (Some will not ofcourse). If you have the time and can put in the effort, you can try a few, and then decide which has the best combination of features and cost that suit you best. I hope this article gives you a starting point in making a decision.
If you know or work on a flooring software which you think is very good but not on the list above, please do contact me and let me know, so I can improve this article for our readers. And please feel free to make any suggestions for a topic you want us to cover in construction estimating. Thank you.