Scan Properties With iPhone or iPad

BuilderBid renovation/remodeling contractors can now save time by scanning properties using the Rendr app
–Generate a basic digital floor plan
–Send the as-builts to your draftsman/architect
–Instantly send takeoff quantities to the estimating software

Automatically identify quantify flooring, drywall, LF of cabinets, Door/Window counts, fixture counts, & more

This technology requires a LiDAR capable device such as iPhone Pro or iPad Pro

How to Try it Out:
Go to a Project –> Project Home page –> click “Invite to Scan Property” –> follow the instructions to enter an email and phone number, then we will send you a link to invite you to use Rendr to capture the space. Unlimited scans are included in your plan!

3D Virtual Tour – Now Available to Order

To help your buyers visualize their space, you can now order Furnished Interior Floor Plans & 3D Virtual Tours for any project

Basic Set is $50 for the main level + $25 for each additional level
Pro Set is $90 for the main level + $50 for each additional level

24 Hour Turnaround (AI Generated + Human Checked)

Try it Today:
Visit the Project Home page –> then select “Purchase 3D Virtual Tour”

BuilderBid 3D Floor Planner

For those that want to play around with design ideas, our new 3D floor planner is the perfect tool

Create floor plans in 2D/3D
Easily move walls and remodel your space
Design and furnish your client’s dream home

–Start from Scratch
–Start from a Template
–Copy an Existing Project
–Upload a Plan to let AI generate a scaled “digital twin” based on your blueprints (BETA)

Easily drag & drop furnishings, move walls, reposition doors/windows, change colors and textures of design elements, & more

Currently available through the BuilderBid Web App
(iOS/Android Mobile Apps will be added later)

Included with your plan at no additional charge

3D Floor Planner: Furnish Rooms with AI

Click any room and furnish it with AI
The AI Smart Wizard will position furniture, fixtures, cabinets, and more based on the chosen stye

Go from floor plan to fully furnished property in minutes

Easier Way to Add Markup

We revamped how you add markup to your jobs
So you can have clarity on the profit margin for each project

When you finish estimating the job:
–> click the Markup tab (lower right corner)
–> then click Set Markups, Discounts, & Taxes button at the top of this page

For open book (cost-plus) projects:
List any overhead/profit markups as a line item in the estimate spreadsheet ($ or %)

For fixed price (lump sum) projects:
–Choose between fixed price OR fixed price with allowances
–Choose between Markup OR Margin
–Choose whether to Markup Everything OR set the Markup % by Type (labor, material, etc.)

Faster Plan Uploads

Save time creating projects

We revamped the architecture to speed up plan file uploads when creating a new project

Auto Naming of Sheets

When possible to detect sheet names, we will name your plan sheets automatically

AI Takeoffs (Closed Beta)

We are testing the AI Takeoffs feature now internally for fast analysis of floor plans

Phase I includes rooms, exterior walls, interior walls, doors by type, and windows
We are already working on adding symbol search and table lookup to the mix to help with fixtures, electrical plans, etc.

Phase II priorities include enhanced interior trim takeoffs, plus cabinets, countertops, and elevation sheets

Framing takeoffs for joists/rafters/trusses/beams/etc will also be explored as the year progresses.

500th Estimating Service Project

We recently delivered our 500th project through the Estimating Service
Since publicly launching our done-for-you service in March of last year 🚀🎉

Ashley and the team have been hard at work delivering a unique and exceptional experience for builders and contractors who want to
–systemize their business
–delegate estimating duties
–and free up their time

We are excited to continue to grow the estimating team in 2025

AI Roadmap

GROWING THE TEAM:
Last year, we doubled the size of the software engineering team
We now have 10 full-time developers working on the BuilderBid platform, so we can deliver more of the features you want.

AI UPDATE:
We’ve been working hard on our AI Roadmap and will begin releasing these features in early Q2

AI is a huge focus for us in 2025

To further automate the estimating process and help your clients visualize their final project, we will be releasing several AI capabilities in the very near future including:
–BuilderBid 3D: an AI powered floor plan design and visualization tool
–Property Scanner: scan any property with your phone to generate dimensioned floor plans
(automatically send quantities to the estimate)
–AI Takeoffs: phase I will focus on floor plan analysis

Update in Template + Add to Cost Library

Update in Template:
Make a change in your project that you want to carry over into your template for future estimates?
You can update line items in your template directly from the estimate.
To do this, click the gear icon for the overall group OR a single line item inside the group and then click “Update in Template”.

Add Item/Group to My Library:
Build something from scratch that you want to use again later? Add any item or group to your cost library.

Update Item/Group in My Library:
Update line items in your cost library directly from the estimate.

More Export Options

ECI BuildTools and Bolster reports were added upon request to easily transfer the budget over into those platforms
Using a different tool for project management? Let us know if your platform is not yet listed here.

Don’t forget, you can always export to spreadsheet format

Quickbooks Online Integration

We added a Quickbooks Online integration, so you can quickly move over your budget with just a few clicks

To link your Quickbooks Online account, simply go to the Templates & Setup -> Integrations page

Whether you track the budget by Project or by Customer, both options are available

If you need help setting up this integration, please reach out to support via the chat bot (lower right corner)

User Cost Library

BuilderBid has an extensive library of pre-made items and assemblies. We call this the BuilderBid Library.

Now you can create your own standalone items/assemblies, save them to My Library, and use as needed on any project

Create custom assemblies and pull them into the spreadsheet

You can starting building this out from Templates & Setup -> Estimating -> Cost Library tab

A Google Drive like folder system, ability to create tags, drag & drop to organize items, and more

Enhanced Item Search

We revamped the user experience to make it easy to search the:
–BuilderBid Cost Library
–My Cost Library
–Cost Database (AKA Pricing Assistant)

We have a few more enhancements on the way (such as preview item before adding)
Let us know your feedback and ideas

Organize Measurements into Folders

The measurements in the right window are now organized into folders for easy navigation

Manage measurement visibility at the folder level or overall

Measurements will automatically organize themselves into folders as the takeoffs are launched from the spreadsheet

You can manually add or remove folders + drag & drop to move measurements between folders

Print Screen to PDF (BETA)

Capture screenshots of your takeoff measurements and plan markups

Add, Delete, and Resequence the screenshots for easy review

Then Download a PDF of the takeoff screenshots for easy sending

Note: this feature will be in BETA for the next 1-2 weeks as we improve the UI and squash any bugs

Bid Requests – Send Line Items to Quote

Now you can include specific line items in the bid requests sent to subs/vendors

Choose whether you want the subs to be able to see the Quantities (or not)

Choose whether you want to ask the subs to input costs for each line item OR just an overall total

Add Door/Window Opening

For linear measurements, we added two useful features to help you zero-in those quantity takeoffs

1. Right Click any linear measurement to “Add Opening”
Then specify the height of the door/window
Then click on either side of the opening
This will remove the opening square footage from the measurement quantity

2. Right click any point in a linear measurement to “Break Line” at any point

Arrow Tool + Bubble Tool

Two new plan markup tools are now at your disposal

Previously we added the Legend Tool, Text Box, and Highlighter

Now you can also utilize the Arrow tool to draw arrows on the plans as well as the Bubble tool

Set the line width, color, and drag & drop these shapes to the position of your choice

Proposal – Save Favorite Views

In the proposal feature, you can Save any view as a Favorite for quick access

Find the views you use the most and favorite them. Switch between views on the fly.

Cost Code Groups

Now you can place Cost Codes into Cost Code Groups (sometimes called Cost Categories)

This additional hierarchy adds flexibility to organize cost codes into groups from the Proposal feature

Check out the new views in the Proposals feature (Summary View)

Assign or Modify a Cost Code-to-Cost Code Group assignment from the Templates & Setup menu -> Estimating -> Cost Codes tab

Note: our team can set these groups up for you, just reach out to support via the chat bot (lower right corner)

Specifications Enhancements

The Copy Link feature allows you to send a URL to your client, so they can fill out the specifications document themselves

Clients can click through to select options, add notes, or choose their preferred feature & finishes

You can lock the specs from editing OR generate a new URL at any time

We also added an option to Hide Rows Not Filled Out, so you can exclude line items that may not apply

Right Click to View Linked Measurements

Sometimes measurements are hard to find or spread across multiple sheets, now you can find them with ease

Right click the measurement icon in the spreadsheet to view linked measurements

Click any measurement in this window to navigate to the exact plan sheet where that measurement is located

I’m excited to announce the release of our new renovation/remodeling template!

A highly automated template, perfect for interior renovations and smaller projects that you need to estimate quickly.

Organized by room, this template is a great framework for pricing out smaller jobs (typically <$150k) in minutes

Check Out This Video (12 mins):
“How to Price a Bathroom + Laundry Renovation in 90 seconds”
https://go.screenpal.com/watch/cZXofXnVIqQ

Upcoming Remodeling Roadmap:
–Dynamic Proposals the Client Can Interact With
–Client Upgrade & Downgrade Options
–Proposal E-Sign
–Floor Plan Scanner
(walk through a home and scan rooms with your Phone/iPad to generate an as-built floor plan)
–and More

New Project Dashboard

–fully configurable dashboard (add columns, delete columns, move columns)
–change column names and colors
–add custom tags
–assign clients to projects
–choose which columns display Project Totals

–toggle to see the List View

Select Sheets When Creating a Project

When you upload a PDF file that contains multiple sheets, you will now be prompted to choose which sheets you want to include for takeoffs.

This will help you manage larger plan files, so you can remove unwanted pages.

Spreadsheet Resequencing Feature

Move item rows, groups, or sections around in the spreadsheet. Easy as Drag & Drop.

Export to Excel: New File Formats

We’re in the process of adding more export file formats, so you can easily transition the project budget to other platforms for actuals tracking.

When you click Export, you will now see the option to export to excel OR to other formats compatible with Buildertrend, BuildBook, Contractor Foreman, etc.

Quickbooks Online and Quickbooks Desktop integrations will be included in a future release.

This feature is in BETA, so let us know if you find any issues

Not seeing your job management platform? Send us a message requesting we add it.

New Legend Tool + Text Box

Now you can add a legend box to any sheet. This box shows the visible measurements, along with their quantities and other properties.

We also added a text box tool. You can change the size and color of the text.

Include Notes when Cost Codes are ON

For users who assign each line item to a cost code, now you can use the Notes field too!
Toggle between showing the Notes column OR the Cost Codes column at any time, for any project.

3 New Proposal Formatting Options

If you use the Notes field for describing a longer scope of work, we’ve added a few options for you:

We add a few formatting options to the Proposal “Configure the View” menu to:
#1–Show Row Borders
#2–Show Notes on Next Line

How to Add a Line Break:
#3–When editing the Notes, you can now press Alt+Enter (or Command+Enter on MAC) to break the text to the next line within the same cell.

This will allow you to add bullet points, keep descriptions organized, etc.
Each line break will also reflect on the exported proposal.

Set Global Markup by Type

For lump sum contract formats where you want to hide your markup within the unit cost:
The global markup field now allows you to set the markup by Type

For example maybe you want: materials to get a 10% markup, while labor gets 25%, and allowances are at 0%.

You can access this setting from within a project’s spreadsheet window by clicking on the Settings icon –> Project Settings menu

New Fields for Subs/Vendors + COI Tracking

We added several new fields to the Sub/Vendor details page:
–Address
–Notes
–Upload Files
–Trade Agreement

We also allow you to track COI expiration dates to keep track of Work Comp and General Liability documents from within the platform.

Other Changes

Bid Requests – Set the Reply-To Email: under Templates & Setup -> Bid Requests, now you can set the Reply-To email to help you properly route sub/vendor replies to the bid request emails

Duplicate Template: we added a duplicate template button, so you can easily clone your templates

Duplicate Group: duplicate a group within a section

Import Template into Project: import any template into a project

That’s it for this update. As you can see, we are working hard to improve the platform and are planning some MAJOR updates for Q4!
Send us a message with your thoughts and keep the feedback coming our way.

Joist Tool + Rafter Tool

Lumber takeoffs just got easier!

The all-new Joist Tool is a powerful new addition to your takeoff tool belt

Check out the animation below to see how it works

Easily Adjust For:
–Unit of Measure
(Each = # of Joists)
(LF = Linear Feet of Joists)
(SF = Square Feet of Joists)
–O.C. Spacing
–Ply
–Joist Direction
–Removal of Joists
–Pitch
(use this to turn the joist tool into a rafter tool)
–LF of Rim Board

Try it out, then let us know your feedback and ideas for enhancing this tool!

Update Template From Any Project
(Update Line Items Directly From a Project)

Now you can update your template directly from a project.

Want to make a permanent change to your template (ex: item name, item cost, waste factor, etc.)?

We’ve added a convenient way to update the properties of any line item, right from the project.

This feature will update the following fields:
Item name, notes or cost code, unit, cost per, type, waste factor, markup, tax setting, and roundup value

Count Tool: We’ve Added New Shapes
+ Ability to Adjust Quantity

The count tool now has additional shapes you can choose from:
–circle, diamond, square, triangle, and plus sign

We’ve also enabled you to multiply each count node by a factor set by you

Example Use Cases for “Adjust Quantity”
–if you know you need 16LF of trim around a door, count the doors and adjust quantity x16
–count block piers and use this field to multiply by the number of CMU blocks per pier
–electrical drops to calculate the length of wire, etc.

Round Quantity Up or Down

Click the gear icon next to any line item to set the quantity to Round Up or Round Down

This is helpful to avoid ordering a partial box of fasteners, a partial bag of mortar, or half yard of concrete

Bid Request Enhancements

Track Email Opens, Failed Deliveries, & More

We are creating a best-in-class method for requesting and organizing your bid requests (RFQ’s)

We have implemented several new features to give you more visibility of undeliverable emails and SMS messages
(sometimes due to a typo in the email address or carrier restrictions out of our control)

As well as control over ensuring your subs & vendors still have a way to access the link to submit a bid

Improvements include:

–A new “Copy Link” feature, so you always have the option to manually send out a link to the bid submission page

–The ability to track if an email is opened (we added a new bid request status to differentiate between an opened/read email and a sub that accessed the bid submission page

—new icons showing the deliverability status of emails and/or SMS messages
(these icons will turn RED if a message was not able to be delivered)

Specifications Enhancements

Choose between an option box and a drop-down box for each row in the specifications form

The new “Drop-Down Box” feature allows you to show only the selected option

While the “Option Box” choice shows all available options, including those not selected

Allowances Report Improvements

We’ve improved how the Allowances report looks when using groups

You can also hide certain columns, remove rows that do not apply, and show total without markup

Coming April 25: Pre-Built Framing Assemblies

We are working to release our pre-built framing assemblies

This allows you to pull in specific framing assemblies to any project or template

This includes:
–Floor Framing
–Wall Framing
–Ceiling Framing
–Roof Framing
–Headers, Beams, & Posts
–Hardware & Fasteners
–& More

For convenience, we’ve also linked these items to the cost database, so the pricing automatically updates based on the project location

Check back soon for more info!

BuilderBid Launches Estimating Service

BuilderBid is on a mission to automate the estimating process for builders and contractors

We want to make your life easier, get you some major time back, and help you price jobs more accurately.

I’m excited to announce the next step in this journey:
The Estimating Service for Builders and Contractors

Click Here to Watch a Video & Learn More:
https://builderbid.com/takeoff-service/

Over the last 18 months, we have performed extensive research and interviews into the problems with existing takeoff and estimating services. We’ve crafted a model to solve this that will provide a much better experience and end result.

This includes:

• an in-house US-based estimator reviews each job
• ability to manage your own costs & budget template
• estimators that follow your process
• access to edit the takeoffs and make changes
• quick turnaround + affordable pricing

A special thank you to the builders and contractors who participated in the takeoff service pilot program!

We have already completed more than 100 projects in the last 6 months in the pilot program. The feedback has been incredibly helpful as we build this out.

Check out the results from a recently completed project:

To request a takeoff for your next project, simply select “Purchase a Takeoff” from the Create New Project screen

Come See Us At IBS 2024!

Will we see you in Las Vegas?
Come by and talk to us at booth W4177
We’d love to talk estimating with you, update you on what’s new, and fill you in on our product plans for 2024