e4clicks Project Estimator is software that is designed to support the mission of Department of Defense and Federal Government facility owners, contractors, subcontractors, architects, and engineers. The vendor says multiple contracts, including JOC, SABER, 8(a), IDIQ, SATOC, MATOC, IFB, MACC, POCA, BOA, and others can be managed in a single comprehensive program quickly, easily, and with greater accuracy.
Additionally, the vendor says approximately 85% of the Air Force Bases,…
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iTWO costX
Score 9.0 out of 10
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CostX is a construction and estimation software offering from Exactal Technologies Pty Ltd.
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Pricing
e4clicks Project Estimator
iTWO costX
Editions & Modules
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Offerings
Pricing Offerings
e4clicks Project Estimator
iTWO costX
Free Trial
No
No
Free/Freemium Version
No
No
Premium Consulting/Integration Services
No
Yes
Entry-level Setup Fee
No setup fee
No setup fee
Additional Details
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Pricing is determined by a number of factors. For example, would you want to use BIM or just 2D? Do you need estimating spreadsheets and report generation? Would you want to buy 100 copies or just one? If you send in a sales enquiry to sales.int@rib-software.com, we’ll be able to send you through a quote that will meet your requirements.
If you are considering purchasing this (very expensive) software, there is a 100% chance you are doing so because you have been awarded a Government contract that dictates you use 4Clicks Project Estimator. There are plenty of easier to use estimating packages out in the world, but you can't use any of them if you have a contract that requires 4Clicks.
Easy to use, one-stop for all construction-related tasks. The best thing is the split-screen, during the Bill of Quantity verification users can see for what part of the design Bill of Quantity is generated. Auto-updating of Design is another good feature.
Allows multiple users to work on the same estimate at once. This is huge!! Not only can we team up on a project that has a quick deadline but we can also simultaneously collaborate on database updates.
Performs your takeoff on CAD drawings or vector PDFs. Your typical takeoff software does takeoff on an unintelligent PDF. I say unintelligent because the process you go through is simply to trace the boundaries of your shape. This is time-consuming and can lead to mistakes. With CostX your cursor will stick to the line lines and takeoff the exact measurement. This has cut our takeoff time by 75%. The best part is that this is done in the same software as your estimating software. There are a few software's that have takeoff and estimating in one but CostX is the only one the provides CAD smart takeoff.
CostX is a lot like Excel. You have the flexibility to set up your workbooks the way your project team thinks. For example, ours is set up to evaluate labor in two ways; productivity (man-hours per widget) or crew hours (3 guys for two days for a given activity).
Reports are very flexible and the report writers is much easier than Crystal reports.
If you subscribe to the full version of CostX this provides the most powerful feature of them all......Auto-Revisioning. This function will compare two sets of drawings, identify the changes on a color coded drawing, ask for you to approve the changes and then update your estimate and takeoff. You can even use this to produce custom print outs for RFI's show your design team what changed.
Your estimating workbooks are live-linked to your takeoff. As you make adjustments to your takeoff your estimate updates accordingly. The workbook has color coded text to hep your team understand whats behind your estimate; Black = manually input, Blue = rates linked to database, and Green = quantity linked to take-off.
Full integrated subcontractor comparison. We use to do this in excel to compare multiple bidders across every division.
This is also color coded for a streamlined review process; green = quote, blue = estimate, purple = plug, and orange = other.
Built in error checking notifies you if you forgot to normalize an item on your subcontractor comparison.
In the near future the software will be available online allowing you to use remotely.
The software feels 20 years old. It has not kept up with modern times, and practically functions like an old DOS program.
Clunky interface, arcane commands.
Even their training info focuses on hotkeys like this is 1995. Even though I am of an age to remember computers in 1995, the younger generations of managers/estimators are not. It is time to bring the software into the new century!
As stated before, if you are buying this software, it is because you have a contract forcing you to. While it does work, it is clunky, awkward, and very expensive.
The price of the software and databases has always been high, but with the fairly recent acquisition of 4Clicks by Gordion (who also bought RS Means for their databases), there is literally no competition. Prices will continue to be very high, with no check on how high they can go.
Again, can't fault 4Clicks tech support, as I think it is the best in the industry. They know their product and they respond to issues immediately. Considering what we spend a year for this product, however, you would expect nothing less.
Easy to Collaborate Between the Team members. Saves a lot of work
Integrate with multiple types of data drawing which saves efforts in converting the design.
Bill of Quantity export can be done based on the Design section and can share with contractors for Quotes. Instead of just downloading the whole report and then editing for the required pack.
