Bentley Navigator vs. RSMeans data, from Gordian (Costworks)

Overview
ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price
Bentley Navigator
Score 7.0 out of 10
N/A
Bentley Navigator is a BIM model review and collaboration software for managing the project lifecycle of construction/design projects. In addition to accessing drawings, documents, and 3D models, Navigator allows users to create visual reports, query model information, resolve issues and conduct coordination reviews. It connects to ProjectWise (also from Bentley systems) and other document repositories. A mobile app version of Navigator is also available.N/A
RSMeans data, from Gordian (Costworks)
Score 10.0 out of 10
N/A
RSMeans data, from Gordian (formerly Costworks) is a construction and estimation software offering acquired by the Gordian Group in 2014. It includes cost books and construction project estimating software tools.N/A
Pricing
Bentley NavigatorRSMeans data, from Gordian (Costworks)
Editions & Modules
No answers on this topic
No answers on this topic
Offerings
Pricing Offerings
Bentley NavigatorRSMeans data, from Gordian (Costworks)
Free Trial
NoNo
Free/Freemium Version
NoNo
Premium Consulting/Integration Services
NoNo
Entry-level Setup FeeNo setup feeNo setup fee
Additional Details
More Pricing Information
Community Pulse
Bentley NavigatorRSMeans data, from Gordian (Costworks)
Top Pros
Top Cons
Features
Bentley NavigatorRSMeans data, from Gordian (Costworks)
Construction Project & Field Management
Comparison of Construction Project & Field Management features of Product A and Product B
Bentley Navigator
8.2
1 Ratings
10% above category average
RSMeans data, from Gordian (Costworks)
-
Ratings
Plan distribution & viewing7.01 Ratings00 Ratings
Plan markups & sharing7.01 Ratings00 Ratings
Issue tracking & punchlists9.01 Ratings00 Ratings
Photo documentation8.01 Ratings00 Ratings
Jobsite reports10.01 Ratings00 Ratings
Document sharing9.01 Ratings00 Ratings
RFI tools8.01 Ratings00 Ratings
Collaboration & approvals7.01 Ratings00 Ratings
As-built drawings9.01 Ratings00 Ratings
Mobile app8.01 Ratings00 Ratings
Estimating
Comparison of Estimating features of Product A and Product B
Bentley Navigator
-
Ratings
RSMeans data, from Gordian (Costworks)
7.8
1 Ratings
5% below category average
Takeoff tools00 Ratings6.01 Ratings
Job costing00 Ratings9.01 Ratings
Cost databases00 Ratings9.01 Ratings
Cost calculator00 Ratings8.01 Ratings
Bid creation00 Ratings7.01 Ratings
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Bentley NavigatorRSMeans data, from Gordian (Costworks)
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User Ratings
Bentley NavigatorRSMeans data, from Gordian (Costworks)
Likelihood to Recommend
7.0
(1 ratings)
9.0
(2 ratings)
Support Rating
-
(0 ratings)
5.0
(1 ratings)
User Testimonials
Bentley NavigatorRSMeans data, from Gordian (Costworks)
Likelihood to Recommend
Bentley Systems
I think the complexity and cost of the program make it particularly useful, in situations where: the project is relatively large, with a wide variety of specialties that interact and depend on one another, and with specialists who are not physically together and whose communication and understanding is vital for the proper development of the project. If the project does not meet these characteristics, it is preferable to use less complex tools, cheaper, and that require less effort training the staff to use the software in question.
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The Gordian Group, Inc.
Well Suited: Construction cost estimates for new larger projects where the construction will start within the next 6-9 months. Budgetary estimates for future buildings through its square foot models. Not Well Suited: Not accurate enough on small projects where labor, travel to sites, and OH&P are a higher percentage of unit costs than on larger projects where these costs are spread out across more units.
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Pros
Bentley Systems
  • It allows the different specialists or users, to make virtual and quick analyzes that have been translated into the rapid resolution of problems.
  • Bentley Navigator allowed me to incorporate and manage important amounts of information that were key in the design phase, and that being inputs for different areas could be a source of conflict. The conflicts that have been generated are much smaller than those seen in similar projects previously carried out without the help of this tool.
  • Allowing the visualization of the information in 3D models, added to its capacity to export 3D models as PD files, has allowed to increase the fluidity and communication of information with the client, which has translated into a reduction of the hours invested by the technical manager in that activity.
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The Gordian Group, Inc.
  • CostWorks is very good at generating quick and valid estimates for standardized facilities such as office buildings, schools, etc. It allows you to validate other cost estimates at the UniFormat level when doing an estimate validation.
  • CostWorks' database of detailed line-items is a very resourceful asset when it comes to finding a very specific line-item. Sometimes, when using Success or MII, I will have CostWorks open on the other screen so I can find an item that the other softwares just don't have and build it into the other software from the CostWorks entry.
  • CostWorks does a very good job of generating reports that are both well-developed and have enough detail at the summary level to be able to sit with a client or a project manager and have them follow along and understand without being overwhelmed with detail and numbers.
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Cons
Bentley Systems
  • It could give alert messages warning that the information that is of shared use, has the latest version, with all the updated modifications.
  • The information contained in the visual reports currently generated by the software could be expanded.
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The Gordian Group, Inc.
  • small project costs where labor is a bigger portion than materials on cost
  • markup factors on governmental projects
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Support Rating
Bentley Systems
No answers on this topic
The Gordian Group, Inc.
I've never had the need to discuss CostWorks with a vendor.
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Alternatives Considered
Bentley Systems
The tools and functionalities that have been used previously, are not commercial software, they have been software developed internally, of course much simpler and less functional than commercial software such as Bentley and its competition. This fact clearly obeyed a guideline of the organization that aimed to minimize the costs associated with the acquisition of software such as the Bentley.
As you learn from the experience and mistakes, once you lost a lot of time and money because you did not have the necessary tools to guarantee the timely flow of information, between personnel who were physically distant from each other but who needed of a very high technical interaction. As a result of this fact, the use of tools such as this was proposed as a test, in order to evaluate its real usefulness over time.
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The Gordian Group, Inc.
CostWorks is a unique software for estimating as compared to the other softwares I have listed above. PACES is mostly used for federal modeling and really cannot be compared to Costworks. It has its own developed modeling database and has its own quirkiness and issues. MII has been developed for the USACE and utilized a user-developed folder structure and RS Means Database. I use CostWorks along side this software to find line-items that are not in the MII RS Means Database. Success has been developed for NAVFAC and again, utilizes a user-developed folder structure and RS Means Database. When I use this software, I ALWAYS have CostWorks open on the other screen as Success' RS Means database is extremely lacking when it comes to the number of detail line-items. Timberline is by SAGE and I use it mostly for DOS and FAA work. Of the 3 RS Means Database softwares, this one has the most detailed database for reference, however, there are times when I do have to look up an item that Timberline does not have and the first software I open is CostWorks.
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Return on Investment
Bentley Systems
  • The frequency and quality of information flow between field and office staff has improved.
  • The costs for cellular use concepts associated with the sharing of information associated with the projects where the software has been used have been reduced compared to projects where more traditional control tools have been used.
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The Gordian Group, Inc.
  • I don't really see any "negative" impacts on my business or my ROI by purchasing CostWorks. It's a valuable tool that we use, however, some of my colleagues do not use it or use it very infrequently.
  • I find it well worth the cost even though we don't develop complete estimates in CostWorks due to client dictated softwares.
  • It has provided very quickly-built estimating models that let our team and project managers know that the RFP or the task that they are contemplating bidding on or starting to work on is actually feasible to construction given the budget and directive.
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ScreenShots