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    Overview
    ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price

    HCSS

    Score8.5 out of 10
    Mid-Size Companies (51-1,000 employees)
    HCSS is a construction software suite. It includes functionality for bidding, time card and project management, safety, planning, scheduling, equipment management, and data warehousing and reporting. Each module can be purchased separately. The suite can be hosted in the cloud.N/A

    PlanHub

    Score10 out of 10
    Small Businesses (1-50 employees)
    PlanHub is a centralized project planning and quoting system designed specifically for General Contractors and Subcontractors. Offering benefits such as unlimited project posting, bid invites, team members, and more, PlanHub works to ensure that General Contractors have a customizable online plan room to organize subcontractor team members and post jobs available for bidding. PlanHub also offers demo requests for your convenience so you can experience how…N/A
    Pricing
    HCSSPlanHub
    Editions & Modules
    No answers on this topic
    No answers on this topic
    Offerings
    Pricing Offerings
    HCSSPlanHub
    Free Trial
    NoNo
    Free/Freemium Version
    NoYes
    Premium Consulting/Integration Services
    YesNo
    Entry-level Setup FeeRequiredNo setup fee
    Additional Details
    More Pricing Information
    Features
    HCSSPlanHub
    Construction Project & Field Management
    Comparison of Construction Project & Field Management features of HCSS and PlanHub
    Feature
    HCSS
    5.1
    34 Ratings
    40% below category average
    PlanHub
    8.4
    1 Ratings
    10% above category average
    Plan distribution & viewing5.010 Ratings9.01 Ratings
    Plan markups & sharing5.07 Ratings00 Ratings
    Issue tracking & punchlists5.014 Ratings00 Ratings
    Photo documentation5.026 Ratings8.01 Ratings
    Jobsite reports6.031 Ratings8.01 Ratings
    Document sharing5.018 Ratings8.01 Ratings
    RFI tools3.01 Ratings8.01 Ratings
    Collaboration & approvals5.020 Ratings9.01 Ratings
    Mobile app7.029 Ratings00 Ratings
    As-built drawings00 Ratings9.01 Ratings
    Estimating
    Comparison of Estimating features of HCSS and PlanHub
    Feature
    HCSS
    -
    Ratings
    PlanHub
    9.0
    1 Ratings
    17% above category average
    Takeoff tools00 Ratings9.01 Ratings
    Bid creation00 Ratings9.01 Ratings
    Best Alternatives
    HCSSPlanHub
    Small Businesses
    CMiC Construction Platform
    Score7.5 out of 10
    CMiC Construction Platform
    Score7.5 out of 10
    Medium-sized Companies
    Autodesk Build
    Score8.6 out of 10
    Autodesk Build
    Score8.6 out of 10
    Enterprises
    InEight
    Score7.4 out of 10
    InEight
    Score7.4 out of 10
    All AlternativesView all alternativesView all alternatives
    User Ratings
    HCSSPlanHub
    Likelihood to Recommend
    10.0
    (39 ratings)
    9.0
    (1 ratings)
    Usability
    7.0
    (3 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Support Rating
    10.0
    (35 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Implementation Rating
    8.2
    (32 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    User Testimonials
    HCSSPlanHub
    Likelihood to Recommend
    HCSS
    Our operation uses several pieces of what we call specialty equipment (not used every day on every job). The foreman when finished will give a location of where this equipment is left, this many times can be very vague and lead to a lowboy driver trying to block around to find the piece or driving down a street he cannot get turned around in. With the GPS devices, the driver can pinpoint exactly where the unit is and if he has room to turn around at that location.
    Incentivized
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    PlanHub
    PlanHub is really straightforward. You set up an account with your location and trade of work, and they customize a dashboard where you can see all relevant projects that fit your company's needs.
    Incentivized
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    Pros
    HCSS
    • #1 is support! HCSS is by far the best software support of any product we have ever used. Unlike most software companies HCSS utilizes their support calls to help upgrade their software. When you here them tell you that they will write down a particular issue you come across during a support call if they can't help you then and there they will research and get an answer to you extremely fast. If the software will not do it, you can bet there is a good chance it will be on the list of enhancements you will see come out in the near future.
    • Estimating software is very extensive. Their software is capable of handling the smallest estimate all the way to the largest joint venture estimate. It has advanced features that make it extremely useful for analyzing job materials, subcontractors etc.
    • HeavyJob is an extremely useful tool for the field to keep the office up to date with job costs. Everything is at the Foreman's fingertips on Tablets to allow the information from the field to get uploaded to HeavyJob manager which then can export to accounting. We are also able to give our Foreman the ability to deal with the Daily and weekly safety needs (Tailgate Meetings, incident Investigation, observations etc.) right on the Tablets thru HeavyJob.
    Read full review
    PlanHub
    • Access to detailed project listings
    • GC bidding vs Awarded Project Listings
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Cons
    HCSS
    • All their apps are on mobile devices. Although there is not a clear company policy on Android versus iPhone. Updates for features lag behind on Android. Some apps are exclusive to one platform making it hard to fully interconnect all programs.
    Read full review
    PlanHub
    • Constant emails regarding projects that do not apply to our trade
    • Constant emails regarding projects are not in our area of work
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Usability
    HCSS
    As mentioned, user interface appears messy and complicated at initial onset. Training is necessary but becomes easy to maneuver through after solid daily use.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    PlanHub
    No answers on this topic
    Support Rating
    HCSS
    I have never had a bad experience or heard of one in 4 years of doing business with HCSS. That is unheard of even with the hurricanes and flooding in Houston area it feels like HCSS was always there and willing to help in every way.
    Read full review
    PlanHub
    No answers on this topic
    Implementation Rating
    HCSS
    I was not employed with PPI upon implementation. I would prefer to reference my previous statement, that each company needs to evaluate its culture and address your implementation accordingly. The purchasing company should assign an employee as point person and really take charge of not just the technical side of the implementation (HCSS pretty much handles that), but focus on company culture and training.
    Read full review
    PlanHub
    No answers on this topic
    Alternatives Considered
    HCSS
    Other estimating products I have used consist of ICE/MC2 and MS Excel. ICE was not a good fit for our company, as they have awful technical support and offer very poor training. MS Excel is great for simple estimates where there is not a lot of data being compiled. However neither hold a candle to the power of HCSS Heavybid
    Read full review
    PlanHub
    PlanHub offers great free access as well as a multitude of benefits for paid subscriptions. Other software requires an invitation to bid, but PlanHub has a library of projects that can fit any company's needs.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Return on Investment
    HCSS
    • Because of the codebooks (bid item codebook for DOT's specifically), we're able to carve off significant time in "stick-building" estimates
    • It's very easy to train newer estimators with HeavyBid due to the abundance of resources available on HCSS Academy and elsewhere (i.e. Arthur Nix's material)
    • The KPI's and Insights that Pre-Con offers helps us to make better decisions on Bid Day.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    PlanHub
    • PlanHub has introduced us to projects we would have never been able to access
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    ScreenShots

    HCSS Screenshots

    Screenshot of HeavyBid - build the structure of an estimateScreenshot of HeavyBid - manage sub and material quotesScreenshot of HeavyBid - create professional bid proposalsScreenshot of HeavyJob - manage a job site from a mobile deviceScreenshot of HeavyJob - capture job site photos from any deviceScreenshot of HeavyJob - review, edit, and approve time cards from a mobile device

    PlanHub Screenshots

    Screenshot of General Contractor - Activity TrackingScreenshot of General Contractor - Manage SubcontractorsScreenshot of General Contractor Messaging PageScreenshot of Subcontractor - My BidsScreenshot of Subcontractor - Project Details BiddingScreenshot of Subcontractor - Project Details Files