Here’s a list of the best estimating software for painting contractors ideal for making their estimating process more accurate and efficient.
Experienced painting contractors know the importance of accurate estimates when it comes to their projects. Not only do they need to make sure they are using the right amount of material, but they also need to estimate the time and labor involved.
Inaccurate estimates can lead to lost opportunities, missed deadlines, and an overall bad reputation in the industry. That’s why it’s crucial to have the right tools in place, and estimating software is one of the most important ones. These tools can make the process much faster, more reliable, and less stressful.
Here is the list of top estimating software that we’ll cover and that you can try for your work. They all have a free trial so you can test them all out before deciding which one that suits you and your business best.
Table of Contents
What is estimating software?
Estimating software is a type of computer software used by construction professionals, including contractors, architects, and engineers, to estimate the cost of a construction project.
Estimating software is designed to streamline the process of creating project estimates, and can be used for a wide range of construction projects, from small remodeling jobs to large commercial developments.
Estimating software typically includes tools for calculating the cost of materials, paint, labor, and equipment, as well as for generating reports and project timelines.
There are many different types of estimating software available, with varying levels of complexity and functionality. Some estimating software is designed for specific types of construction projects, such as painting, roofing, or electrical work, while others are more general-purpose and can be used for a wide range of projects.
Estimating software provides a range of benefits for construction professionals, including increased accuracy, faster turnaround times, and improved project management.
By automating many of the tasks involved in creating project estimates, estimating software can help construction professionals save time and increase efficiency, while also providing more accurate and reliable cost estimates.
Can’t I just eyeball it?
While it’s possible to make rough estimates based on visual observation or experience, there are several reasons why estimating software can be a valuable tool for painting contractors and other professionals in the construction industry.
- Accuracy: Estimating software is designed to provide accurate estimates based on detailed measurements and other vital factors. This can help ensure that the estimates are as precise as possible and can prevent costly mistakes due to underestimating or overestimating the amount of materials or labor required.
- Time Savings: Estimating software can save a significant amount of time compared to manual estimation methods. It can automatically calculate the amount of materials needed, labor hours required, and costs involved, eliminating the need for manual calculations.
- Consistency: Estimating software can help ensure that estimates are consistent across different projects, as it uses the same methodology and calculations every time. This can help contractors to maintain a standard pricing structure and ensure that they are making a fair profit on each job.
- Professionalism: Using estimating software can help contractors present a more professional image to clients, as it shows that they are using modern technology and efficient methods to provide accurate and reliable estimates.
- Flexibility: Estimating software can be customized to suit the specific needs of a particular project or client. This can allow contractors to include specific requirements or preferences in their estimates, and to adjust the estimate as needed if the scope of the project changes.
Overall, while eyeballing it may work for simple projects or small tasks, estimating software can help contractors save time, increase accuracy, and present a more professional image to their clients, making it a valuable tool for any contractor in the construction industry.
Best estimating software
Planswift
PlanSwift is a takeoff and estimating software designed for the painting and construction industry that accurately calculates square footage for every area, including trim, doors/windows, and other painted surfaces.
With PlanSwift, you can easily exclude unwanted areas, create custom assemblies, and drag and drop material assemblies onto your takeoff for instant calculations. It also allows you to import your plans, calculate labor, create custom assemblies, and export to Excel.
Pricing: The pricing for the software is US$1913, which includes support and updates for the first year. After the first year, the Updates & Support program is optional and costs US$318.00 per license per year.
STACK
STACK is a painting takeoff and estimating software that simplifies the bidding process for painting contractors. It allows users to measure plans and determine material quantities quickly and accurately, utilizing pre-built or custom materials and integrated labor costs.
The software provides fast and accurate linear, area, and surface area measurements, and can exclude doors and windows. It is cloud-based and allows for any-time, anywhere plan access and effortless collaboration among team members.
Customers have reported significant time and money savings, and one customer reported increasing their bid volume by up to 500% using STACK.
Pricing: There are three different pricing tiers for different construction software solutions. Takeoff & Estimating starts at $2,499 per year per user. Field Productivity starts at $588 per year per user. Project Management starts at $3,588 per year per company.
Paintscout
PaintScout offers features like paint estimating, proposal creation, invoicing, work order creation, and advanced rate calculation.
It also allows for a better customer experience with the ability to add options, pictures, videos, customized pricing, and more. PaintScout also includes features like templates, customer support, and sales tracking.
It is mobile-friendly, and the touch interface allows for on-site estimating and instant approval with on-the-spot signature capability.
Pricing: PaintScout offers three pricing tiers: Premium, Business, and Enterprise.
The Premium tier costs $59/month per user, billed annually, or $79/month when billed monthly. This tier includes everything a painting contractor needs to up their sales and stay organized.
The Business tier costs $79/month per user, billed annually, or $99/month when billed monthly. This tier includes additional features.
The Enterprise tier is for organizations that need more support and have a bigger team, and the pricing is not specified, but interested customers can contact PaintScout to discuss their needs.
Magicplan
Magicplan offers a mobile solution for contractors to efficiently measure, sketch, report, and estimate projects while on the go.
The app uses state-of-the-art technology with an easy-to-use interface to create 2D and 3D interior plans. Users can add photos, notes, and custom forms to create structured reports and estimates that can be automatically calculated on their mobile devices.
All data is automatically structured, providing full contextual understanding. The app also allows for easy sharing of project data through the magicplan Cloud, generating high-quality PDF reports, or creating a shareable project page for partners and clients.
The result is a faster turnaround, more efficient workflow, and an easier way to connect with the office.
Pricing: Magicplan offers three pricing plans: Sketch for $42 per month, Report for $125 per month, and Estimate for $375 per month, all billed annually.
FreshBooks is a business management software that offers a range of features including invoicing, expenses, time tracking, projects, estimates, payments, and accounting.
It aims to streamline the billing process and help businesses set clear expectations with clients through customizable proposals and estimates.
Clients can easily approve a project with just one click, and estimates can be turned into invoices in a flash.
The software is highly customizable and allows users to track the status of estimates, add discounts, and send estimates in their preferred currency. FreshBooks also offers a mobile app for easy accessibility.
Pricing: FreshBooks offers three pricing plans.
The “Lite” plan costs $17.00 and allows users to send unlimited invoices to up to 5 clients, track unlimited expenses, and send unlimited estimates.
The “Plus” plan costs $30.00 and includes features such as automated expense tracking, recurring billing, client retainers, and business health reports. This plan allows users to send unlimited invoices to up to 50 clients.
The “Premium” plan costs $55.00 and offers unlimited billable clients, advanced payment features, team member access, and integration with Gusto Payroll.
All plans offer access to the software on iOS and Android, and a free trial is available for all plans.
MeasureSquare
MeasureSquare is a software that helps paint contractors estimate and bid on painting projects quickly and accurately.
The software can import PDF painting plans and measure painting areas for interior and exterior surfaces, including complicated curved shapes, materials, and labor costs.
The software can create professional proposals with colored drawings for site painters. It supports 2D or 3D models, takeoff walls, ceilings, baseboards, moldings, trims, doors/windows, cabinets, fences, railing, and sidings surfaces.
It can also measure onsite with a laser meter and draw painting areas for estimating. Their cloud-based solution provides a centralized location for teams to store, share, and access project data from any device and any location, making it easy to collaborate and communicate with team members.
Pricing: Check their website for more detailed information.
Estimate Rocket
Estimate Rocket automates the process of estimating and invoicing, saving you time and allowing you to focus more on your clients. You can enter line items and customers on the spot or build out your item library and clients beforehand.
The system allows you to define specific pricing, descriptions, taxes, and group types to organize line items.
You can send estimates directly to clients with one click, schedule on-site appointments with the integrated calendar, and attach photos and comments to show clients specifics about a job.
The software also allows you to customize your logo and contact information, and automatically brands every document you create.
EstimateRocket Youtube channel
Pricing: Estimate Rocket offers three pricing plans – Launch, Accelerate, and Expand.
The Launch plan costs $139 and includes 3 full users.
The Accelerate plan costs $259 and includes 7 full users.
The Expand plan costs $359 and includes 15 full users.
The Paint Estimator
The Paint Estimator is designed for painting contractors that offer various features to simplify the process of estimating and managing projects.
The software is based on the personal experiences of the developer who has been a painting contractor for over 25 years.
It offers several different estimating methods, allows you to export proposals in various formats, provides a calendar for scheduling and syncing with Google calendar, and includes a pre-built material list that features most of the Benjamin Moore and Sherwin Williams product lines.
The software also offers a production rate recorder that helps calculate future charges, a customer database page to view all estimates, and a progress page to track the status of current jobs.
The software comes with a one-time fee, which includes lifetime updates and support, although it only supports Microsoft Windows.
Paint Estimator Youtube channel
Pricing: $129
Groundplan
Groundplan helps painters accurately calculate the square and linear meterage of every room, and quickly estimate the volume of paint required for a job.
To use Groundplan, you simply upload your PDF plan, set the scale, name your stage (e.g., interior walls), and set the ceiling heights.
Then, you trace the walls and show where the windows and doors are. You can choose to dive deep into the detail or simply count, measure, and calculate.
The software is cloud-based, meaning you can work from anywhere and collaborate with your remote team in real time.
Once you have finished your takeoff estimates, you can easily export your bill of quantities directly to Excel or push it to a quote via one of their software integrations.
Pricing: $75/month per seat or $75/year
eTakeoff
eTakeoff is a painting takeoff and estimating software that helps painting contractors accurately calculate the dimensions of painting surfaces, the number of coats, primers, finishes, and man hours needed for a project.
With this software, painting contractors can ensure that their bids are accurate and competitive, which increases their chances of winning a project bid.
The software offers an easy-to-use interface, making it easy to learn, navigate, and master. It includes a “Favorites” feature that allows you to drag and drop from one floor to another without taking off duplicate areas, and it enables users to work straight out of their PDF documents without converting them to other formats.
Pricing: For detailed information visit their website.
Conclusion
The importance of accurate estimating for painting contractors cannot be overstated. Estimating software can streamline the process, making it faster, more reliable, and less stressful.
The software can calculate the cost of materials, labor, tools and equipment, generate reports and project timelines, and provide a range of benefits, including increased accuracy, faster turnaround times, and improved project management.
While it’s possible to make rough estimates based on visual observation or experience, estimating software provides more accuracy, consistency, professionalism, and flexibility. It allows contractors to present a more professional image to clients and maintain a standard pricing structure.
By investing in estimating software, painting contractors can ensure they are well equipped to succeed in the competitive world of painting contracting.
Please feel free to leave a comment and share your thoughts on the best estimating software for painters. Did we miss anything? Is there a particular software that you’ve found to be the most helpful? Let us know in the comments below!
FAQs
Here are some common questions related to estimating software.
What does takeoff mean?
In the construction industry, “takeoff” refers to the process of measuring and quantifying materials needed for a specific project.
It involves analyzing blueprints or plans to determine the amount of materials required for a project, such as the amount of paint needed for a painting job, or the amount of bricks needed for a masonry project.
The takeoff is an important part of the estimating process, as accurate measurements and material quantities are necessary for creating an accurate cost estimate for the project.
What is the benefit of using estimating software for painters?
By using this kind of software you’ll speed up your process when calculating the time, materials, and cost required for each project.
Estimating software also helps you improve the accuracy of your estimates so that you can more accurately factor in potential changes or issues during the job.
Even with years of experience eyeballing it, it’s easy to forget things that need to be in the calculation.
Additionally, it can help streamline communication with your clients, giving your painters the ability to track customer requests and project updates in one place.
This makes it easier for them to keep everyone on the same page throughout a project.
How do I choose the right estimating software for my painting projects?
Choose an estimating software that has features specifically for painting projects, such as the ability to calculate paint and supply quantities based on the surface area.
Make a list of the features you need before you start your search. Choose features that will improve your workflow and makes the estimating process easier and more efficient.
If you’re a small business and don’t have many employees you might not need the fanciest software since the cost might be higher. The pricing models vary, such as subscriptions or a one-time fee.
If you use other software programs for your business, such as accounting or project management software, make sure the estimating software can integrate with those programs. This can save time and reduce the likelihood of errors.