Sigma Labs Blog
Get Deeper Insight Into The World Of EstimatingHow to Deal More Effectively With Change Orders & Design Changes
Change orders are one of the most dreaded things that an estimator has to deal with in a project. They could occur when the owner simply changes their mind—someone might decide they want a metal roof instead of the asphalt shingle roof that had originally been chosen, for instance. Changes might also occur when a […] read more
Learn tips and tricks to improve your estimating efforts
Meet our Head of support in the US – Learn tips and tricks to improve your estimating efforts. Before becoming the head of support for Sigma Estimates in North America Bill Carey has been estimating for about 30 years, with projects ranging from half million dollars to over $200 million. He was named ASA estimator […] read more
How to Optimize Takeoff
Items like markup, profit, overhead, and general conditions are all based on the quantity derived from takeoff. Therefore, takeoff is absolutely critical to get right, regardless of whether a contractor is self-performing or taking bids from subcontractors. Self-performing contractors usually calculate the costs in estimates using a production read more
How to Prevent Losses on Construction sites through Estimating
If you are an estimator, chances are that you have been given the speech about how you are the only one in the company, who has the power to singlehandedly bankrupt it. Although it’s a bit extreme, there is no doubt that estimators hold a major key to the success of a firm; they forget something or make a big enough mistake, it could be ... read more
BIM 360 App – Sigma Estimates 3D 5D Cost Model Builder
Construction is so much more than the execution of design. It’s a complicated, labour intensive and highly complex process to bring a construction project to life. There is – what sometimes feels like – an never-ending stream of documents and demands; requirements from the owners, conceptual models and documents from architects and read more
Leveraging Templates in Sigma
Templates are an incredibly useful way to save time when making estimates with Sigma. In fact, we’ve regularly seen companies use them internally as a way to share knowledge. Templates include several aspects of the project, including a breakdown structure that you can use as a starting point. If you regularly do the same type […] read more
Making the Most out of Estimate Breakdowns
We are often asked if there is a good method for breaking down a construction project. There are many ways to work with estimates, but first and foremost, you have to make sure you include everything. Because construction projects are complex, it helps to break them down into much simpler pieces. Sigma offers a number […] read more
Save time with a tool built to support your specific needs
In our view, software only works to help users if it really understands what it’s trying to solve. We specifically set out to build a platform that makes it possible to deliver successful construction projects for all levels of users. Take Excel, for example, which is a very general purpose tool. It wouldn’t understand if […] read more
How to Avoid Mistakes While Breaking Down Workflow
Breaking down the workflow for a construction estimate requires consistency and accuracy. That’s why it’s extremely important to use the intuition and experience you’ve gained from completing previous construction projects. Although Sigma gives you flexibility on how to break down a structure, sometimes you’re given a specific structure that ... read more
