Estimating and takeoff technology is a staple for residential and commercial construction companies. Given the increased focus on collaboration, BIM (building information modeling), and mobile in construction, it is good to see systems for traditional business processes enter the market and be enhanced.

Serving construction for roughly five years, you could technically call PlanSwift one of the takeoff and estimating newcomers for construction, but it is a company that has 'swiftly' made its mark on the industry. Its go-to-market strategy has been simple: offer an affordable solution that meets the needs of any size and type of contractor.

PlanSwift entered the market in May 2007 at a time when the industry was hunkering down and looking for new ways to cut costs. By offering affordable takeoff and estimating software that allows users to generate accurate estimates and takeoffs, the industry quickly embraced the technology. PlanSwift has added thousands of customers in the past year alone.

The company—which has expanded its presence from the U.S., market into other countries such as Australia—is developing initiatives to partner with its clients and provide enhanced support. For example, it has launched an Academic Program, providing software evaluation, computer lab licensing, and resources for teachers and students.

While the product has strong functionality, the company continues to add to its feature set to bring new capabilities enhancing its benefits to the construction industry. Most recently, the company released SwiftMarket, a material manufacturing estimating tool that allows manufacturers to catalog products including spec manuals and installation guides. The data can be integrated with PlanSwift, giving contractors the ability to easily estimate a project. PlanSwift also integrates with online plan rooms and leading software packages for bidding and estimating.

This is one technology company the construction market should keep a close eye on in the coming months. PlanSwift has some big plans in the works for more product enhancements and development associated with leading technology trends into mobility.

Pros

• Affordable estimating and takeoff software for residential and commercial contractors
• Expansion of technology into new global markets such as Australia
• Ongoing development to expand product offerings including release of SwiftMarket

Expectations

• Increased functionality and enhancements for mobility in construction
• Additional software integrations with leading technology companies
• Continued growth of customer base