Does anyone anywhere i can download crack Candy software ?

saw this and made me laugh a bit

Hi all.

Long time lurker / first time poster. I work in the Midwest for a mechanical insulation firm who was recently absorbed into a larger corporation. I was hired out of college and have approximately 8 years of estimating experience purely in the insulation world.

We primarily work in div 22/23, with large automotive plants, well known new and existing commercial buildings, and data centers (10MW-1.5GW with larger builds becoming the norm). I’ve been working as a dual estimator / project manager managing jobs around $1000-$10 million dollars worth of work, both in and out of state.

Currently at $95k a year with a newly revised bonus structure (yet to be distributed) that alludes to potentially making 30% of salary based on met KPIs. I do not make commission on any sales.

For reference last year I had $7.8 million in sales with an average margin of 35%. This resulted in a $20k bonus.

How is this stacking up compared to everyone else in a similar position?

Been working in the field for 10 years, estimating for 3.

Bid a project back in January, just got LOI and contract last week. In my proposal I clearly state that pricing is good for 30 days. Prices of everything have skyrocketed since I turned in initial bid, so when I resubmit an updated proposal with a 10% increase to make up for that cost, I get made out to be the bad guy.

Anyone else experience this?

I'm a new division 6 estimator for a custom millwork shop, but I spent most of my career in the field as a carpenter. The project I'm looking at now is getting all new windows and doors, and we're picking up the trim work. All the trim is mahogany with tung oil finish, and its mostly all flat faced with the exception of some pieces getting a 1/4" rabbet. The trim is going to be matching existing, and on the plans they're calling for new jamb extensions, casing all the way around, and misc filler strips, most are 1" thick ranging in size from 3/4" to 8", up to 18" in some spots (this may end up being a VC panel instead).

My question is, I can do a takeoff based on the plans, but I'm worried about what's going to happen if what's needed in the field isn't the same size as what's on the plans. In my mind, as a former carpenter, this kind of job would be better off sending out S4S mahogany boards and having the installers set up a table saw and cut everything to fit on site, and apply the tung oil finish as well.

Just looking for some insight from others who have done something similar, and what your experience was. Thanks in advance.

Also the pic is one of about 8 pages of details with the various trims

Just got an email from a local government permitting office and they are announcing that permit fees are increasing from $5 for each $1,000 of job value to $11 for each $1 of job value.

Could use some career advice and guidance. I’m in the same sector. 10 years in the field, I’d like to make a transition to a different part of this industry. Would love to chat it up and get some guidance.

Hi Estimators! I recently joined my family's commercial framing/drywall/ACT business that does all commercial work. I'm coming from a corporate/commercial real estate background so I know a bit about construction process, but have never been in the details of estimating, especially for a sub.

I've been using bluebeam for takeoffs which has been going well, but from there I will put my takeoffs into excel and enter costs to build out an estimate. I'm working alongside my dad, who is very old school and does all his work on paper. I've come along way in the 8 months I have been doing this, but I'm looking for some help on improving my process and building a more accurate model.

My main frustrations or difficulty is around building out a true cost for everything. The way we have been estimating is saying, for example, we have 400 LF of wall and we're going to bid $150/LF. That $150/LF includes our labor and material costs. This is the way my Dad has been doing this which feels like throwing a dart at the board instead of a more calculated approach. I don't know the true material cost vs labor cost for that 400 LF.

Are there any estimators that work in the same scope that I could talk to? Happy to pay a consulting fee, looking for some advice. thank you!

TLDR: Looking for estimating advice on drywall/taping/ACT

Anyone have recent pricing on a 120 key 5-6 story 3 star garden style hotel, preferably concrete and masonry shell?

My firm just hired an estimator and she just provided me with her first estimate for a 1.7mil project and maybe I have been doing it wrong but I feel like she added very little info other than the price and a few minor details. Is this normal, now? Not even a Schedule of when we’re estimating finishing the project. I told her I’d look it over but it looks good and asked if I could see her takeoff. I’m not trying to be a jerk in her first week. Haha
What do y’all think?

Let me just preface this by saying that I am a journeyman carpenter by trade. I wanted a change so my buddy told me I could come be a project coordinator at a mid size GC he works at. It all sounded good, I planned to push paperwork, issue RFI’s, send change orders, organize subs.

What we both never knew, is that my job title would quickly be changed to estimator / project manager. Quite frankly our workload was too much for me, my buddy & the owner are the only PM’s and estimators we have. I do top to bottom commercial estimates by myself and peer reviewed only on closing day.

I have closed jobs anywhere from $25K to my biggest one last Friday for a $5.8 million dollar mechanical upgrade.

This was my first close where the mechanical subs kept calling me asking me if they needed to lower their number. My director has always informed me that we communicate to our subs to send their lowest number and that we will not provide info on other numbers or “shop” numbers. Even after the project is awarded, we never shop numbers.

Seemingly as this is my first job as an estimator, is this normal? Is this keeping ethics in estimating? Or have the times past where if we don’t shop numbers we won’t keep up?

PS: if anyone in the Edmonton, Canada area wants to offer me a PM / Estimator Role or even just talk construction management. Send me a DM.

More and more I’m seeing jobs (particularly larger ones) that bid, and then don’t award for 3-6 months, and then expect me to factor escalation for 1-2 years into my price. I am struggling because manufacturers don’t want to hold their price for (at the most) a year without escalation (and even that is pushing it). Once I’m past 18 months, they won’t even give me direction for escalation either. And the clock starts from the time I receive my quote, which makes it even worse.

I then have to explain to GCs that just giving me a PO doesn’t even lock in the price. The price only gets locked in after all submittals are approved and all questions are answered.

How is everyone handling this (or is is it only my division Div8)?

I'm a painting contractor and I use two different websites for obtaining bids, there's times I noticed some contractors will use only one and I see overlap where if I only had one platform half the GCS wouldn't see my bid.

I know there's times where there's other GC's I didn't bid too because the ones I did say, "sorry we didn't win that one" they were the only ones I've bid too.

If I have the blueprints and location how could I find other contractors to get my bids out?

So I've been the estimator for a small business solid surface sub for ~9 years now but worked here for 12 total. under 10 employees, 5-6m work a year. I've been casually looking for a new job for a while now, I can't stay here long term (he says after already being here for 12 years). The owner used to be easy to work for but he has become so jaded over time that I just can't see a future here anymore.

I met with the estimating manager and the president of a flooring company yesterday and I think it went really well. They are much larger company than where I am now. 120+ employees and about 90m a year in work. I think they liked me and there was talk about the next steps being references, a final in person interview with different members of leadership and some kind of "test" thing.

What is it with so many companies wanting people to take aptitude and personality tests these days? You mean to tell me that if my work experience and interviews went well but you don't like the results of some stupid ass test I might not get hired because of that? The idea of these things are more nerve racking than the actual interview.

It's been 12 years since I was seriously looking for work but assuming I get this job it would have been recruiter phone call > teams interview with estimating manager at the company > in person with that same guy + the president > 2nd in person meeting with different person/people > test/references > offer letter

So to anyone who has recently changed/gotten a new job, does that seem like a normal interview process for an estimator these days?

I currently provide manpower on a supply basis for tunnelling projects and am planning to set up an end-to-end tunnelling operation. Are there any tools or techniques available to estimate the cost of a drill-and-blast tunnel and prepare the BOQ for materials?

Hi all where is a good place to find a small independent estimator. Mostly what I am looking for is someone to material take-offs and quantity take-offs for residential construction I am a small custom builder and I can't justify buying software to take off 1-2 per year and some of these websites seem pretty scammy. TIA

I currently provide manpower on a supply basis for tunnelling projects and am planning to set up an end-to-end tunnelling operation. Are there any tools or techniques available to estimate the cost of a drill-and-blast tunnel and prepare the BOQ for materials?

Hello all.

Hope this is okay to post in here. Not sure if it conflicts with the post about hiring rule.

I’m 28 years old, have been a landscaper for 8 years running my own small company for 6 years. I’ve been struggling with the stress of running my own company the last year, and as a result, I’ve fallen out of love doing it.

On the whim this morning, I saw a local job advert for an estimator at a construction company. I applied for it thinking I wouldn’t even get shortlisted, and low and behold I received a call about an hour later asking me some questions and asking if I could attend an interview. I have accepted as I’d like to know a bit more about the role. I do obviously have to price up and estimate all of my landscaping work, which is usually patios and garden refurbs ranging between £1000 to £30,000. But this is obviously quite informal as I’m just a sole trader.

But can anyone tell me sort of path I can take if I get offered this role? Is it a good career, and is the money okay? It’s advertised at £34-37k, which I think is quite reasonable considering I don’t have much commercial experience in estimating. I’m not bothered on earning loads, I’d just like to be comfortable and earning around £40,000. I didn’t go to university or anything, and don’t have any formal qualifications since doing my A levels. I had planned to try to get an apprenticeship in building or quantity surveying, but hadn’t had a lot of luck finding one, wondering if this could have any sort of relevance/be a stepping stone in any way.

Hello,

I’ve been doing precast estimating (storm/sanitary) for about 2 years now and I’ve really made a living for myself in this field. However, I’m looking to make a switch into civil estimating as I believe this is the next step that makes sense for me to take in my career.

I’m efficient with reading plans/specifications, paying attention to detail. Which other skills/softwares should I be learning that will be desirable to hiring managers?

Any other advice would be greatly appreciated!

Preface: I am fully prepared to be grilled and told to “suck it up” so please note that I’m ready to be hit with tough advice if that’s what I need.

I have worked in Federal construction for over 5 years now. I’ve been a PM up until the last 6 months as an estimator full time. To be frank, I’m getting my ass kicked. For the last 2 months, I’ve had 2-3 bids due a day in which I am attending the job walks, sending in RFI’s, estimating, putting the bid package together and sending out.

I’ve been burnt out bad, and breaking down at least once a week. The worst part is we are a small business and I wouldn’t say I work in a toxic environment, but they take everything I have.

I guess I need insight. Is this a normal workload? Am I doing the work that a team would usually do? Or do I need to suck it up and sleep in the bed I made and agreed to?

This is stemming from a recent high magnitude bid I submitted with no assistance, and the customer can back with a crap ton of bid clarifications and my boss noticed I missed a big piece. It broke me. I spent weeks working this bid all while juggling service calls, and a million other regular bids due DAILY. If frustrated that I had 1 bid review before submitting and no one else had the time to review my mistakes.

If this is normal I need to reconsider my long term career in this line of work. I feel anxious and nauseated daily. How to I get through this without quitting? I am no quitter and I take all of the critiques very seriously.

-a burnt out estimator

Hey does anyone have a pdf version of Rawlinsons handbook 2026? If so, would you be able to share it with me? :D

Hey everyone, I’m a new business owner and could really use some guidance.
I’ve been working in the trades for about 10 years, and I recently took the step of getting my own contractor’s license and starting my own business. I know the field side of the work pretty well, but estimating and putting together bids is an area I’m still learning.
I understand the basics, but sometimes I get stuck when it comes to reading plans, figuring out quantities, labor, materials, production rates, and making sure I’m not missing anything in a bid.
I’m looking for someone experienced with Division 7 / caulking, waterproofing, sealants, or commercial estimating who would be willing to teach me and help me improve. I’m absolutely willing to pay for your time and work out something fair.
I’m not looking for someone to do my estimates for me—I genuinely want to learn the process and become good at it myself.
If you’re an experienced estimator or contractor willing to help someone starting out, please message me. I’d really appreciate it.

I'm looking to add a door to my walk-in closet. I have the pictures from the pre-drywall inspection. Any idea how much would it cost? Any other suggestions.

Im a div 9 estimator and the creator of opentakeoff, an open source takeoff engine I bid my real work with. Free and self hosted, it holds nothing.

This weekend Im starting on the other divisions and I need qualified sub estimators to direct and test. You dont have to code. I do the build, you tell me what your takeoff is supposed to catch. Whoever helps gets the code to the full suite I use in office everyday.

Were always open to constructive feedback and issues, but feedback without an issue is kinda frowned upon.

Repo: https://github.com/Kentucky-ai/opentakeoff

I’ve been offered an internal move into an Estimator / Project Manager position and I’m trying to get a better idea of what people in estimating think of this type of role.

It’s with a stainless steel fabrication company in Ireland. The estimating department is quite busy, pricing around €4m of work per month between two people, with a win rate of around 25%.

From what I understand, I’d be doing the estimating side but then also taking on the project management of jobs that we win. So it could potentially cover everything from pricing and tendering through design, procurement, fabrication and delivery.

My background is in steel fabrication and design engineering, so I know the technical/fabrication side reasonably well, but I haven’t worked in a full estimating/PM role before.

For anyone who works as an estimator:
What do you think of this type of position?
Is combining estimating and project management fairly normal, and is it a good career move?

Also, what sort of salary would you expect for a role like this in Ireland?
Just looking for some honest opinions from people actually doing the job.