| Cadsoft® envisioneer Building Information Modeling 
Priced Around $2000 I first discovered Cadsoft at the 1996 NAHB Builders Expo and have been a true fan of their talents ever since. If you're looking for outstanding customer service and a true commitment for ease-of-use and affordable Building Information Modeling (BIM) tools, please take the time to look into Cadsoft envisioneer. And, if you do invest in this software, definitely get to know Brad Finck. I'll bet you'll be thanking him like I have since 1996. Unfortunately for me, envisioneer was not available when I first purchased their predecessor AutoCAD based software, Cadsoft Build 1.0. It wasn't until a few years of "self-taught" AutoCAD, did I really realize the true power of 3D Building Information Modeling and the digital audit trail it leaves behind. With envisioneer, NO AutoCAD skills are required. In fact, I really recommend it if you have no AutoCAD experience at all. My biggest challenge when I first started using envisioneer, armed with my moderate AutoCAD skills, was trying to make things too difficult. It wasn't until I relaxed and turned the power back over to the software, did I begin to produce "wow-factor" results. ~ John Salmons CLICK BELOW FOR A FULLY FUNCTIONAL FREE TRIAL DOWNLOAD: | | VisionREZ® by Ameri-CAD Building Information Modeling Priced Around $3000 MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE
Ten years after my first investment in a 3D Building Information Modeling Software for takeoffs, I discovered VisionREZ at the 2006 NAHB Builders Expo. I didn't meet Jay Moore at the show, but I soon discovered he was going to be my go-to guy at Ameri-CAD. If you get to know Jay, you'll soon discover that he's always so positive and just plain fun to talk to. VisionREZ has become my go-to tool of choice for absolute control over every component in a 3D model. I use VisionREZ on a daily basis for producing 3D models and material takeoffs. As a home builder and a framer for the ten years prior to becoming an out-source estimator, I truly understand what framing lumber can do, as well as its limitations. The "out of the box" roof and wall framing tools in VisionREZ are the best I have ever worked with, as far as absolute control over every component. The framing materials automatically inserted in the model produces great takeoffs, even if framing is not one of your greatest strengths. But for me, a control freak and a framer, I find myself drawing studs, ceiling joists, beams and rafters within 1/4" of exactly where they need to be nailed down on the job. This may be a little extreme, but my ultimate goal is to leave the framer with only a handful of sawdust at the end of every job, every time. The one MUST for getting the most out of this tool is - you MUST have a good working knowledge of AutoCAD Architecture. Fortunately, there are a lot of avenues available for learning AutoCAD, either online or your local Autodesk reseller. ~ John Salmons | | On-screen Takeoff System
Priced Around $1000 MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE
I first learned about planswift this past summer through a friend, fellow estimator, Excel guru and actually an Application Engineer at VisionREZ, Scott Babin. He was so excited about this on-screen software that HE actually gave me the demonstration himself. Naturally, when someone with Scott's talent gets excited, I learned that I'd better get excited, too. I spent the rest of that afternoon watching the 74 or so, planswift training videos. I downoaded the free trial, and it was as easy to operate "out-of-the-box" as Scott and the videos said. Please, do yourself a favor. If you're still just using a Big Chief tablet and a #2 pencil for takeoffs, check this software out. Although, it's not a 3D Building Information Modeling tool, it produces an extremely fast and accurate takeoff. Most importantly, just the having a digital audit trail alone will pay for this on-screen takeoff system in a heartbeat. ~ John Salmons CLICK BELOW FOR A FULLY FUNCTIONAL FREE TRIAL DOWNLOAD:
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