Listen up, squad – nobody’s got time for half-baked guesstimated quotes that leave you scrambling when the actual material and labor costs blast right through your undercooked budget projections. That’s a total recipe for nuking your profitability on what shoulda been a nice lucrative job!
The good news? With the right landscape takeoff software in your corner, you can absolutely dial in laser-precise estimates from the jump. And we’re talking down to the nitty gritty details like plant/tree counts, area dimensions, hardscaping volumes…the whole nine.
But just having the digital takeoff capabilities isn’t enough on its own. You’ve gotta be strategic and diligent about utilizing the tools properly to avoid preventable little snafus. With that in mind, here’s 5 pro tips to improve accuracy in project estimations with landscape takeoff software:
#1 Obsess Over Your Database(s)
This one’s pretty damn obvious, but cannot be overstated – your pricing databases need to be painstakingly updated and localized for your area/suppliers at all times. Fail to tend those gardens and you’re baking inaccuracy into every takeoff estimate right from the jump.
Any decent landscape takeoff package worth its salt has straightforward options for managing and tweaking those cost tables on an ongoing basis. You just gotta stay diligent about punching in the latest pricing info as they fluctuate. Kick those slipshod static estimation templates to the curb for good!
And if you haven’t already, it’s wise to spend some upfront effort customizing those databases to align with your unique business operations. Maybe you prefer bundling certain services or materials. Or need to incorporate travel/vehicle costs distinctly. The more those price books are a 1:1 match for your existing processes, the smoother the accuracy.
#2 Don’t Gloss Over the Finer Details
Another common pitfall is skimping on diligently capturing all the nitty gritty project details and requirements during visual takeoffs. You’d be amazed how those little scope omissions and overlooked materials add up to serious cost discrepancies!
With the precise measurement tools and tagging capabilities in landscape-focused software, there’s zero excuse for not cataloging every last stone edging, downspout diversion kit or annuals flat. If your quoted scope misses anything, you’re just shooting yourself in the foot down the road!
This is where the advanced modeling and image visualization in takeoff platforms really starts to pay dividends too. Sure, you could squint over some flat 2D planset and try tallying items yourself. But having dimensionally accurate 3D models with realistic views helps identify granular estimation needs that might get missed on a technical line drawing.
#3 Take Advantage of Killer Visualization
Speaking of which – leveraging those dynamic 3D modeling capabilities within takeoff software can seriously bolster your estimation accuracy too! Not just for identifying small details, but catching potential job conflicts before they become problems.
Let’s say you’re reviewing vegetation ideas and OOPS, turns out those trees might eventually smash into overhead power lines after some growth. Or maybe a planned retaining wall design was sized without considering major elevation dips that could jeopardize stability.
Having an interactive, realistic visualization of the proposed project design makes issues like that super apparent ahead of time. Why wait until supplies have been ordered and crews break ground to realize there’s gonna be costly change orders and rework needed? Sweat those details from day one and dodge preventable money pits on the back-end.
#4 Customize Formula Calculations
Out-the-box takeoff software is cool and all, but you’ll want to really spend some quality time customizing those built-in calculation formulas for peak precision on estimates.
These smarter apps let you tinker under the hood with how measurements & quantities translate into material projections and pricing. And those default equations are often based on generic averages rather than YOUR specific business operations.
If your firm uniquely accounts for certain overhead costs, abides by different labor/crew calculations or prices services distinctly, then definitely take advantage of adjusting those formulas. Their accuracy (and yours) is only as strong as the takeoff rules and pricing models on which they rely.
#5 Test and Self-Audit…Regularly
Last protip? Don’t let complacency creep in and undermine your estimation accuracy over time. Things like labor burdens, material costs and efficiency rates are constantly fluctuating based on a gazillion factors. Your takeoff setup needs routine auditing and tuning to compensate.
Discipline yourself to periodically test new takeoffs against previous project actuals. See if your projected numbers are starting to skew off compared to your real expenditures. That’s a surefire sign pricing sources are outdated or calculations need a refresh.
Lather, rinse, repeat on jobs both big and small – scrutinizing those price books and takeoff formulas to refine accuracy should be an ongoing process. Estimation skills are perishable, so make auditing and tweaks part of your regular routine!
The Takeoff Software Accuracy Payoff
At the end of the day, all this diligence and optimization around your takeoff processes pays massive dividends in terms of consistently sticking quotes while maximizing profitability.
Sure, it takes a bit more diligent effort. But even little pricing inaccuracies add up quickly over multiple jobs – easily negating whatever efficiency gains you enjoyed through the software. So be proactive, right?
Leverage the full feature sets in landscape takeoff tech. Tweak those calculations and cost sources to fit your operations exactly. And never stop scrutinizing outputs to maintain error-free pricing precision on every single project!