WinEst Software

Just an inch away from perfection, they need to improve the cost algorithm ASAP.

Pros

It has enabled us to price a wide range of jobs quickly and has better organizational capabilities. They have an excellent assembly system that helps you decrease the time needed to build a budget (only if the price matches your requirements). They own their high cost and offer detailed demos, plus they answer all your questions very professionally.

Cons

I don’t think creating custom databases was their priority; I wish I had explored more when the demo phase was still ongoing. It seems too complicated to quickly edit or delete items from a database and takes too much time. I also have to constantly update the cost data since the initial data it comes with is not accurate.

Great estimation software, nightmare customer service

Pros

I found WinEst to be one of the most flexible estimation solutions on the market. With the ability to customize the labor rates, which cater to different client needs, and to be able to lay out a shift plan for custom crews, it has sped up our estimations. What I appreciate is that it has a very simple UI which displays all the information dynamically and lets you allocate the markups easily. It has a handy catalog of items with up-to-date prices, which is helpful. They present it neatly in the form of a tree that makes your estimates easier as you proceed further.

Cons

Unfortunately, WinEst has the worst customer support. They offer a support plan, but if for some reason you dont happen to own it, they will downright refuse to offer any kind of help. Whats even worse is that the support plan is overpriced. I dont feel comfortable paying to fix a problem that shouldnt be happening in the first place.

Solid software

Pros

Program is flexible enough to handle custom WBS and to be able to flip back and forth. Alternates can be easily created within the spreadsheet and a neat toggle to turn them on or off is very valuable.

Cons

So many minute settings. You would want some settings to be handled automatically by the software.

Good friendly experience

Pros

A very reliable and solid software to make estimations. Screen prompts pop up right when you need it.

Cons

Limited takeoff attachments and missing elements/materials in the library.

Use something else for digital take-offs

Pros

Very impressive and useful when it comes to bidding. Support is also excellent.

Cons

Digital take-off is so poor it forces you to convert PDFs to BMPs on your own and takes a lot of your precious time.

WinEst VS competition

Pros

Easy to make revisions to crew hours and production on the spreadsheet on the go is amazing. You dont have to go in detail everytime for small updates.

Cons

Both 5 and 6 digit CSI codes are necessary to assign to each database item. We wish there was a toggle to turn of 5 digit requirement as it is not needed and consumes time.

Great software if properly managed

Pros

It is a fantastic way to quickly price jobs thanks to pre-made assemblies that decrease the time needed to decide a budget.

Cons

Having pre loaded assemblies is great but creating your own database is not very easy. Something as simple as deleting items from database is very time consuming.

This is a great software for estimating/PM

Pros

I was impressed with this software because it allowed me to build a database. Once I completed my take offs I could input them here, and it would automatically calculate the math for me. It reminds me a lot of Sage but I particularly enjoy the Excel like interface.

Cons

I genuinely like every aspect of this software. When I started working at a new company I ended up using Sage which was remarkably similar, both in functionality and cost.

Good Program with Great Customer Service

Pros

WinEst is an excellent estimating tool. Whether I am working on small estimates or large collaborative projects, it gets the job done. It offers a great deal of flexibility and customization especially when working with multiple clients. The customer service provided is outstanding. I've never seen a company respond so quickly or show such determination in helping resolve any issues I encountered.

Cons

The setup and administration can be quite confusing. It can also be hard to achieve the desired output which requires a significant amount of time and effort.

Good experience

Pros

It is quick and easy to use and I like the ability to create and personalize my own database. It works well for repetitive projects.

Cons

The visualization tools are lacking and I had to rely on a separate tool for comparing drawings such as overlaying a new drawing on top of an old one to visualize the changes.