How Autodesk Takeoff Slashes Quantity Takeoff Time for Carroll Estimating

Carroll Estimating supports main building contractors and developers to understand their tender and construction costs better. Focusing on estimating services, the firm helps secure tenders and projects simply and effectively. To generate competitive tenders by performing more accurate 2D takeoffs and generating automated quantities from 3D models, Carroll Estimating adopted Autodesk Takeoff within Autodesk Construction Cloud™, cutting its quantity takeoff time in half.

Technology Plays A Key Role in Company Growth

Patrick Carroll, Director at Carroll Estimating, knows that the shortage of surveyors and estimators across Ireland means many infrastructure and construction project professionals are time-pressured when tendering and bidding.

“We know that continually evolving and investing in the best technology solutions ensures we can promptly provide the most accurate numbers to nurture our relationships. We thrive on repeat business, which comes with the quality of work we provide,” reflects Patrick. 

For Carroll Estimating, using BIM on projects and technology that creates a common data environment is essential for accessing to the most up-to-date project data and information.

Establishing Better BIM Practices and Creating Time-savings

Leveraging BIM models for estimating is something Carroll Estimating prioritises on every project. They began a trial of Autodesk Takeoff in early 2020 to explore options that would combine 2D and 3D quantification capabilities in one solution.

“We’ve been able to collaborate much more efficiently with our supply chain and main contractor partners as we’re all working from one single source of truth on our takeoffs, bids, and tenders,” says Patrick. 

Carroll Estimating can create competitive tenders using Autodesk Takeoff by performing more accurate 2D takeoffs and generating automated quantities from 3D models. 

“Before using Autodesk Takeoff, we spent a lot more time on this process. For example, on a particular project, we needed to perform a takeoff for 400 doors, with over 20 door types, and each type had a separate specification. Previously, this activity may have taken a day to identify the doors on the model, but with Autodesk Takeoff, we can do this in less than a minute,” says Patrick. 

For Carroll Estimating, reducing the time spent on administrative tasks means their team can concentrate on value-adding activities.
 

“The efficiencies for our team and our clients stand out to us. Another example is the time it now takes to price structural floors – previously, this may have taken half an hour, and now we can do it in seconds.”

Patrick Carroll
Director

Staying Competitive and Growing Their Offering through Technology

Not only does Carroll Estimating save time using Autodesk Takeoff’s features to generate accurate quantities needed for pricing, but the team is also able to verify and capture the most detailed quantities when it comes to bidding and tendering for future work.

The team works with several model iterations on their projects, and they are now instantly alerted when drawings change. They can then quickly verify how any changes affect their pricing using Autodesk Takeoff, where previously, these changes may have taken several days to update.

Collaborating with architects and designers on their projects in real-time means communication is more transparent. The project team can communicate their needs in the models for pricing and estimating work further down the line. This is crucial as accuracy is key when it comes to bidding for work – the competition is fierce, and estimation needs to be accurate to remain competitive in the marketplace.

 “For us as a team, working with more 3D models has opened up our marketplace. Previously, we were primarily doing jobs that had 2D drawings, but now we’re able to work on more complex and bigger jobs as the solution improves our productivity,” says Patrick. 

For Patrick, the value of working digitally using BIM is something every construction project should be doing and is the future direction the industry needs to take.

 

“Good BIM practice saves time on projects and reduces the need for rework and the number of mistakes that can arise. Our team isn’t required on-site as much because we’re working in a more digital environment that is collaborative and transparent. This improves productivity, but safety is supported too.”

Patrick Carroll
Director