RSMeans Data Online Erfahrungen

Good Investment for Estimators

Kommentare: The online version is great. I like not having about 4 tons of outdated cost books in my file cabinet. I like being able to see what an estimate would cost in the past just by changing to an older data set. The SF cost estimator feature is really good. The one complaint is the structural types to choose from never quite matches what we actually build here in Utah. It seems it is very "east coast" oriented. The cost gets pricey if you want something different than their preselected data set packages. I don't like the fact you can't just pick and choose data sets ala carte. I also wish the formulas would export with the SF cost reports. I waste alot of time recreating links and formulas after exporting to excel.

Vorteile:

I like that it has just about everything you would need to price out for all types of construction.

Nachteile:

Sometimes as an estimator you use your own template and you use RS-Means as a resource for costs and product descriptions. The software doesn't allow to right click copy and paste text feature so I have to jump through alot of hoops to export the estimate in Means to an Excel report and then copy and paste from there.

RS Means Review

Vorteile:

I use the interior painting, drywall and finishes items the most. RS Means can streamline my estimate and i am confident in my quotes.

Nachteile:

Items are difficult to find...say I need a rust inhibitor for metal painting...try finding that item???

Small Architectural firm review of RSMeans Data Online

Kommentare: As an occasional user (maybe once a month); it is difficult to use this any more than is absolutely necessary. As it is, with each use, I still pull the information out into my own "summary" and present it to clients from my custom spread sheet. I basically find myself using it like a Means "book" and not taking advantage of it as an "electronic" system. Currently, my experience requires a lot of extra time just to get the final data into a usable, transferrable, understandable format.

Vorteile:

Depth of the cost data is impressive. Ability to "modify" and customize into "assemblies" is powerful. Software keeps a "running tab".

Nachteile:

Customization seems very proprietary and cumbersome. Experience is required to learn the language and "assignments" of materials to categories and assemblies. Pricing adjustments seem to require being in Excel at which point, that specific work is not "saved" to the program.

Good in General

Kommentare: Although it has some shortcomings, it worked for me in general.

Vorteile:

I used the software for maintenance purposes. It shows repair, replacement, and preventative maintenance frequencies of the items, material cost, and manhour need.

Nachteile:

sometimes I couldn't find what I need in the maintenance section. The construction section includes lots of items but I can't say the same thing for the maintenance section. Also, in the software, we can see component details of the items (for example, if it is a door repair item, details show change hinges, replace lockset, etc.). However, there is no option to export this information on an excel file. In addition, the units are imperial. A simple converter can be implemented so that people can switch to the metric unit system.

RSMeans is good to use.

Kommentare: most has been good

Vorteile:

ease of use on line just wish you could split windows to make sure and looking at estimate easer.

Nachteile:

need to fix mixing unit and assembly cost to do a completed preproposal. also would like to see my custom data base of my special items, this way its quick to see my custom date items to make search easer and to mod.

Current issues in scrolling through the data and entire screen scrolling with your search scroll

Kommentare: There are a few things that make this program very frustrating to work with. The biggest issue is trying to scroll through the data after you search for something. Say "Doors" the database has like 1000 items that are related to doors and it will generate the first 40 or so items in the screen but when you go to scroll down in the window to see more - it takes a while for the new data to generate - and I have a fast connection 100 MB/S so it is not the internet. But that is not the issue - it is the fact that if you scroll too fast and the website has to search for more data, then the entire screen scrolls up and you have to continuously grab the bar and scroll back down. It happens also when you scroll up the entire screen will scroll down and then you have to scroll back up... The other issue is the width of the columns - the allow you to size the columns that way you want them but the column bar is like one pixel wide and for you to point your mouse at exactly the right location on the screen to get the column bar to size the column takes FOREVER !! I have wasted like 6 hours out of 300 trying to resize the columns - the problem is that you can not see the material, labor and equipment prices until you either resize the columns or continuously scroll to the right and then you have to scroll back the left in order to check the item that you want to add to your project - so it is continuously moving back and forth and up and down - NO GOOD

Vorteile:

Great data, excellent product database, great Square Foot model, I have the full blown professional version which comes with unit prices, assembly prices and square foot models for all types of buildings for all divisions for all locations throughout the USA. By zip code, you can set the labor type - union or open shop ...

Nachteile:

Too costly - I paid $$$$ for the full blown version and it is missing some components. Such as LED light fixtures SF costs. Columns are hard to adjust. The layout of the website is not user friendly. To create a SF Model is not user friendly at first. It needs to be more intuitive, and easier to follow. The first thing you have to do is name the project in order to generate any kind of data out of the SF model - well the Name Cell is way down the bottom of the web page - and not up near the top - so if you select the type of building you want and size etc -- it will not generate a SF model .... I have been using RS Means for over 10 years - I started using it in 2004 and they had CD versions then they came out with one license agreements for a server type version - then it was named Costworks - I truly loved the CD version of RS Means Costworks - The best part of having CD is if you lose internet you are not out of business like I was the other week!!! For over 8 hours I had no power in my house therefore no internet and using a Hot Spot does not do the trick when you are searching a database with over 30,000 items....

Great Database but Lacking Functionality

Kommentare: Overall RSMeans Online is a great tool with a wonderfully complete database for vertical building construction. However, there are limitations with user interphase that limit its functionality and complicate the estimating process unnecessarily.

Vorteile:

The database of materials and labor is second to none in my opinion and I like that the program includes the square foot estimator and life cycle cost tools.

Nachteile:

The ease of use when developing estimates and square foot models is lacking, and could use some revisions to allow for more functionality. It would be nice if in the square foot model you could adjust the quantity without having to swap an assembly, and it would be good to also have the ability to delete multiple line items at a time when revising the model to best fit the building application. Additionally, it would be helpful if you could define more of the characteristics of a building (i.e. wall construction vs finish, roof construction, roof material, window type, etc.). Within the estimate area it would be helpful if all of the different sections (CSI format, Uniformat for Commercial New Construction, and Uniformat for Facilities Maintenance and Repair) all exported with the same columns and data. Most of my clients like to have their data in a specific format that is not RSMeans export so creating a template is difficult and can be time consuming.

General Industrial Design Practices

Kommentare: RS means represents the industry standard, at least in our industry, for commercial and industrial construction cost estimating.

Vorteile:

The software provides a logic means to address common construction practice and pricing to generate preliminary construction cost estimates and a consistent format that can be presented to clients in detail or summary formats

Nachteile:

Certain fields appear to be missing logical data, such as industrial piping, or plumbing, that one would expect to be included in the data base. Additionally, the report formats can be difficult. It is often easiest to export directly to excel and then edit everything in Microsoft than to try and customize within RS Means.

Uses for SF estimating

Kommentare: Good - experience - but sometimes too much data to be able to see the outcomes clearly

Vorteile:

updated costs by region - you have quarterly updates

Nachteile:

Does not have a substantial SF cost database that would be helpful in ROM estimates Does not have all the items we encounter on federal construction jobs

RS Means Data is helpful and an industry standard

Kommentare: Good experience. Great for quick ball park estimates needed in planning phase.

Vorteile:

The almost limitless options for features of work and different tasks

Nachteile:

Some of the profit margins seem a bit low.

In Our Experience

Kommentare: My overall experience with RS Means software has been good and I have no complaints.
Customer service has always been great and I have always been happy with the end products I have been able to produce using this software.

Vorteile:

We use RSMeans a lot for the purpose of completing cost reasonableness reviews for change orders and other construction costs. The software works very well for this purpose and we feel like we get reliable data to base our decision making process on.

Nachteile:

Sometimes when estimating RSMeans software can be difficult to used simply because materials or assemblies aren't defined in the same way they are commonly referred to in the industry. For instance there should be an assembly for a NFPA 13R fire sprinkler system.

All Aspects Unreliable

Kommentare: Overall experience is terrible! The best marketing strategy RS Means has done is to tie contractors to their software by making them use it if they want government contracts! By doing this, they limit the contractor's ability to shop the "fair" market for estimating software and provide their customer (The Government) with a reliable and timely estimate.

Vorteile:

There isn't a single aspect we like about this software.

Nachteile:

The software is unreliable! It has costed our company several hours of lost productivity. If you call customer support for a technical issue it takes several days to get an issue resolved. They say they'll call back and they don't. They say you can log in in 15 minutes and you can't. They sell this software to Customers who require contractors to use it, but when the customer requests a quote, the contractor can't provide it because the software is down. I think Gordian needs to realize the contractors are their customer too! We pay thousands of dollars to use a software that is unreliable!

Review

Kommentare: Major client requires use of RS Means as basis for change order development and certification in their standard contract. Many civil utility contractors are reluctant to use the software because they base change in daily costs, based on resources in use on the project at the time the need for change is ID'd. They do not base their unit rate pricing on actual field conditions encountered at time change is identified, so they have trouble to, or do not wish to, use RS Means as the basis for their change proposal. This creates a problem for us as Owner's Rep to build a change order estimate that is readily comparable to contractor's proposal.

Vorteile:

Wide selection of items ... recognizing that it is impossible to have every item included, the software developer tries to have a broad range of common sense construction items covered

Nachteile:

Not much to dislike. For some of my needs for taking data from the software and putting it into the client required format, the cut-and-paste attempts are blocked or do not function.

RS Means and helpful is it?

Kommentare: Being able to generate a costs that is more realistic with the mna power we employee and the work we put out. It is eerily on que with the time it takes to produce the weork in question.

Vorteile:

the productivity for work described. This knowledge entitles me to assign our costs per unit which develops a more realistic cost for trhe described work in question.

Nachteile:

Trying to get it intergrated wioth Sage estiamting so that the ionformation is "at my fingertips" so to speak. THis not necessasrily a Means issue as it is our own because I cant get thetimec to make the union

Using R S Means On Line

Kommentare: Means Data Online is an estimating tool you can take with you. Where ever you have connectivity, you can generate and estimate. The search feature makes using the online product much easier and quicker that the book style where you have to search through multiple pages to find a particular item - or use the index. With the online data, you can print out your estimate where (with the book data) you have the correct data but what do you do with it?

Vorteile:

The name and cost date compiled by R S Means is known nation (or world) wide as a respected source of cost data. It is easy to use and estimators everywhere can generate a consistent estimates.

Nachteile:

Means needs to increase their intuitional/industrial cost data.

it is good tool for refence for construction cost

Vorteile:

crews and daily output, it is update quarterly and it is good for big project and complex project. on site work or civil work has more breakdown.

Nachteile:

the RSMeans does add variable for small job or the condition of the site, the date need integrate with all variable ex. the construction index, the shortage of materials and labors city by city. .

Hope You Read This?

Vorteile:

It is set up in CSI format to help locate various item needed for an estimate.

Nachteile:

I started with CostWorks, it seemed a little easier to locate thing and the description of what you were selecting was readily available. RSMeans on Line is a bit more cumbersome.

RSMeans allowed my company to take our bidding to the next level

Kommentare: My small-business enterprise construction company has won a large number of bids following the adoption of RSMeans. We used to work only through Excel and use memory, material numbers, and past experience to bid. Now, we are winning more jobs, completing bids faster, and bidding more accurately.

Vorteile:

Offers accurate unit prices for specific areas, eliminates toggling between applications for estimating, quick turn-around times for bids

Nachteile:

No ability to filter searches, i.e. filter search within specific line item, sometimes when searching in the search bar the word does not register when hitting "enter", you must manually click the "Search" button

RS Means review

Kommentare: Overall experience over last 2 years has been excellent. Prior to that it renewing subscription turned into a mess every year (not being billed timely, billed 2 and 3 times)

Vorteile:

ease of use, costing data is updated on a regular basis

Nachteile:

thinks that i like least are addressed in more expensive packages

President/CEO

Kommentare: We are a commercial construction company that competitive bid on projects .

Vorteile:

The software is user friendly and gives a good foundation for cost estimating.

Nachteile:

Sometimes I find the cost estimate to be rather low compared to actual bids.

Great Resrouce

Kommentare: RSMeans Online has been a great learning tool for both experienced professional on our team as well as entry-level individuals.

Vorteile:

We switched from e-books to RSMeans Online and it has been great! Our team finds it more interactive, easier to find information, and overall a great experience.

Nachteile:

There are so many different packages and customizations which is good on one hand, but also a bit much as some people want more functions while others wouldn't necessarily use them.

Good Experience

Vorteile:

Rs means has a good database with a timely update with the latest prices.

Nachteile:

Rs Means is not best with the user friendly

RSMeans Data Online review

Kommentare: Depending on projects students need all data and the academic version RSMeans has does not work for our students. I have been telling RS Means for several years but they do not seem to listen, they are only concerned about commercial use but you are losing out on teaching students who will use it when they graduate.

Vorteile:

I do not like that you do not have an product for Academia as this product is used by students and if you want students to learn you need to help librarians provide right access. Access in academia works best with ip addresses and not by seats. Also, when we need access which is for a week or two in the semester it for the whole classroom and we cannot use the products if it only for 2 users as we cannot afford any more seats.

Nachteile:

none at this time

RS Means Data Online

Kommentare: It saves the time of having to pull a physical paper copy of the RS Means books of the shelf and searching though pages for data. As stated, it is much easier and convenient to search for items in the online data base and adjustments for time and location are done for you rather than having to search for a factor in the book and calculating every item you look up with these factors. Data is also updated quarterly, while the physical book is updated yearly.

Vorteile:

I like that it is a comprehensive database of all of the RS Means Books in one easy to access, online database. Searching for items is fairly easy. Adjusting prices for markets and quarters of the year is easy with one touch of a button

Nachteile:

The descriptions of items are long and if you try to extend the description field so that you can understand what item you are looking at, you lose some of the productivity and cost data fields. The viewing box could stand to be larger to allow for more data to be visible

What's not to like!

Kommentare: Great on-line experience unless you get a power outage.

Vorteile:

The ease of looking up specific material items.

Nachteile:

The inclusion of new technology pricing has a wait.