A review of commercially available cost-estimating software systems for the construction industry

Abstract

A wide variety of estimating software systems for the construction industry is available on the market. Just as the needs of estimators vary greatly, so do the capabilities and applications of these systems. This article summarizes the results of a recent survey of commercially available cost-estimating software systems for the construction industry. The focus of this study is on the Australian market, although a few of the systems reviewed are from the United Kingdom and the United States. The study identifies a list of software features on which the systems are evaluated and summarizes these features in 17 commercially available estimating systems. The benefits of these systems are illustr..