# Roofing estimating software



## dchandler2000 (May 31, 2009)

I know that this topic has been discussed in the past on this forum , i looking for a good software for roofing estimate, i'm currently using my spreadsheets(12 yrs) but i was wondering whats a good piece of software that i could purchase that will get my estimates out faster....not interested in those fancy expensive ones....too many bells and whistles that most roofers don't need


----------



## BrandRoof (Dec 13, 2011)

Wow...been here three years and this is your first post!


----------



## Grumpy (Oct 29, 2008)

Part of the problem with all the software I have looked at is it does things I don't want but doesn't do things I do want. I've never found one yet that I didn't feel I would have to make too many compromises on my way of doing things. My suggestion is to down load as many free trials as you can and try them out. I sometimes wish my brother were a computer programmer so I could get the "Family rate" on a custom piece of software.


----------



## dchandler2000 (May 31, 2009)

Thank you Grumpy, you are right. There's not a one program that fits everyone needs, but i will try some of these free trials and decide which one accomplishes my needs, some of these programmers are expensive but thank you for the suggestion


----------



## Grumpy (Oct 29, 2008)

I'm very interested, post your findings.


----------



## Grumpy (Oct 29, 2008)

Just for chits and giggles... What I would want in an estimating software is a complete back end database, not just an estimating. Something that is CRM in addition to estimating. Something, like my estimating spreadsheet, that would factor roof pricing based on material list and keep all materials in the central depository of material and labor prices. Something that could easily update prices to current in the click of a button. Something that was multi-user, and each user tied everything back into the same CRM database. Something that would auto-generate estimates, based on the items selected in the materials list when factoring the price. Something that would seamlessly integrate with quickbooks, or take the place of quickbooks. Something that was mobile based, but not in the "cloud" but would reside on my own servers. 

Something like this would cost probably $5,000-$10,000 to develop which is why I don't own something like this


----------



## dchandler2000 (May 31, 2009)

Well i tried a couple of them that had a free trial( xactware,roofcalc writer, estimatorpro.....) to be honest i couldn't find one that really made me feel confortable with, there are some that are web based that i won't touch, a server goes down that means your business is down too. I will continue to use my spreadsheets with Quickbooks.


----------



## Grumpy (Oct 29, 2008)

dchandler2000 said:


> W... there are some that are web based that i won't touch, a server goes down that means your business is down too.


Amen, I have been saying that since the 1990's when they began to migrate from the client side install to the network server side install. PLus having lived through the internet bubble and living all the horror stories of companies going bust and customers losing all their data and phones simply being turned off and doors shuttered and customers having no way to get the data back... That makes me ONLY want client side, unless the server is my own.


----------



## Captain (Jul 27, 2012)

Any of you guys ever Contractors Office w/ the roofing module? I've tried Estimation Pro and that was beyond terrible, plus a couple other ones, we use Geo-estimator for anything large or steep and want to find a program that interfaces with Geo. Web based is a huge plus, we have computers in the estimators trucks with internet, it'd be great to see real time updating.


----------

