Buildertrend vs HeavyBid

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Our analysts compared Buildertrend vs HeavyBid based on data from our 400+ point analysis of Construction Estimating Software, user reviews and our own crowdsourced data from our free software selection platform.

Product Basics

Buildertrend is a construction ERP that streamlines business practices and assists builders, contractors and clients. Leverage bid requests, email marketing and leads in one centralized pre-sales process module. Initiates budgets, invoices, lien waivers and time clocks. Maintain various activities in daily logs, to-do lists, schedules and messages. It’s also available as a mobile app for iOS and Android devices.

Master project management, client relationship management, financial management, estimates and change orders are some notable features.
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Developed by HCSS, HeavyBid provides estimating and bidding solutions to help automate daily tasks. Verify material and labor prices to identify estimating errors. Import takeoff data from external programs to produce precise cost estimates. Store files in a secure cloud environment. Enable managers to track project progress via the dashboard.

Managers can create, modify and analyze supplier and subcontractor quotes. Generate estimate recap reports to summarize quotes for better understanding. It integrates with Microsoft Project, Excel, Primavera P6, Word and Outlook, and accounting tools.
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$99 Monthly
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$3,195/User, Annually
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Android
Chromebook
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Linux
Android
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Cloud
On-Premise
Mobile
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On-Premise
Mobile

Product Assistance

Documentation
In Person
Live Online
Videos
Webinars
Documentation
In Person
Live Online
Videos
Webinars
Email
Phone
Chat
FAQ
Forum
Knowledge Base
24/7 Live Support
Email
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Knowledge Base
24/7 Live Support

Product Insights

  • Establish Effective Communications: Deliver notifications with project updates to teams, subcontractors and clients with daily logs, so everyone is on the same page consistently. Users may also record weather changes automatically and make notes with voice-to-text technology to ensure their teams always work in good weather and are prepared for surprises. 
  • Organize Documents and Photos: Leverage infinite file sharing, reducing unnecessary treks to the office. Teams can access files from mobile devices at any location to review plans, budgets and other necessary paperwork at the worksite swiftly. Users may also share videos, photos and documents with several other users and arrange them in folders for easy navigation. 
  • Efficient Invoice Changes: Produce line-item bills and invoices from estimates, change orders or customer selection sheets by integrating with QuickBooks or Xero, which keeps bookkeeping tasks in one centralized hub. Users may also accept online payments and establish payment reminders, so they receive their transactions on time. 
  • Simple Time Tracking: Manage time for office workers and field teams with a time clock that enables employees to clock in and out from the mobile app so users will always know how many hours each employee accrues at any given time. It can track who's clocked in or out during a specific period, generate payroll reports and exhibit a crew worker's exact location on a virtual map. 
  • Client Collaboration: Enable customers to track projects' progress with unique customer logins for effective contractor/client collaboration. Users can also upload photos and send messages about project updates. 
  • Allocate Surveys: Deliver online surveys to clients automatically after finishing projects to leave reviews. Users may also review and post positive responses to reviews via their websites to establish and maintain positive customer relationships. 
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  • Reduce Estimating Errors: Access bid item, activity and material codebooks to automatically build estimates. Use custom calculation routines to avoid performing repetitive calculations. 
  • Promote Collaboration: Enable multiple estimators to work on the same quote to improve estimating accuracy. Attach photos, audio clips and videos to plans to keep everyone on the same. 
  • Make Data-driven Decisions: Produce preconfigured revenue reports to evaluate the company’s financial performance. Integrate with Tableau and Power BI to analyze key performance indicators. 
  • Generate Professional Proposals: Customize Word- and Excel-based bid proposals in just a few minutes. Add company logo to proposals to increase brand recognition. 
  • Maintain Data Integrity: Integrate with accounting systems like QuickBooks, CMiC and Foundation to generate error-free quotes. 
  • Stay Secure: Store files in ISO 27001, SSAE16/SOC compliant data centers to protect them from hackers. 
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  • Selections: Approve product pricing, keep patrons in the loop about running totals, receive electronic client signatures and access selection decisions and their associated product warranties in a centralized location. 
  • Communication: Manage messages, comments, emails and task-specific data in one place automatically. This module also offers push notifications on mobile devices and utilizes current email accounts. 
  • Bid Requests: Develop, compare, distribute and save bids in one hub. Users may define deadlines and receive reminders, accept offers and incorporate them in contracts. 
  • Estimates and Proposals: Construct estimates, allocate personalized proposals and close sales. Users may work with pre-set templates, obtain digital signatures and import information into Excel and other solutions. 
  • To-Dos: Create and designate responsibilities to teams and subcontractors and send reminders to patrons. Users can add items to lists with voice-to-text capabilities, attach documents and photos and send prompt alerts. 
  • Work-In-Progress (WIP) Reports: Produce WIP reports for maintaining projects in real time; obtain data for total billings, profit margins and costs to complete specific or all jobs; and receive current views of over or under billing for clients. 
  • Payment Processing: Obtain check or credit card payments online, modify invoices through QuickBooks and Xero when a payment is received automatically and acquire safe and secure processing. 
  • Budget: Track labor costs, billing, purchase orders and change orders in real time. Make adjustments as necessary, compare proposed to actual expenditures and work with multiple software integrations. 
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  • Estimation: Copy and reuse past quotes to save time and avoid data entry mistakes. Add activities to estimates in just a few clicks. Assign resource codes to items such as equipment, labor and materials to speed up estimating processes.  
  • Bid Management: Find bid items using the keyword search function. Add desired columns to the bid pricing screen to view detailed information. Mark up estimates by cost types. Export data directly to DOT’s bidding system to eliminate re-entering bid prices. 
  • Quote Management: Create folders for subs and suppliers to help them access data quickly. Perform multiple quote comparisons, update estimates and detect advantageous pricing. View scope differences among quotes and make last-minute changes. 
  • Bi-directional Interface: Export cost and resource schedules to Primavera P6 or Microsoft Project. Import modified schedules to the system’s database to merge them with estimates. 
  • Calculations: Calculate quantities, production rates, costs and risk factors using the built-in calculator. Copy calculations to notes and reports to help review bids. 
  • Insights: Compare past and actual estimates to identify errors and reduce risks. Create custom key performance indicators to gain valuable insights. Conduct what-if analyses to make strategic business decisions. 
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Product Ranking

#1

among all
Construction Estimating Software

#34

among all
Construction Estimating Software

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Analyst Rating Summary

75
77
96
84
88
84
69
93
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Project Management
Bid Management
Platform Capabilities
Cost Management
Estimate Management
Estimate Management
Reports and Dashboards
Document and Database Management
Platform Capabilities

Analyst Ratings for Functional Requirements Customize This Data Customize This Data

Buildertrend
HeavyBid
+ Add Product + Add Product
Bid Management Cost Management Document And Database Management Estimate Management Platform Capabilities Project Management Reports And Dashboards Takeoff Capabilities 96 88 69 86 92 100 82 48 84 84 93 97 87 66 95 41 0 25 50 75 100
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86%
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88%
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88%
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91%
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91%
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95%
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90%
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100%
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57%
14%
29%
83%
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38%
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62%
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63%
37%

Analyst Ratings for Technical Requirements Customize This Data Customize This Data

17%
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83%
33%
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67%

User Sentiment Summary

Excellent User Sentiment 1577 reviews
we're gathering data
90%
of users recommend this product

Buildertrend has a 'excellent' User Satisfaction Rating of 90% when considering 1577 user reviews from 4 recognized software review sites.

we're gathering data
4.1 (14)
n/a
4.0 (38)
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4.5 (1517)
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4.5 (8)
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Awards

SelectHub research analysts have evaluated Buildertrend and concluded it earns best-in-class honors for Bid Management and Project Management. Buildertrend stands above the rest by achieving an ‘Excellent’ rating as a User Favorite.

User Favorite Award
Bid Management Award
Project Management Award

SelectHub research analysts have evaluated HeavyBid and concluded it deserves the award for the Best Overall Construction Estimating Software available today and earns best-in-class honors for Document and Database Management and Estimate Management.

Analysts' Pick Award
Document and Database Management Award
Estimate Management Award

Synopsis of User Ratings and Reviews

Comprehensive Tool: The system comes loaded with rich functionalities that simplify production and streamline workflows, as mentioned by all users who referred to functionality.
User Friendly: Offers a user-friendly interface that makes it easy to manage and navigate, as noted by all reviewers who mentioned ease of use.
Support: More than 92% of reviewers referring to customer support noted that included professional services were helpful and responsive, taking time to walk them through an issue.
Track: All users who specified tracking liked that it helps teams and managers keep track of progress, logs, expenses, payrolls, bid requests, receipts and more.
Communication: All reviewers liked that it simplifies the process of communication and keeping teams up to date.
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Comprehensive Estimating: HeavyBid offers a wide range of features that cater to various aspects of construction estimating, including takeoff, pricing, bidding, and reporting. This comprehensive approach allows estimators to manage the entire bidding process within a single platform.
Customization and Flexibility: HeavyBid provides a high degree of customization, enabling users to tailor the software to their specific workflows and requirements. This flexibility ensures that estimators can adapt the software to their unique estimating processes and preferences.
Integration Capabilities: HeavyBid integrates with various other software applications commonly used in the construction industry, such as scheduling, accounting, and project management tools. This integration streamlines data flow and enhances collaboration between different departments within a construction company.
Industry-Specific Focus: HeavyBid is specifically designed for the heavy civil construction industry, with features and functionalities tailored to the unique needs of this sector. This industry-specific focus ensures that estimators have access to tools and resources that are relevant to their projects.
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Learning Curve: All reviewers who mentioned the learning curve said it took time to get used to the tools during initial setup due to the many options available.
Quickbooks Integration: Around 60% of users noted that integration with Quickbooks took some time and effort.
Customization: It could provide more flexibility in customization, as observed by 83% of reviewers who referred to customization.
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Steep Learning Curve: HeavyBid's extensive features and functionalities can be overwhelming for new users, requiring significant time investment to master the software effectively.
Customization Challenges: Adapting HeavyBid to specific workflows or unique project requirements can be complex, often demanding advanced knowledge of the software's underlying structure.
Integration Limitations: Integrating HeavyBid with other construction management software or external databases may pose challenges, potentially hindering seamless data exchange and workflow efficiency.
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Buildertrend has an intuitive interface that is easy to use and navigate. It requires some time to get used to its tools because of the rich features available. Users can make proposals for bids, schedule, send invoices, collect payments, conduct surveys and more. It offers a portal where employees can conveniently view their running hours and corresponding pay. It streamlines coordination with clients, including sharing daily updates on the progress of building completion. It helps teams maintain better communication and keep track of progress. Some reviewers have noted that integration with Quickbooks requires a significant time investment. A few users wished for more customization options. Customer representatives respond quickly and provide answers that will effectively solve problems.

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HeavyBid is a powerful construction estimating software that has garnered a mixed reputation among users over the past year. While its comprehensive features and ability to handle complex projects are widely appreciated, some users find the software's interface to be outdated and cumbersome. The learning curve associated with HeavyBid is often cited as a drawback, as it requires significant time and effort to master. However, users who invest the time to learn the software find it to be a valuable tool that can streamline the estimating process and improve accuracy. Compared to competitors like Bluebeam Revu and PlanSwift, HeavyBid offers more advanced functionality for detailed cost estimation and bid preparation. Its ability to integrate with other construction management software is also seen as a major advantage. However, HeavyBid's higher price point and steeper learning curve may deter smaller companies or those with simpler estimating needs. Overall, HeavyBid is best suited for large construction firms or those that handle complex projects with a high degree of detail. Its comprehensive features and ability to integrate with other software make it a valuable tool for streamlining the estimating process and improving accuracy. However, smaller companies or those with simpler needs may find the software's complexity and cost to be prohibitive.

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