I became a trainee electrical estimator in November 1980. Of course, all our bid documents were paper. We had reams of paper specification books and rooms full of paper plan sets. At that time, it all seemed normal. The only thing I had against paper plans then was my tendency to get deep paper cuts from them.

Paper was the standard throughout my career as an employee, continuing on into the establishment of my consulting company in 1994 and into the early 2000s. Around that time, I became aware of a software program that would allow me to count and measure on a screen instead of paper, so I downloaded a two-week free trial. This was the first software program I ever had trouble learning to use with no training. Part of the problem was it used language different from the electrical estimating terminology I was familiar with. I also thought the software and training was very expensive, so I decided not to buy it.

Fast forward a few years to late 2007. I had been teaching estimating and computer use in-person for many years. However, I was receiving many requests to offer an online class. I had finished the materials and slides and was looking for a way to manipulate drawings on-screen during a GoToMeeting session. I reviewed many of the current offerings and went with a lower priced program that was easy to use and full of interesting features. I decided to purchase this program to help with my classes. However, after teaching just two classes, I understood the program’s potential for achieving a better takeoff in less time than using paper documents. I purchased two more licenses and put them in my estimators’ hands.

The timing was perfect, as digital document distribution had been almost 100% adopted for most projects. Almost instantly, the piles of plans around my office started disappearing. Eventually, all the storage space dedicated to bid documents became available for other uses. That was a lot of space, as many of the projects we were bidding included hundreds of plan sheets. There was also a health benefit. I had been developing some neck damage from looking down at a desk for over 30 years. Now, I was looking forward and the pain stopped. My chiropractor was going to miss me.

Below are some of the reasons I like paperless estimating.

Document handling

Before paperless, let’s say I started with a 30-plan-sheet project consisting of plans that were often 3 feet by 4 feet. Then, an addendum replaced the entire plan set. Now I had to collate the original plans with the new plans, and study the differences by flipping 60 large, ungainly plans back and forth. This was time consuming and inevitably led to more paper cuts. Using an on-screen takeoff program, all I had to do was import the new plan files and tell the program to compare the plan sheets. This was much faster and more accurate.

Takeoff

I always disliked the fact that marking up a paper plan was mostly permanent. There was no erasing a mistake and redoing the work. My digital takeoff program allows me to correct everything. I can change the location of takeoff, the size and color of the markups and a takeoff item’s storage folder. I can add notes and arrows. Everything I do can be undone and altered if there is a change or I made a mistake.

Portability

I can take my work almost anywhere without lugging around a giant set of plans. Can you imagine trying to work on a large set of plans on the little table they give you in a hotel room? Now, I just throw my laptop in its case and hit the road. It’s also great for taking your work to job sites.

Direct takeoff

Most of the electrical estimating systems available now have their own companion on-screen takeoff system that allows you to send your digital takeoff directly to your estimating system with no manual input required. This saves time and eliminates manual entry mistakes. Typos like 1,000 instead of 100 won’t happen.

Document costs

For most of my career as an estimator, plans were free. However, general contractors were starting to shift the cost of printing plans to the subcontractor. As a result, paper plans often cost us several hundred dollars. Most often, digital plans are still free.

These are just a few of the advantages of paperless estimating. I’m surprised when I hear about electrical estimators still using paper documents. My office has been paperless since 2008, and I would never go back.

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