Steel estimating made simple Price: A$895 (ex GST) » Business Problem » ESS Solution: STEELestimator » Who Benefits from STEELestimator? » How Does STEELestimator Benefit You? » What Makes STEELestimator Unique? » Technical Information » Developed by ESS

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Business Problem

The RCM (Rational Costing Method) for steelwork was developed in 1996 by the Australian Steel Institute, in conjunction with BHP and other industry leaders, in response to the need to construct more economical steel structures. RCM allows you to obtain a total steelwork cost for all the steel members in a project, deriving each component cost from material and work activity tables. However RCM presented a problem for designers and fabricators Australia-wide. Despite aiding accuracy and consistency in the steel estimating process, RCM represented an additional step for businesses wanting to know their bottom line.

ESS Solution: STEELestimator

ESS has used its construction industry knowledge to create STEELestimator, a powerful application that lets you know the profitability of each job by accurately tracking the resources needed for each project from the start. STEELestimator incorporates industry knowledge through the RCM to create accurate Bills of Materials (BOM) and Bills of Works (BOW). This automatically calculates surface treatment, transportation and shop detailing requirements. As well as eliminating labour-intensive paperwork and manual calculations, this powerful insight lets you know the bottom for every project from day one.

Who Benefits from STEELestimator?

How Does STEELestimator Benefit You?

•  Simplifies using RCM: STEELestimator offers the built-in power of the Rational Costing Method (RCM) established by the Australian Steel Institute (ASI) in conjunction with key industry players including BHP Steel (now BlueScope Steel) and OneSteel. RCM breaks the scope of supply down to measurable work activities and material usage.

•  More accurate quoting: STEELestimator provides estimators complete integrated accuracy of RCM by eliminating the need to use the high risk and inaccurate tonnage method.

•  Avoids bottlenecks : STEELestimator enables you to identify and avoid potential bottlenecks and schedule resources over the project, with a further breakdown to workshop and site erecting demands.

•  Easy to use: STEELestimator contains intelligent templates that enable you to deal with only the major project components. In the background, STEELestimator will automatically calculate the required materials, work activities and resources to complete the scope of supply.

•  Easy to understand: STEELestimator means that any project can be estimated very quickly by anyone who can read a design plans and has a basic understanding of your business.

•  Saves time: STEELestimator can help you slash hours in estimating new work, managing projects and justifying variations.

•  Cuts down on paperwork: STEELestimator saves hours of valuable estimating and production management time by automatically creating Bills of Materials for purchasing as well as Production Work Orders.

•  Maintains standards: STEELestimator allows you to establish your unique resources with rates and then create a list of work activities linked back to the driving resources. After establishing your standard supplied items, with purchase and supply costs, mass and surface area information, STEELestimator builds your projects to your standard list of components, work activities and resources.

•  Simplifies resource calculations: STEELestimator calculates the surface areas and mass of each component, automatically determining your surface treatment and handling costs without the need for a second calculation process.

•  Tracks every cost: STEELestimator anticipates every possible cost type including sub contractors, transportation, mobilisation / demobilisation, remote work allowances and management involvement.

•  Speeds up progress claims : STEELestimator reduces the time required in preparing and supporting monthly progress claims by calculating material and resources expended to date and even confirming sub contractor payments.

•  Predicts your profit margins: STEELestimator is unique in that it enables you to know your expected profit margin for each job, each section of work - or even each component.

•  Avoids variation problems: STEELestimator reduces the risk of variation cost problems in your project with a built-in variation management tool that records any change, with its scope of work and current status. This allows you to quickly and easily demonstrate to clients the true cost of a change.

What Makes STEELestimator Unique?

•  STEELestimator is the only software package that uses the Rational Costing Method (RCM) to accurately reflect modern design and lightweight structure practices.

•  STEELestimator was developed after requests from Australian designers and fabricators for an estimating package to simplify adopting the Rational Costing Method, with a view to it becoming the industry standard.

•  STEELestimator is endorsed by BHP as the best method to cost steel structures from feasibility through to completion.

Technical Information

Developed by ESS

ESS partners with clients to make the impossible happen. As well as solving business problems for the steel industry, ESS engineers software that improves quality, reduces risk and cuts costs for clients in a wide range of industries. For more, visit www.ess.com.au.