Forums >> Community >> The Studio >> 5D Estimating - Innovaya Software and Revit

mfkkd

active

Joined: Sun, Jul 23, 2006
5 Posts
No Rating

This user is offline

bhardin

active

Joined: Wed, Jun 27, 2007
3 Posts
No Rating

I have. We went through the lengthy process of talking with US Cost, MC2, and Innovaya. To be honest Innovaya is the only one that comes with a preassembled assembly database, which is huge! Otherwise you will have to create your own. It also teams up well with Timberline estimating software as Kevin Yu the owner of the company was a programmer at Timberline for a while. DO NOT use MC2! They say they can use a BIM model to do takeoffs however, they can't...

Hope this helps.

Best regards.

This user is offline

macest

active

Joined: Wed, Jan 21, 2004
6 Posts
No Rating

There is also another software called Building Explorer.  I'm doing a WebEx with them this afternoon, so will have more to say later, but I already like the platform much better than Inovaya.  Personally, I've been using Revit's ODBC export to pull the elements + quantities into MS Access and manipulate them from there with much success for the last 6 or 7 years.  It's a difficult task to determine which is the best method for containing a cost database, as well as have a software that is capable of exporting accurate quantity takeoff and it's been easier to devlop our own method in house until the softwares can progress a bit more, I supposed. 

Inovaya is going to soon be working on adapting thier platform to MC2 as well as Timberline.  Sage Timberline is primarily an accounting tool, so there are "industry rumors" that they will be abandoing their estimating software in due time. 

This user is offline

View Website

bhardin

active

Joined: Wed, Jun 27, 2007
3 Posts
No Rating

yeah...not true on timberline extended. we heard the same rumor talked with the company and they have actually started to staff up in the estimating group to meet the BIM demands. I work for a design-build GC and frankly the odbc data just won't work when you are trying to generate hard bid elements, labor rates, area rates, and material inflation will not be accounted for in just exporting sf and lfs unless of course you have estimate templates in excel. timberline keeps the model linked though and exports "sticky" which sold us on it and it does work pretty well once you have it set up.

i will check out the other program, but don't buy into that whole timberline is abandoning anything rumor. we got straight up lied to by mc2 a couple of times in regards to the timberline software and again on the BIM composer. the owner of innovaya will tell you that they haven't even completed a beta run yet of mc2 and we were told they would have it this month by mc2 (which they didn't). reminded me of a used car salesmen!

thanks for the heads up on the other software though...and good luck!

This user is offline

bhardin

active

Joined: Wed, Jun 27, 2007
3 Posts
No Rating

yeah...not true on timberline extended. we heard the same rumor talked with the company and they have actually started to staff up in the estimating group to meet the BIM demands. I work for a design-build GC and frankly the odbc data just won't work when you are trying to generate hard bid elements, labor rates, area rates, and material inflation will not be accounted for in just exporting sf and lfs unless of course you have estimate templates in excel. timberline keeps the model linked though and exports "sticky" which sold us on it and it does work pretty well once you have it set up.

i will check out the other program, but don't buy into that whole timberline is abandoning anything rumor. we got straight up lied to by mc2 a couple of times in regards to the timberline software and again on the BIM composer. the owner of innovaya will tell you that they haven't even completed a beta run yet of mc2 and we were told they would have it this month by mc2 (which they didn't). reminded me of a used car salesmen!

thanks for the heads up on the other software though...and good luck!

This user is offline

Tolis

active

Joined: Fri, Jul 16, 2010
2 Posts
No Rating

Instead of using various tools that integrate with eachother, you could use our BIM estimating product. CostOS 3.6 has an embeded ifc viewer that allows you to work over your 3D model. It has a relational resource database like MC2, it uses centralized cost databases for storing your data (Enterprise version) and in addition we do provide the Means Database on a subscription basis online. The advantage of this is that you can synchronise estimates you created in the past and update their costs with a click of a button.

The advantage that you will also get with CostOS is a 3D cost viewer. Eventualy at the end you could click on any element on the 3D model and get its cost and the resources that it requires. You can open your offer layout, invite your client and show him how much he needs to pay for the different parts of the project.

For more information you can refer to our website: www.nomitech.eu

or have a look at our brochure: http://www.nomitech.gr/downloads/pdf/en/nomitech_brochure.pdf

This user is offline

Cost Estimating Software for Revit 2010

4

Exporting Revit to Master Builder Estimating Software

0

Revit & Cost Estimating

3

new developments in the estimating front?

0

Revit and Timberline Estimating Extended

4