Meet Moe from Building Dreams Contracting

Building Dreams Contracting Inc. is a general contracting company based in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. We specialize in providing renovation, addition, and custom new build services to our clients. In addition, we have a dedicated production framing team that caters to the needs of production home builders, from single homes to townhouses. Check out our Instagram page @buildingdreamscontracting

Quantity take-offs are an essential part of construction, and there are various ways to do them. The quickest and simplest method is to use an on-screen take-off against a design drawing. We use on-screen take-off as much as we can, whether we are estimating a project budget or determining material requirements for orders. We can easily document justifications that will guide future decisions and be clear on what has been quantified versus what has not.

As a Project Manager who started out in estimating, I have been searching for an intuitive and cost-effective on-screen take-off tool. Many of the previous software I tried fell short in both categories. I discovered Kreo while deep in a Google search and was amazed that I hadn't heard about it before. Finally, I found an on-screen take-off with a modern UI (user interface) that is both simple to follow and robust in its capabilities.

Technology and software for construction in Canada have been slow in improving, and many software are still using UIs that would be familiar in the 1990s. It was refreshing to see a software that caters to young minds entering into construction that are much adept at working with a clean and easy-to-navigate interface. Everything you need is in a spot that makes sense, rather than being hidden behind layers of dropdown menus and obscure shortcuts.

The cost was also refreshing, given the amount of money some software requires for a slow and clunky product.

Prior to Kreo, we used a combination of on-screen takeoff software and site measurements. However, the software we were using did not have easy ways to collaborate with others, and it was difficult to use. This limited its use to one person who had enough knowledge to operate it. Site measurements were often lost after use, and there was no centralized place to review them.

Now, with Kreo, we can easily collaborate on projects and reflect on quantifications. Its ease of use allows multiple users to participate, even if they are not experts with the software. If an error is made, we can review how the calculation was done and make adjustments for future calculations accordingly.

We have also started creating an assembly database in Kreo, which allows one measurement to have several components. For example, one wall measurement can determine framing materials, insulation, and drywall in one line. The output information from the assembly can be displayed and exported in multiple ways, allowing for the most relevant information to be shared on a case-by-case basis.

Kreo has been instrumental in streamlining our estimates and quantity take-offs. Its collaborative features allow multiple users to work together in one place, keeping everyone on the same page. We save a significant amount of time and money by not needing someone to go to a site to calculate quantities for material orders.

One thing we love about Kreo is how user-friendly it is. New users can be easily onboarded and start contributing right away, which has helped us get more done in less time. We also appreciate how it allows us to reflect on justifications and make alterations to improve the accuracy of our quantifications.

Overall, Kreo has been a great addition to our project management toolbox. It's made our processes more efficient and effective, and won't be easily replaced.

I highly recommend Kreo for construction estimating. Its interface is easy to navigate and learn. It allows users to organize measurement data and folders without the use of cumbersome drop-down menus.

For more advanced users, Kreo offers the ability to create custom assemblies that can be fine-tuned using Excel-like calculations and adjustable input variables. This means that users can measure their walls, adjust the height, and tailor the calculation in a few short steps once the assembly is built.

Kreo's data output from line items and assemblies can be highly customized right in the apps' spreadsheet. The data is all cell-based, making it easy to export or copy-paste to Excel and Google Sheets. Overall, Kreo is an excellent platform for anyone looking to streamline their measurement and estimation processes, regardless of experience level.

If you're in the market for a reliable on-screen takeoff software to measure wall lengths and surface areas, or if you're looking to create a detailed catalog of assemblies that quantifies parts related to your services, then you might want to check out Kreo. This software is user-friendly and easy to integrate into any construction company's processes. With a bit of time and effort spent, Kreo can save you a lot of time in estimating and quantification. Overall, I'd recommend Kreo to anyone looking to streamline their construction processes and make the most out of their time.