HeavyBid reviews

Best estimating software I’ve used

Pluspunten:

Honestly i cant say there is anything i did not like about this software. Makes your life a whole lot easier and helps you dial in your profit on projects and you get things set up and get some history in the system.

Minpunten:

I can’t really think of anything i didn’t like. Great product.

Great software but spendy

Pluspunten:

- Made tracking our equipment costing and repairs much easier - Bidding jobs easier for the sales team

Minpunten:

- Costly to upkeep every year, not sure we are getting enough out of the software to justify the cost

Only Longtime Users Can Possibly Like HeavyBid

Opmerkingen: HeavyBid is YEARS (perhaps decades) behind other platforms, especially InEight. HCSS needs to rewrite the entire platform in order to be relevant again.

Pluspunten:

Customer support is good. It has to be because HeavyBid itself is archaic.

Minpunten:

1. Anything in bulk. Example: Cannot even “non-add” multiple activities. Rather, you must click on one at a time and then click the “non-additive” radio button on each and every activity. Such limitations are in all areas of the software. 2. Sorting and organizing is essentially non-existent. This aspect of HeavyBid is one of the most frustrating things I’ve ever encountered on any software of any kind. This is especially frustrating on bids with child and grandchild bid items requiring reorganization. In resource setup registers, there is no way to sort. Material lists can be quite large and HeavyBid offers no way to sort this data. Unbelievable that this is the case in 2020. API integrations are not even on the table because of the old architecture of HeavyBid. It seems that those giving HeavyBid good reviews have not been exposed to other platforms. HeavyBid is an outdated software that needs to be completed rewritten to stay relevant. I have been a user of the following estimating software platforms TPL, B2W, InEight Estimate, HeavyBid.

The Best Estimating Software in the World!

Pluspunten:

Product: This is a very fast, user-friendly, automated estimating and bidding system that is particularly effective for Unit-Price contracts. It allows quick creation of accurate estimates, accommodates variations in quantities, allows risk evaluation on an item-by-item basis, and provides the means to price individual bid items so that they reflect the bidder's assessments of quantity, value, and risk for each item. Vendor: HCSS sets the standard for customer support. There is no software company anywhere, of any type, with whom I have had contact that comes even close to the responsiveness and excellence of HCSS' technical support. It is extremely rare that a call is not answered before the third ring by a human who understands the problem (no matter how arcane) and who has the right answer, without sending me to a second- or third-level technician. The professionalism and expertise of the Technical Support team are near-perfect. I tell people whom I am training that if they get stuck on a problem for more than three minutes, they should call Tech Support. The person who answers will have the problem solved, and the estimator will be back in production nearly instantaneously.

Minpunten:

There is little to dislike in a system that works so well and with a technical support team that is so knowledgeable. HCSS takes suggestions from its users and implements them in new releases of the software so that the system is always cutting-edge and fulfills its users' expectations. The system seems expensive to purchase and maintain, at least to the non-using evaluator, but the confidence in the accuracy of the estimate, the outstanding technical support, and the continuous improvement of the software will provide confidence that offsets cost. One caught and corrected mistake that that would have gone unnoticed without HeavyBid's analysis tools, could pay for a dozen licenses for years.

The best option.

Opmerkingen: Love it. Great customer service. It can be customized to integrate with all your other software.

Pluspunten:

HCSS's support is the best I have ever delt with. Not only do they offer custom programming to taylor the users tools and reports, but they always answer the phone right away. No machines you the first person that picks up the phone can usually help you with whatever issue or question you have.

Minpunten:

Clunky reporting with the mobile app. The only thing that is kind of frustrating is the reporting capabilities from and administrative side, but whatever reports you are unable to generate as a customer, they will be able to generate for you on their end.

HCSS Review

Opmerkingen: Overall, HCSS is the best estimating software on the market. Reason why everyone uses it. But it is expensive, and some smaller companies have trouble justifying cost.

Pluspunten:

HCSS is a very powerful and easy to learn estimating program. Many companies use this software which makes integrating with partnering companies very easy. Endless resources and crew construction abilities. Provides drop down or key stroke options to enter data. Gives many different ways to view costs and code costs.

Minpunten:

Cons are the limitations on "child" items underneath the parent. Only 3 are allowed as compared to other competing softwares. Also the reports are limited in what is shown.

Heavy Bid - Expensive but worth it

Opmerkingen: HeavyBid works well for us and we have no plans of changing. We like the concurrent licensing vs a per user model. It isnt cheap, but it is at least manageable.

Pluspunten:

HeavyBid software makes quoting large construction jobs manageable. with the import function we are able to get accurate costs and estimates for projects that we bid.

Minpunten:

System works good even though it looks like it was developed 10 years ago and hasn't gotten a facelift...but it works.

Works Good but Could Use Some Improvements

Opmerkingen: our bids seem to be tighter and its a good tool to be able to track price escalations throughout the years.

Pluspunten:

Setting up a bid is intuitive and I like that the different components 'talk' to each other. Copying estimates and deleting information are also easy.

Minpunten:

some of the character limitations are ridiculous and entering bid prices for comparison is not as intuitive as it could be.

Used daily, Powerful tool

Opmerkingen: This is an absolute gift of a service provided by HCSS. Overall, I've yet to see a product that equates to HeavyBid.

Pluspunten:

The ability to organize your bid into as much detail as your can support. The software allows you to update a cost / historic cost database to be used in future bids.

Minpunten:

Much like my complaints about HeavyJob, the software itself has a pretty poor user interface. If you spend enough time knowing where to look you'll understand the software but I do with it was easier to navigate and customizable.

HeavyBid

Pluspunten:

Features and specifications and functionalities too are the best part

Minpunten:

Customer service or support should get improved

Bidding with Confidence on Leaner Timees

Pluspunten:

I like that you have a great control over all the costs involved with entering all aspects of your bid, and consolidate source quotations plus revise quickly critical mark-up, schedulling and productivity scenarios to bid confidently based on your entries.

Minpunten:

It's a bit of a steep learn curve at the very beginning, it's very dependent on a good network connection in order to process quickly, sometimes can be affected by overall bandwidth available from corporate server during peak times, I can only see a passive filtered generated list of multiple bids to review their current status, closing dates, missing steps or things that would assist to coordinate a prioritiezed sequence to close these bids.

Great product

Pluspunten:

Great features. HCSS offers wonderful classes at the UGM each year to make using products easier. Great for use on projects of any size.

Minpunten:

Start up can be slow. It takes some time to use the product to its potential and integrate all the software together.

HCSS is the bomb.com

Pluspunten:

Allows you to customize your bids to your liking. Bids can be streamlined for customers and/or you can copy what the owner has set up.

Minpunten:

THE SELECT BID ITEMS FEATURE NEVER WORKS. EVERY TIME I TRY TO ADD BID ITEMS THROUGH THE SELECT BID ITEMS IT DOESN'T WORK!

Heavy Bid is great

Pluspunten:

Very functional. Can modify bids very easily and create and remove bid files very quickly. Customer service is great.

Minpunten:

The quote form (I believe Crystal reports) loads and closes very slowly. Calculation routines are complicated

HeavyJob & HeavyBid Review

Pluspunten:

I enjoy the ease of use with this product. Although, there is a bit of a learning curve once you get the hang of the software everything comes naturally. I can hop between each program seamlessly to pull reports, gather information, review time, and finish estimating tasks. We use both HeavyJob and HeavyBid for our work and wouldn't consider anything else. Customer service is also top notch and we never have to wait on hold if we have a phone question.

Minpunten:

No complaints about the software or vendor. There are some minor technical things I would like to see addressed in the future but they are mostly minor.

Excellent software for estimators and construction managers

Pluspunten:

Insanely powerful program. The cost database from previous jobs make estimating far easier when old numbers are at your fingertips. Great customer service.

Minpunten:

Takes a while to understand program and use features effectively. Once the ins and outs are learned, the program becomes intuitive.

HeavyBid Rocks

Pluspunten:

HCSS prides itself on innovation and customer service. They are constantly updating their products to keep up with modern technology and the changing construction environment. HeavyBid makes the estimating process streamlined and much more effecient. It helps us bid a lot more work.

Minpunten:

There is not much to dislike about HeavyBid. The only negative that I can think of is that the software (although user friendly) can be very complicated. But that is where their helpful customer service comes to the rescue to help you out.

Easy to use program with lots of customizability

Pluspunten:

I like how easy it is to use. With master estimates, it is easy to customize the software to industry needs.

Minpunten:

The reports are a bit complicated for first time users. Not all of them are used either but it just takes practice to know what is needed.

Great Estimating Software for Heavy Civil Bidding

Pluspunten:

The software is easy to use once you get familiar with the system. The integration with Vista by Viewpoint is extremely helpful, as that is the Construction Software we use. Great reports to get data that you need. Reports help with the buyout process as well. Considering implementing HCSS Heavy Job at our company for tracking in the field. I love that you can get production requirements from direct cost report to the guys in the field.

Minpunten:

Takes a little time to get familiar, but then very easy to use. It seems a little overwhelming at first.

Learning experience but can't imagine estimating without it

Pluspunten:

Customer support is 2nd to none. Phone calls answered in quickly and responses have always been correct. Techs are knowlegable and personable and will explain what was wrong and what had to be done to correct the problem(s) which are typically a user problem not a software problem.

Minpunten:

That I don't know how to use everything that it offers nor would I need to. What I least like about HCSS is that it's not closer to home (Maryland).

Have used the product for estimating for the last 10+ years.

Pluspunten:

The software is easy to use and the support is very knowledgable. HCSS listens to it's customers and implements changes they are requesting in updates to their product.

Minpunten:

There is not too much I dislike about the product. At points it would be nice to have a better laid out users manual for the program we utilize to help some of the newer estimators understand the product more ithout having to attend training.

Heavybid review by grading contractor

Pluspunten:

heavybid is the easiest and most user friendly estimating software that i have ever used. Heavybid can be used by any employee with very little training.

Minpunten:

cant speak of any problems or concerns we have had with the project. we have used it for numerous years and if we have had any problem it has been handled quickly and professionally. no problems to speak of and cant think of any problems in the near future

Easy to use

Pluspunten:

The software is a great time savers. Being able to integrat Heavy Bid, Heavy job and the Saftey system is nice. Great customer service and timely help with any issues. I also like the estimate check features to check for errors and missing costs. Being able to copy from previous estimates is also a great time saver.

Minpunten:

New copy function does not pull in resource plugs from master list

Heavy job is a great product

Pluspunten:

The best part about Heavy Job and HCSS is the customer service. They are very quick to solve any issue. They also listen to there customers to help improve the product.

Minpunten:

I dont know that there is anything that i dont really like about HCSS. I know that they cant make a product that is great for everyone. I guess they do not keep up on the android mobile app as much as the IOS.

Heavy Job Exprience

Pluspunten:

the product is very user friendly, offers multiple options to make almost all aspects of your easier. the tech support is second to none and answers questions quickly and accurately.

Minpunten:

i have very few complaints, but if i have to come up wit a downfall it is HCSS's willingness to listen and try to implement too many requests. these requests sometimes burden the system.