Best Bid Electrical Estimating Reviews

A spot on best Estimating Electrical Software

Pros:

You will receive a bid breakdown with the materials and labor. This will include a bid summary so you can review and add your overhead and profits.

Cons:

Perform the electrical takeoff directly on the provided PDF drawings.

Great Product for a Great Price

Comments: Overall experience has been amazing from the quick and reliable customer service to the program it’s self. You receive regular updates and the best part is it is a one time fee.

Pros:

The ease of use of this product is what keeps me using it. I can manage takeoffs to estimates to change orders all in this easy to use product

Cons:

There where times that I didn’t know how to do a few things which made it frustrating to use.

Great tool to have on hand when estimating for electrical jobs

Pros:

What I liked most about this product is how a good tool it is to have on hand when one is rushed into making a estimate on a job.

Cons:

Aside from it being a great tool to have on hand when rushed to estimate a job, sometimes it's not as accurate as one hopes. I prefer estimating ourselves instead of using the program but when in need, it's a life saver!

Best Bid is TOP notch!!

Comments: Best Bid’s customer service and support has been top notch. [sensitive content hidden] has always been very patient and helpful. He makes himself available when we need help and has already helped us to put out some bids on projects that we have won.

Pros:

After checking out some other software options, we found that Best Bid was very user friendly. Most of the other options have yearly or monthly renewal fees. With Best Bid, we own the software which makes it a lot more cost effective.

Cons:

So far we have not found anything not to like about Best Bid. They have delivered in what they have promised.

MGA Electric REview

Comments: For the past 5 years I have been using Best bid electrical Estimating I find myself in better position, it saved me money , time and I acquire more knowledges in the estimating system overall.

Pros:

The software is very simple , easy to learn and help support is always prompt on the phone.

Cons:

At the beginning I had hard time to navigate into it, but after a one in one with help support I got over it.

2 Thumbs Up! I'd give more, but only have the 2

Comments: Since I purchased Best Bid Hybrid Pro, I have noticed my estimating time has decreased. Instead of constantly being consumed with the process, I actually have some free time. I've noticed my bids are very competitive, and thorough.

Pros:

It is really difficult to zero in on 1 or 2 features that I like about Best Bid hybrid. It is full of features that are completely needed in the estimating process. So that would be my most loved feature, all the complete processes that flow together to make the estimating a lot easier and reassuring my confidence in a proper estimate that I feel good about.

Cons:

As with all software and apps, there are learning curves. My learning curve was I input info/data incorrectly. But that was only for a bit. My other learning curve was nor realizing that there was software out there that did all I was trying to make work for me, in one package - Hybrid Pro

Best of Class

Comments: We have been using Best Bid Estimating software for about three years. I use it the most and I can honestly say, it is extremely easy to use and allows for you to compile takeoffs into an estimate in rather short time. Which means, its construction is very intuitive.
It has lots of versatility and is custom configurable which gives it efficiency. It is always important to be able to produce reports, and have the ability to breakout a bid into phases or stages, Best Bid does this very well.
Whatever you need to do to personalize a bid can be done.
I suspect most estimating software packages have similar abilities, but they don’t come the with the support you will get from Best Bid. The technical support team is Top-Shelf. You will never wait days for an answer to your question. You will never have to wonder if they got your email and are going to respond to your need. The support is absolutely the best; second to none.
The price is very affordable. The features are comparable to any estimating software package. I’ll say it again, it’s easy to use.
I would recommend the Best Bid Electrical Estimating Software package to anyone and everyone needing to find an application that they will be able to use soon after the installation.

Pros:

Easy to use - Compiles a bid in rather short time - Very intuitive - It has lots of versatility - Custom configurable - Report Generating - Breakout a bid into phases or stages - The technical support team is Top-Shelf - The price is very affordable

Cons:

I'd Like to know more about adding parts to the database. I would like to know the difference between parts that are listed with the same description more than once. I'd also like to know more about editing the proposal files.

A Great Resource and Asset to Our Firm

Comments: The overall product is great!! I had been using BB alongside another program since 2015. I now use BB exclusively for all of our projects.

Pros:

What first caught my attention about BB was the User interface. It is very simple and neatly organized in a manner that makes it easy for any electrical contractor to navigate and confidently complete a competitive bid. I also like having the added takeoff program included with the estimating program. It's ability to automatically transfer takeoff information into the estimate portion of BB, in my opinion, is second to none. Having the two programs work congruently removes a lot of the headache and potential for error that can commonly occur when doing takeoffs by hand or in a standalone program. The program has a myriad of features including reports that translate well into the field. We are able to use many of these reports to track and compare the progress of each job to how we bid it. Having this ability is priceless, because it allows us to sharpen our pencils and correct errors (if any) on the next bid. I am also impressed with knowing that I own this program and I don't have to pay annual fees/subscriptions. Lastly, customer service has been awesome!!! I encountered issues when installing the program. Customer service was prompt and knowledgable. I was up and running in no time.

Cons:

Ran into issues with installation when upgrading from an older version. As a result of the issue I lost old data. The issue was more than likely with my computer, but having an option to backup and restore the database, may have saved me the hassle.

"Best Bid" is better then the rest

Comments: Since we started using Best Bid, we have seen a 32% increase in awarded projects which greatly increases our profit margin.

Pros:

This software is incredibly easy to use. The "Custom Assemblies" are a game changer. Other programs require you build your own assemblies. Best Bid is packed with assemblies that are easily customizable to fit individual needs. If you choose to build a custom assembly, simply save it to the master file and you will have access to it in the future.

Cons:

I can honestly say I do not have issues this software. I do have 25 years of experience in the electrical industry and started with long-hand estimates. I have used other programs and find this to be the most user friendly

Best software used by our company for electrical estimating

Comments: In a few words, my experience with software is simply amazing!

Pros:

Flexibility, expanding and customized menus. few click estimating process, predefined assemblies for frequent use. Integrated proposal that populate with estimate data. Takeoff integration is a breeze, takeoff counts transferable to estimate assemblies very quickly. It is clear that this software was designed with ease and productivity in mind. Tech support is one of the best I have received, promptness response, very descriptive solutions with related video tutorials makes the tech solution great.

Cons:

I have not found any part in the software I dislike. Since day one we used this software, I have been able to be more productive and accurate with out bids.

Great Software

Comments: Overall its great I've use it since 2014 and its been one the best decisions I made for my business.

Pros:

What I like the most of this program its how easy is to use and the ability to use Net Pricer.

Cons:

What I like the least if any is the download on take off portion of it.

Comments: I am an electrical estimator for R&C, a small electrical contractor that does residential and commercial electrical work ranging from 1,000 sq. ft up to 80,000 sq. ft of lease spaces and ground up projects.

Before I used McCormick and On Screen Takeoff, or entered projects manually on paper from blueprints. As you may know, paper form is now obsolete and using the bigger programs such as McCormick, which is not very electrician-friendly, is the best way to do estimating. I personally believe that the best estimators are electricians whom work out in the field. Unfortunately, many of them are not computer savvy and Best Bid is actually friendly enough to use that these electricians can learn to estimate. The software programs must be easy to use to save time and to create the competitive edge for landing jobs for a company. Therefore, the more user-friendly and simple the software, the easier it makes estimating. Best Bid is user-friendly, efficient and productive and has cut the data entry of projects in half. The software bidding program, Best Bid, is very user-friendly for electricians that are electrical project estimators. It is very easy to create custom assemblies and has a large range of assemblies to choose from, which helps to save time when bidding projects. There are also built in proposals that help to make bidding a project more efficient and quicker, as well as the ability to create a change order. It also has a large range of material and supply costs readily available to make bidding easier and the net price feature helps to make the pricing more accurate. Best Bid’s customer service representatives are second-to-none and their response to assistance inquiries is quick and helpful. I personally own the following; Best Bid, First Choice, Digi-Count, and Panel Scheduling and am very satisfied with what the programs have to offer. I look forward to seeing what other programs that they have in store in the future. Best Bid has benefited me, as an electrical estimator in the following ways: submit more accurate bids, shortened the length of time spent on a project and freed my time to put in extra projects per week which I would not have had the time to do.

The Best estimating software my company has used

Comments: I would recommend this software to anybody wanting to use estimating software or any company upgrading or changing the way they do take off's and estimating.
By far this has been the best choice i made. I have been using their software for about 10 years now and have never regretted purchasing this software once.
The support team is amazing and if i ever run into something that doesn't quite work for me they are there to help me out always.

Pros:

Ease of use Great integration between take off and estimating packages Allows me to do take off's and estimate my way not have to change to the way the software wants it Support is amazing Has allowed more efficiency and production in the office I believe we have more awarded projects because of this software Allowed us to be more competitive and profitable and allowed us to keep better track of material and man hours

Great Class and Software!

Comments: My experience was great. First, I took the Best Bid class, which was awesome! Then proceeded to get the software which cut my process for estimating in half.

Pros:

What I liked most about the software was the ease to navigate due to the BEST BID class taken right before. The class gave me the step-by-step process for estimating. However, if I hadn't taken the class, the software is still pretty easy to navigate.

Cons:

The process can be a little lengthy at times.

Fast estimating software!

Comments: Steve, has been great. He is quick to address questions and always provides great customer service.

Pros:

Easy to use. Very Fast for take offs and estimating quickly!

Cons:

I wish there were more options to integrate with project management, invoicing and job tracking.

Great Estimating Software

Comments: I am able to turn in bids within almost a day if not two.

Pros:

It is simple to use and has a lot helpful videos to get you going where you need. It also allows you to download your pdf prints .

Cons:

It would be nice to be able to use it for invoicing.

Electrical Estimates

Comments: [SENSITIVE CONTENT HIDDEN] at Best Bid has been Excellent to work with. Always answers my question timely.

Pros:

Best Bid has increased my ability to produce accurate estimates quickly. I wear all of the Management hats in my company. In this past this has caused me to have to no-bid some larger protects. That is not the case now. In the past two weeks I have bid 6 projects and won 4. The other two are still pending.

Cons:

The data base takes a little time use to learn, but it is very complete and easy to edit. It even has PVC-Coated rigid conduit in it. You can start "Driving this software right out of the Box". No training sessions need. They are available if you are read the directions first type of person.

Simple To Use- The Complete Package

Comments: As an electrical educator, I have taught over 40,000 students in my time. When I talk estimating to folks I want to show them something simple and easy to understand. The complexity of a software means the difference in using it and putting it on the shelf to collect dust. I can promise you that will not the case with the Best Bid Hybrid Pro software because it is so easy to use and is so amazing affordable that it is a no-brainer for any electrical contractor.

Pros:

I have been an electrical industry expert for over 30 years and author many articles and books on electrical codes and estimating. I have used a wide variety of estimating software in my 30 years and the Best Bid Hybrid Pro is by far the easiest and quickest on the market. Regardless of the size of the project the Best Bid software makes it easy and painless.

Cons:

I am unable to think of any "cons" at this time. The price is so affordable that the only con may be for the company as they could probably charge twice what they do and it would still be a bargain.

Comments: At Chase Power Solutions we provide a full line of electrical services and installations from high end apartment complexes to commercial and industrial projects.
We also provide security, data, and telephone systems. We have been using another system for 3 years. We were convinced by the company that this was the best approach to estimating. After 3 years of paying for the original purchase price, extra seats, plus tech support fees and yearly up-dates we had a fire that destroyed our computers. To our surprise the company basically said we had to start all over from scratch. Yes we were upset! We just purchased the Best Bid Electrical Estimating Software a few months ago and we kept looking for the complicated screens and choices that were used to but they just were not there. After we removed what we were taught from the other company we are now able to complete an estimate in no time. It took about 2 phone calls to tech support, which is free, and we knew everything that we needed to know about the system. Best of all everyone at Best Bid has an electrical background so they know firsthand what you need. As the owner I love the 1 time cost with no extra fees that never stop. My estimators love the simplicity and flexibility. Overall from what we were used to this experience could not be better.

AMAZING ESTIMATING PROGRAM!!

Comments: My profits have increased and my estimating time has been cut in half or more. Some estimates would be impossible to bid without this software.

Pros:

The incredible help through tutorials and tech support.

Cons:

The resolution could be a little better on take offs. But still really great.

This is by far the best software I have used; It should have been the first.

Comments: If you are looking to take the leap and purchase estimating software, this is the least expensive, easiest to use, full featured program available at a great price point. Don't make the mistake of getting software that requires an ongoing financial investment to use. This program lives on your local hard drive, not in the clouds. Support is provided promptly by living people, not a menu of FAQ's. You will not regret making this decision!

Pros:

The support is excellent. When I have a question or problem, I shoot an email and have an answer. The software is very intuitive for the user. I can build an estimate any way I want. Big job or small, this is the best way I have found to produce an estimate. The best part is that when I purchased the program I got the whole program with all the features intact. There are no additional hidden charges, fees, services or memberships like others I have used.

Cons:

I have had a little trouble finding the items I'm looking for in the item description fields. Some folks call items by different names and it can make it tough to locate the item needed. There is a good chance that I just haven't stumbled on a better way to search.

Comments: My experience with Best Bid Electrical Estimating Software has been great. We were using another system but the price was getting out of hand so we looked for another estimating solution. We have been using this software for 1.5 years and are very happy with the product and the support. For example, the software locked me out and I needed to get an estimate out that day. After talking with support they had me up and running within the hour. Best Bid is very easy to use. We also use DigiCount Pro, another excellent product. We no longer use paper prints - we get them in PDF format and do our counts right on the computer and transfer to the estimating software. No more prints to hang on to! The paper and money we have saved has paid for the software. I have won many bids with this software and everything was covered. Best Bid Estimating Software to me is a great product. It was easy to learn and to use and has helped us be very competitive in this very tight market. We are an electrical company that does commercial, industrial and service work in the state of Florida.

Comments: We just started using Best Bid Electrical Estimating a few months ago and the experience has been great. We handle mostly commercial work but the ability to do both residential and commercial estimating in the same program has been wonderful. The item list of prices is enormous and we have yet to find an item that is not covered. We also use the Net Pricer integration which allows us to get very accurate pricing from our distributors without ever picking up the phone. I can't tell you how much time this saves. In the past I spent half a day just getting updated prices for items we use all the time. With the constant changes in copper cost we can't afford to use outdated pricing and the Net Pricer feature has saved a boat load of time. The solution was very easy to set up and we were up and running in no time at all. The ability to customize all of the price sheets and reports is great and I love the fact that you can rearrange the screens any way you want. We are very happy with our purchase.

Best Bid is the Best

Comments: Truly the best!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Pros:

How accurate and easy to use it is. I found that it’s just couple of clicks and your bid is finished.

Cons:

Nothing. I mean nothing. It perfect! Don’t spend your money on anything else. Trust me and go straight to Best Bid.

Comments: We are small (2-3 commercial crews and a few service guys), and a fairly new electrical company. Best Bid has given us the features we would have expected from much more expensive software, but with a much friendlier and more intuitive user interface. The learning curve was much quicker than I expected overall, and, coupled with excellent customer support/service, proved to be a valuable tool that quickly landed us several profitable jobs. We have recently subscribed to a bid locating service, and one man is easily able to quote several jobs per week with the tools Best Bid has put in our hands. The sales team was easy to work with, and gave us exactly what we were looking for without being pushy. I would definitely recommend Best Bid to any electrical company still estimating by hand.