Estimating Walls and Areas

BidMagic estimating software includes an 'exploded room' diagram on each room card, which shows the size of each surface in the room.

It includes the following items:

• Wall lengths (in lineal feet) for four room sides.
• Length of partition walls (in lineal feet). A partition wall is any wall completely contained within the room.
• Floor area (in square feet).
• Ceiling area (in square feet).

Handling a Rectangular Room

For a simple rectangular room that is getting the same kind of construction treatment on all walls, follow these steps:

1. Choose Lock Card from the Bid menu.
2. Enter the length of the most northerly wall into the North Wall field. NOTE: The South Wall will automatically be set to the same length.
3. Enter the width of the most westerly wall into the West Wall field. NOTE: The East Wall will automatically be set to the same length, and the Floor and Ceiling areas will be computed for you.
4. Enter the length of partition walls, and the ceiling height.

Handling an L-shaped Room

For an L-shaped room in the BidMagic construction estimating software, follow these steps:

1. Choose Lock Card from the Bid menu.
2. Enter the longest distance of the most northerly wall into the North Wall field.
3. Enter into the West Wall the longest distance perpendicular to the previous measurement.
4. All wall lengths will be correct as calculated, if you don't mind having two of the walls divided into two non-touching segments (Example 1). If the 'dogleg' wall is different from the other walls, then adjust the length of two of the walls (Example 2). EXAMPLE: To treat as one unit the entire 'dogleg' wall shown above, you'd unlock the East wall and enter 15 feet, and also unlock the North wall and enter 7 feet.
5. Unlock the floor and ceiling areas, and subtract the area of the 'missing' rectangle from their values.
   EXAMPLE: In the rooms shown above, the floor and ceiling areas would be 120 square feet minus 25 square feet, for a total of 95 square feet.
6. Enter the length of any interior partition walls, and the ceiling height.