Doing 'What-if' Calculations

Software for Planning Estimates

For some items, the client may want to know the cost of different choices before making a decision. Luckily, the BidMagic construction estimating software program makes it easy to compare prices quickly.

To do 'what-if' calculations, follow these steps:

1. Enter as much information about the project as you have available (see the previous section).
2. Set up the project with one of the possible choices. EXAMPLE: To compare the cost of oak trim to the cost of pine, first calculate the cost of pine trim. Go to the Interior Trim card, and enter all the pine items you think the project should include.
3. Click the Calculator button to see the cost of the first alternative.
4. Enter the other choice you'd like to compare. EXAMPLE: To compare the cost of oak trim, change each line item from pine to oak.
5. Click the Calculator button again, or choose Calculate from the Bid menu. The new price, and the difference in price since the last calculation, will be displayed in the Price Box at top center. EXAMPLE: On this project, oak trim will cost about $15,735 more than pine.
6. If the second choice is preferred by the client, leave things as they are. If the first choice is preferred, change things back to what was entered in step 2.