Seeking assistance

In Professional Roofing's April 2003 issue, I wrote about estimating software programs to address the many inquiries NRCA had received from roofing contractors asking about available software programs (see "Software solutions," page 20). Five years have passed, and these inquiries continue to come in; however, contractors now are requesting information about software and Web-based applications that can help them with their daily operations in addition to estimating. The following is based on updated research of the wide variety of applications now available.

Most of the following information is from various trade publications and companies' Web sites.

Estimating

NRCA continues to receive many inquiries about estimating software, and available programs vary greatly. My intent for this article was to research estimating programs geared specifically toward roofing. The information about providers in this article is not all-inclusive, and inclusion or exclusion of any company does not imply NRCA's endorsement or nonacceptance.

AppliCad, Melbourne, Australia, offers roof estimating software for all roof system types. AppliCad also offers a Web-based estimating application called RoofScape Online that enables users to model roof systems on their computers; submit designs to AppliCad's Web site; and generate quotes, roof plans and supplier orders.

Automated Systems Research, Coquitlam, British Columbia, and Specwise Inc., West Palm Beach, Fla., offer three versions of their TopView™ Roofing Software, estimating software designed specifically for roof systems. TopView ME is available for metal roof systems; TopView LE is available for shingle and tile roof systems; and TopView SE is available for low-slope roof systems. This software can be used to create roof plans, cut lists, cost reports and quote sheets.

ConTracker EZ, offered by Contractor Software Solutions, Tolland, Conn., is another estimating software program for roofing contractors. (The program also is geared toward siding and specialty contractors.) This program is designed for small- to medium-sized projects and can be used to produce purchase orders, work orders and customer invoices, as well as generate reports on sales summaries, listings of estimates for a given time period, and jobs sold and completed.

RoofGenius, North Highlands, Calif., offers RoofCalculator 7.0, an estimating program that was created by a roofing contractor. Users can purchase RoofCal-culator 7.0 by itself or with Classy Writer 3.5, which can be used to create proposals, invoices, change orders and letters. Together, RoofCalculator 7.0 and Classy Writer 3.5 are called RoofCalcWriter 10.4. All RoofGenius' programs can be downloaded from its Web site.

To-Scale Software LLC, Oregonia, Ohio, offers an estimating program that contains manufacturer-specific information for quantity takeoffs. The software also contains the latest manufacturers' specifications and installation instructions.

If you prefer to work with spreadsheets, there are a few companies that provide estimating programs that work in conjunction with Microsoft Excel, such as Longwood, Fla.-based Estimagic Estimating Software and Jacksonville, Fla.-based CPR International Inc.'s RoofCOST Estimator for Excel.

CAD

Roofing material manufacturers and industry organizations such as NRCA often provide their details in computer-aided design (CAD) format, and roofing professionals who have a CAD program efficiently can produce construction documents, shop drawings and report figures for their customers.

When selecting a CAD program, an important issue to consider is compatibility. It is wise to select a program that opens and saves most drawing file formats, including .dwg and .dxf formats. The prominent player among CAD software companies is Autodesk® Inc., San Rafael, Calif. Autodesk produces AutoCAD® and AutoCAD LT® drafting programs that use a .dwg file format. A .dxf format was developed by Autodesk to enable data interoperability between AutoCAD and other CAD programs.

However, AutoCAD can be expensive, and there are other more affordable CAD programs that are compatible with the .dwg format. A few programs to consider are Cadvance, which is available from Furukawa Information Technology Inc., Anaheim, Calif.; DataCAD, which is available from DataCAD LLC, Avon, Conn.; and progeCAD IntelliCAD, which is available from IntelliCAD Technology Consortium, Portland, Ore.

Assessment and maintenance

Building owners want their roof systems to last a long time, and one of the best ways to optimize a roof system's service life is to follow a formal maintenance program. Many roofing contractors have established roof system maintenance service programs to address this need.

Having a roof system maintenance service program in place usually means keeping a database of information. And one way to maintain a database is by using roof system assessment software.

CADAFIS Inc., Columbus, Ohio, offers roofing software consisting of four modules that perform roof assessment, repair, inspection and life-cycle cost analysis.

Roof Express LLC, Centennial, Colo., offers software that uses global positioning system technology and a hand-held computer (such as a personal digital assistant) to create roof surveys in the field. The software generates reports detailing work completion, semiannual maintenance and condition assessment.

ROOFER™ roofing management system was developed by the U.S. Army Construction Engineering Research Laboratory at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The program can be used to assess a roof system's condition, select repair and replacement needs, and prioritize needs for built-up and single-ply roof systems.

True North Estimating Systems Ltd., Toronto, offers RoofLogic software, which consists of several roofing-related modules. One of the modules is Asset Manager, which organizes drawings, photos, work orders and warranties. This module can be used with RoofCAD, a CAD program designed specifically for roofing professionals.

Management

Managing a contracting business is not easy, and many roofing contractors don't want to spend an inordinate amount of time dealing with office and project administration. Keeping track of documents, project schedules and accounting takes time away from income-producing work. There are some management programs available that can help you manage your company.

Dataforma Inc., York, Pa., offers a Web-based service for construction management specifically targeted at roofing contractors. Contractors can manage their contacts, service work, projects, correspondence, digital images and warranties, and, because the system is Web-based, the information is stored online and accessible from any computer.

Procore Technologies, Santa Barbara, Calif., offers Procore Construction Software, an online project management system that color codes project information. Each item or task is highlighted in red, yellow or green to indicate due dates.

In addition, each project's homepage also has a "dashboard over­view" that features project status, new items, the day's schedule and weather at the site.

Smart Contractor® Construction Project Management System, offered by Smart Construction Software LLC, Ashland, Ore., has six modules, including estimating, scheduling, contracts and documents, purchasing, accounting and Quickbooks integration. The software also enables users to keep track of photos, drawings, faxes and e-mails.

Energy

With energy costs increasing, building owners are looking for ways to save money. Additionally, more municipalities are adopting energy codes, and roof system designers need to demonstrate compliance. If you are interested in providing your customers with this type of information, consider using an energy-related software program.

For instance, NRCA offers EnergyWise Roof Calculator Online, a Web-based application that allows roofing professionals to construct virtual roof assemblies to evaluate thermal efficiency and estimate energy costs via comparison of other roof assemblies.

And the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) offers several Web-based applications related to energy. DOE's Cool Roof Calculator, for example, estimates cooling and heating savings for low-slope roof systems with nonblack surfaces. The calculator was developed by Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tenn. DOE's other Web-based applications, COMcheck&trdae;-Web and REScheck™-Web, which also are available as downloadable software programs, can help simplify and clarify commercial and residential energy code compliance, respectively.

Miscellaneous

There are some other available programs you may find beneficial.

AccuWeather.com,® State College, Pa., offers various services from radar maps to sending e-mail alerts to workers when adverse weather is impending.

Pictometry Online,™ Rochester, N.Y., is an aerial photography company that allows users to access high-resolution images of buildings. The images are up-to-date and taken at an angle to provide an oblique view. Contractors can use these images to measure roof systems and incorporate the images into CAD drawings.

Additionally, in 2007, NRCA developed www.roofwinddesigner.com, which provides users an easy-to-use means for determining roof systems' design wind loads for many commonly encountered building types that are subject to building code compliance.

Changing tide

The chart on pages 38 to 45 offers a directory of the companies I have mentioned, the programs they offer and an overview of the programs' features. I encourage you to review these programs, access the Web sites and contact the companies for more information.

Click on the image above to view the table in its entirety.

The roofing industry often is viewed as archaic, but the tide is changing. A growing number of roofing contractors are seeking technology to help them be more efficient and productive so they can concentrate on what they do best—roofing.

Joan P. Crowe, AIA, is an NRCA director of technical services.