App for tracking time/estimating projects

[TSoare]

fellow roofing contractor here.

I’ve built some software for my own use for keeping track of jobs and estimating. Would love some input from the roofing community whether it could be proprietary.

Here’s the link in Google play its called Roof Nation: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.tradesnation.roofnation

Basically takes your saved database and uses it to estimate the time for future projects based on your crew. I use it for metal roofing but I set it up to be usable for shinglers and flat roofers as well

Give it to me straight, would you use this? If its garbage I want to know so I dont throw good money after bad

[TSoare]

[Authentic_Dad]

If you pay your crew by the hour, I can see the value for accurate estimating. If you pay by the square, as many if not most do, I’m not sure what it buys you. Likely valuable for folks with in-house crew.

[TSoare]

We pay hourly so I can’t speak to that, but I think a contractor paying peicework would find it useful as well. I find the most usable number is the estimated man hours. The amount of time a job will take is always terrible to figure out (for metal roofing at least).

[Ivoman]

How timely this is and yes I have a few observations. I’m a huge fan of tracking and do so extensively on my desktop in Excel because I can manipulate the heck out of my data on my two large monitors. The thorn I have with most device based apps is that “my” established and “your” assumed workflow will align. I also find a hand held device is the worst place to accomplish anything enduring because handhelds are purposely designed to be distracting. Reporting often requires a complimenting desktop interface which then too risks being assumptive. On the other hand, populating assumptions into an app for realtime comparative field analysis is ideal for cost control snapshots and crew management. Was thinking about something like this for our organization but recognize it too would be specific to our unique and embedded workflow.

What you’ve created is pretty cool and certainly is not garbage. I’d say it will cater well to those who approach a project in the same manner you do.

[TSoare]

Killer insights Ivoman. Thank you. Hey if your considering an app like this, give mine a try. Its free and I did make it customizable