Bolster

Pros: Could have been a great addition to our process but the team at Bolster never followed through to complete the setup

Cons: They took my annual fee and never completed the setup. After the rep I was dealing with left they abandoned the project and refused to provide a refund

Overall: It started off great; however, it was a tedious process to get the templates set up which Bolster never completed. It was totally unusable for me.

Pros: Fast turnaround times on quotes. We can send someone to do measurements and then get the proposal to customer on same day.

Cons: Still waiting for a few features like credit cards

Overall: Good software for bidding and quoting. We have increased our job size and won more jobs and also are able to quote much faster

Pros: Because of the professional Bolster proposals, I landed more jobs. The AutoCost library, loaded with items from my local hardware stores, kept my estimating templates accurate. The support team went above and beyond to configure my account with top-notch construction items and assemblies.

Cons: Even though our competitors have started using it, we can see that Bolster is delivering real value. This friendly rivalry encourages us to explore even more ways to get the most out of the software.

Overall: Bolster offers good features for contractors in the construction industry, making it a huge time saver. Despite initial doubts about the price, it provides excellent value for money. The support team is helpful and responsive, ensuring smooth operations. It's easy to get started, and users quickly rely on it for efficient management.

Pros: It’s efficient, accurate, and straightforward to use. Also, I was able to boost business opportunities. Last but not least, the way my estimates are presented now gives my business a polished look. My clients often remark on how organized and transparent my quotes are.

Cons: There's a brief learning curve when first transitioning to CostCertified, but once you get the hang of it, the benefits far outweigh those initial hours of familiarization.

Overall: Ever since I transitioned my estimating process from the paper method and endless Excel sheets to CostCertified, my workday has improved. I can probably state that the difference is night and day.

Being in the contracting business for years, I know the pain of spending hours on end just to create a single estimate. Now those hours have been reduced to minutes.
An unexpected advantage has been my ability to upsell to my customers with greater confidence. The platform’s layout and presentation have made it easier to showcase the value of additional services or options. My customers appreciate the transparency, and I value the increased opportunities it provides.

Pros: Bridge the gap between what clients want and reality. With this software, you can actually educate them effortlessly.

Cons: CostCertified, while very powerful, might require a little extra time for onboarding and mastering its features. Consider it an investment for optimal usage, as once familiar, its capabilities can significantly boost efficiency and accuracy in your construction estimating and project management.

Overall: I am using the software every day and I find it very helpful. I can build estimates very quickly compared to what I was used to with spreadsheets.

Pros: Can’t say enough about the value of CostCertified software. I can prepare painting quotes in minutes. The advantage this offers is that product items or full house assemblies can be accessed with a click of your mouse. Pricing can also be saved per item as all the information can be preloaded. As you add new items, it will be saved to your own company database. Which is also accessible with your phone or iPad as it’s cloud based. The system also has CRM builtin so that you can see when your customers have last viewed their quote so that you can follow up. CostCertified offers full onboarding support to help you set up your company files if required. You can also personalize pictures for your customers so that they can better relate to your quotes.

Cons: None at this point. I have used the product for 5 years now and the company has made many improvements over that time.

Overall: Excellent! CostCertified has many advantages over similar products from what I can tell. It allows for flexibility and company growth.

Pros: Didn't really use the software because I couldn't get a hold of the guy that was supposed to be teaching about software.

Cons: It's too complicated to navigate plus their estimate program still you need to right the estimate and all.

Overall: I sign up for software after a really nice demonstration but when it got to real thing it didn't had nothing to do with demonstration so theres no refund on your money lost $1700.

Just be careful.