True automated take-off for electrical estimators
4.7/5 (71 reviews)Countfire is a true automated take-off solution for electrical estimators that allows users to automatically count symbols across multiple PDF drawings. The automatic matching algorithm works across all drawings and quantities, and is automatically broken down into areas. Features include linear and area measurements, automatic Excel spreadsheet creation, and accuracy reports.
Users can drag and drop PDF drawings directly onto the file upload drop zone to create a project. Projects can be broken down into disciplines in order to group all drawings together that have similar symbols, for example, all lighting drawings to the “Lighting” discipline, and all power drawings to a “Power” discipline. Users can rotate drawings and add drawing titles to have them carried over to the Excel spreadsheet. The search engine helps find symbol descriptions, and the editing tool allows single click removal of unnecessary elements.
Once a symbol is selected on the screen, the software’s counting algorithm will then automatically find all similar symbols on the current drawing, as well as count all similar looking symbols across all other drawings that have been uploaded into the same discipline. In addition to automatic counting, Countfire also provides a set of tools for manually counting symbols. Using demarcations Countfire allows users to break down quantities, usually according to a pricing schedule, which are included in their own column within the final Excel spreadsheet.
Countfire also allows users to calculate coverage areas to visually check for certain device types such as PIRs, Smoke Detectors, etc., to verify whether a system meets certain operational or regulatory requirements.
Pros
Easy and simple to use for a process that is inherently complex and difficult.
Cons
Countfire used to be heavily geared towards counting references and not linear measurements. There have been HUGE steps by the guys at Countfire to improve the linear side of things with many new additions to the software for this purpose. Some drawings on a large scale (1:200+) are hard to measure small lengths under 300mm, but this is a very minor issue that the support staff will help with on a project by project basis.
Pros
Countfire makes doing takeoffs extremely easy and the amount of time it saves leaves more time to do other things that need doing.
Cons
not enough colours in the palette, When you measure & ask for itemised it measures every click not just start to finish giving far to many reults
Thanks Terry! I wanted to let you know we released an update recently to include more colours.
With measurements and how they're saved into the Excel spreadsheet, you have a choice between not itemised (just the overall total) and itemised (each individual measurement).
Itemising does definitely result in a larger spreadsheet because there's just a lot more information to represent within Excel, however, I also wanted to point you towards a workaround we have which allows you to round & summarise those measurements towards specific lengths (EG: set busbar lengths etc. There's more here:
http://help.countfire.com/workarounds/summarising-measurement-items
Very helpful in times of need when a project needs a quick turnaround! The customer service team are also very responsive and there when you need them! Would highly recommend for estimating larger projects if you want to cut down on estimating time.
Pros
Speed, adaptability to pricing schedules/demarcations and the fact Countfire themselves are open to taking on ideas for user interface improvements to make take off easier
Cons
When drawings take ages to load up
Pros
The ability to drag, drop and created elements save days of manual counting on paper.
the software can be used anywhere you have internet connection
Cons
an internet connection is required and a large amount of storage for dropbox also
Thanks Ciaran! Countfire now automatically frees up space within Dropbox meaning you no longer need to purchase a paid Dropbox account.
With regard to needing an internet connection, there are a number of positives to consider too. We're able to provide near instant in-app support right when you need it (our current response time is less than 1 minute). Countfire is definitely not the kind of software you buy and then never hear from us again, and having an internet connection is an important part of us being able to provide that level of support to our customers. Additionally, new updates and features get rolled out immediately and we don't hold these back for a new version of the software, as can happen with traditional / older methods of software distribution. You always have the latest and best version.
Reduction in time in the estimation process (magnitudes).
Pros
- clear cut user interface with everything hotkeyed, and the hotkeys labeled in plain sight
- PHENOMENAL customer service and support (I requested and had a feature built and deployed overnight, etc., etc., etc.)
- Documentation from another planet (over 25,000 words of concise walk through material
- Redundancy (the way projects are delivered after being processed eliminates worry and most potential for error)
- Data manipulation (the data spit-out from a project comes post-pivot table, saving us a step in formatting to get our numbers straight)
the list goes on and on - simply amazing!!
Will and the boys are a phenomenal team, awake at preposterous hours of the morning solving issues that could wait, etc. just amazing!
Contact Rapid Tender for detailed pricing information.
Countfire allows users to automatically count symbols across multiple PDF drawings within a project to help cut the time taken for take-offs.
Users check the paper size and scale of their drawings to set the scale, and then draw over the top of the lengths to measure.
Countfire includes four separate stages of checking built into the process of completing a project to help ensure accuracy.
Users can split quantities however they like - even after they've been counted - by creating demarcations.
At the end of each project, Countfire automatically generates an Excel spreadsheet which contains all symbols, lengths and areas quantified on a project.
Below are some frequently asked questions for Countfire.
Countfire offers the following pricing plans:
Pricing model: Subscription
Free Trial: Available
Contact Rapid Tender for detailed pricing information.
Countfire offers the following features:
Countfire has the following typical customers:
Freelancers, Large Enterprises, Mid Size Business, Small Business
Countfire supports the following languages:
English
Countfire has the following pricing plans:
Subscription
We do not have any information about what devices Countfire supports
Countfire integrates with the following applications:
Microsoft Excel
Countfire offers the following support options:
FAQs, Knowledge Base, Online Support, Phone Support, Video Tutorials
From a user perspective, Countfire is a lifesaver. You upload your drawings simply and easily and within minutes you can have a scaled, marked up set of drawings with all measurements documented in an excel spreadsheet. I take this output and use it to accurately build quotes and check quantities on all projects from single residential to large scale hotels and commercial. For us it means that we can have accurate information to supply alongside our quotes to give us peace of mind that our measurements are completely transparent to clients without sending physical copies of marked up drawings. The guys at Countfire are beyond helpful and have put a huge amount of work into making the software work for us, they are always easily contactable and jump right in to help whenever there may be a problem.
It's dramatically reduced the time we spend on quoting, and in turn improved our workflow and relationship with clients. I couldn't recommend it more.