How to Nail Your Proposals for Scaffold Projects

The commoditization of construction projects has put scaffolding businesses at stake. Like it or not, you are now in the battle to not only win bids but also to protect profit margins against low bidders.

But low bidding isn’t a sustainable financial model. With lower bids, you either risk project delays (or even failure) or operate at a loss.

Wondering how leading scaffolding companies consistently win new businesses, even with a bigger price tag?

They build their scaffolding proposals around a value-first approach.

Value contractors focus on developing a well-thought-out scaffolding blueprint that clearly communicates the unique expertise built into each design. And they leverage technologies to deliver on their commitments and increase confidence in customers.

Now is your chance to win the battle.

Continue reading to learn how to nail your project proposal with virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) solutions.

The Economics of Scaffolding: Shifting from Cost to Value

In traditional construction management, customers are used to thinking of design and build as discrete, sequential phases. That is, they often consider the price of the design, without taking into account the cost of execution. Hence, when it comes to scaffolding proposals, lower prices are often associated with higher value.

In reality, construction work often requires modification to ensure quality and safety, which is usually priced as change orders in the final quotation. That’s why scaffolding bid estimates are often inaccurate and incomplete, resulting in (unpleasant) surprises for customers, costly project delays and, in the worst case, construction safety hazards.

But customers don’t always appreciate this reality. They prioritize lower bids, without fully understanding the creativity and expertise in your design and how a well-thought-out proposal can ultimately save cost in the build phase.

But don’t fall into the lowest-bid-wins trap. Compromising quality for low production costs will only damage your reputation as a contractor.

Customers will soon realize the costs of low bidding:

• Hidden fees from change orders, insufficient material costs, or incomplete bid
• Delays in construction work due to poorly defined scope and schedule
• Costly mistakes resulting in field design or modification of scaffolds to ensure safety

The most successful scaffolding companies excel at communicating the value of their designs.

They start by clearly assessing customer requirements and project scope, and then prepare a tailored scaffolding design with accurate estimates. A winning proposal should also allow for alteration or modification of scaffolding as the project progresses without causing delays or profit loss to either customer or contractor.

Today’s state-of-the-art scaffold modeling and visualization technologies can help you master your proposals, identify scope risks before you hit the job site, and impress customers with your expertise.

Next, we will show you exactly how to cement your pitch with augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR).

Nail Your Project Proposal with AR and VR for Scaffolding

Seeing is believing. The power of AR and VR technologies allows you to bring your scaffold design to life.

Instead of pitching unrealistic deliverables to simply match the market price, you can now walk your customer through an actual scaffold model, whether in a conference room or at the job site, to show them what they will actually pay for.

Below are key elements of a winning scaffolding proposal.

Visualization capabilities

A killer proposal starts with a robust design.

Customers aren’t scaffolding experts. It’s not easy for them to validate your design and its value. This is where two-dimensional sketches fall short.

Let’s focus on enhanced visualization capabilities for your scaffold plan.

Leverage modern tools like Scaffold Designer® to design scaffolding models in 3D. Compatible with AutoCAD or BIM packages such as Navisworks, Revit or Tekla Structures, the software offers an intuitive interface to help you design complex structures at speed. Then, display your design in Scaffold Viewer®, which will turn your sketch into an interactive 3D scaffolding.

Enabled by AR/VR technology, you can even take your design to the job site and scale it to fit the building façade.

As far as safety is concerned, your customers may not even be aware of potential risks with their existing structures. Having visibility into scaffold erection in real life allows them to assess the safety requirements or identify obstructions.

With added visualization capabilities, any modification to the model can be made directly on the scaffolding design. And the new prototype is readily available to all members on-site, reducing downtime and potential hazards as the work progresses.

Accurate quotations at speed

With the design at hand, you can easily calculate project quotations that suit your customer’s budget.

Scaffold Designer automatically generates a Bill of Materials (BOM) and a set of scaffold metrics for any design, so you can export to Avontus Quantify® to create a detailed materials cost estimate.

Get ahead of your competitors with automatic estimates, from scaffold drawing, equipment counting, to bill of materials. Cut your design and planning process by up to 90 percent with higher accuracy. No guesswork and hidden costs, you can further configure the material catalog to reflect the project requirements as and when required.

“[Avontus Quantify] generates a great looking proposal sheet, giving customers a great preview of what they’ll be working on. This has helped our company get a few jobs that we would not have normally gotten.” – Blake Burgess, Scaffolding and Insulation Estimator B&B SCAFFOLDING/BURGESS & BERRY INSULATION

Brand differentiation

Utilizing real-time 3D modeling can help speed up your drawing as well as quotations, especially when dealing with field-design and installation processes. With this, you are already a step ahead of the competitors.

By investing in digital technologies, you can capture site requirements, generate necessary equipment, and render 3D scaffolding models to fit the job site so your customers can “see” what is in place virtually.

Your scaffolding proposal doesn’t have to be presented on paper. Drive more sales with augmented reality. With complete transparency and precision, your customers will gain confidence even before the project kick-off.

A carefully planned proposal also enables you to ensure that all necessary safety precautions are in place. Having the design available and synced on mobile devices, your crew can stay aligned on any updates from bid to completion. By establishing your reputation through high-value and consistent successful project delivery, you also shut out contractors who bank on low bids.

Scaffold Viewer makes bid presentations, planning reviews and client-handovers easier and more efficient. It’s a powerful sales tool that enables your business to rise above the rest.

Better Visualization – More Winning Bids!

Take advantage of modern technologies to bring your scaffolding proposals to the next level. From design to delivery, scaffolding visualization is the key to a successful bid.

Don’t let the low bidders put a damper on your win-rate or margins. Win customers and retain them with value-focused thinking.

Get in touch with us to learn more about scaffolding software and solutions for your business.