New Legislation Introduced Intended to Save Money, Improve Energy Usage in Federal Buildings The legislation addresses a number of ways to achieve high-performance buildings: life-cycle cost analysis, integrated design processes, building information modeling (BIM) and building commissioning. The legislation provisions would: •Use life-cycle cost analysis to assure that overall spending on design, construction and operations...Continue Reading

Please visit 4clicks.com/training and vote for a 2012 training location closer to you. New sites under consideration include: Atlanta, GA Anaheim, CA Charleston, CA Dallas, TX Orlando, FL Kansas City, MO Sacramento, CA San Diego, CA Salt Lake, UT St. Louis, MO Seattle, WA Tampa, FLContinue Reading

Construction Cost Estimating with Spreadsheet VS. Cost Calculators (CostWorks) VS. Cost Estimating and Project Management Software (e4Clicks Project Estimators): Which is right for you? Download our new “Blue Paper” today.Continue Reading

One: BIM, in conjunction with Cloud Technology enables efficient building life-cycle management Two: BIM embeds robust life-cycle management PROCESSES within technology to enable rapid implementation, scalability, transparency, collaboration and assure consistency. Three: The ‘I’ within BIM, INFORMATION, in terms of standardized definitions, data architectures, taxonomies, metrics, etc. is a core component of BIM. Four: BIM...Continue Reading

1. Buildings account for almost 40 percent of primary energy use in the United States, 12 percent of total water use, and 60 percent of all non-industrial waste. Indoor environmental quality of buildings affects the health, safety, and productivity of the people who occupy them. 2. The U.S. federal government has the opportunity, and the...Continue Reading

Are you taking advantage of all the great features in e4Clicks? Or, have you had any personnel changes? We settled on two (2) day training classes, and here’s a quick peek at our tentative 2012 schedule: 2012 TENTATIVE TRAINING DATES Introductory Atlanta, GA 15-16 February Introductory San Antonio, TX 18-19 April Advanced Las Vegas, NV...Continue Reading

Visual estimating can improve productivity, accuracy, and collaboration. eTakeoff ™ stands head and shoulders above all software others and includes the following exclusive features: Extensions – Extended Measurement Calculations Extensions allow user input and calculations to be added to individual measurements. For example, a “Wall Area” extension would allow the user to enter the wall...Continue Reading

As usual it wasn’t the presentations or booths that provided great insight, but rather discussions with key industry thought leaders. All concurred that BIM is NOT what the products currently being offered by Autodesk, Graphisoft, Bentley Systems, et al.  But rather BIM is primarily the INFORMATION required to better manage facilities throughout their lifecycle.  Thus...Continue Reading

Visit us, Booth # 205, at the Federal Project Delivery Symposium, SAME/DBIA, next week August 9th-11th.    See how our e4Clicks Project Estimator industry leading software program can help you.  Project Estimator integrates proven construction delivery processes (JOC, SABER, IDIQ, SATOC, MATOC, IPD, MACC, POCA, BOA ….) , with an exclusive 400,000 line item extension of...Continue Reading

e4Clicks Project Estimator users…  be sure to attended our Upcoming “Spotlight”! On August 4th at 3pm EST we will hold our second complementary webcast.  Each of our “Spotlight” series features a new software tip to allow you to produce accurate estimates even faster.  This Month’s Tip: Copy and Paste Estimates and Line Items Webinar Date:...Continue Reading

Aloha and congratulations to the J.M. Waller team for your outstanding recognition. http://www.jmwaller.com/about/awards.asp#2011HistoricalHawaii1Continue Reading

There are some that believe that the desire to utilize BIM is outpacing technology. This belief is ill-founded. The REAL issue is that many Owners, Contractors, AE’s, BPMs (business product manufactures), and oversight groups are being outpaced as they lack BIM PROCESSES. BIM is NOT 3-D rendering. Tools like Revit, ArchiCAD, … are only components...Continue Reading

Just in case you haven’t heard, we’ve just begun a new TRAINING service for all of our clients. Our no-charge “SPOTLIGHT: Project Estimator Tips”webcasts will focus a different aspect of our software each month. Our July 7th SPOTLIGHT is titled “Getting Ready for Fallout and Updating RSMeans Pricing and City Cost Index”. Register today at:...Continue Reading

Come Visit us at SAME/JETC – Booth #1403 Say “Hello”, see what’s new, and get a 4Clicks baseball cap! MAY 24-27, 2011 SAME 2011 JETC Grapevine, TexasContinue Reading

DoD earned 3 out of 7 red lights on its OMB scorecard for failure to sufficiently reduce energy intensity and fleet petroleum use and to green more of its buildings. Here is the plan to change those red lights to green: Energy intensity: The agency achieved an 11.2% reduction on a goal of 15%. Going...Continue Reading

On February 11, 2011, the DCAA issued new guidance on Limitations on Pass-Through Charges per FAR 52.215-22, 52.215-23, 31.203(i): As a part of forward pricing proposal audit, the Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA) is being instructed to evaluate proposals whose total subcontracted cost of work performed exceeds 70% of the total cost of work on...Continue Reading

  Whether your a planner/programmer, engineer, or in operations or contracting, and you agree that e4Clicks helps make your facility cost estimating and project management related tasks easily, faster, and more accurate, why not share your success with your team! Assure everyone at your location is aware of how e4Clicks can help, by sending them...Continue Reading

There are several technologies that can be very important to facility life-cycle management. Here’s an alphabetical listing for your review and comment. 1. BIM – Building Information Modeling – Centralized information repository for life-cycle management. 2. BAS – Building Automation System – Automatic building controls/sensor system – HVAC/environmental, access control/security. 3. CAFM – Computer-Aid Facility...Continue Reading

Wow 10 years since I started 4Clicks in 2011. We have a lot of plans throughout the year to help us celebrate, but nothing brings me greater joy than the strong relationships we have with our clients and partners! Thank you all for a chance to earn your business. You’re the ones that challenge our...Continue Reading

  Accuracy and completeness are critical factors in all cost estimates. JOC/SABER cost estimates are based upon a thorough review of drawings and available engineering data, a site visit, and a detailed and current unit price book (UPB). The use of 4Clicks technology and the RSMeans UPB, specifically designed and/or enhanced to support JOC/SABER, greatly...Continue Reading

This is truly amazing, God bless each of you, your families and thanks for your service, honor and duty to our very grateful country! http://afghanistan.blogs.cnn.com/2011/02/08/a-real-life-band-of-brothers/?iref=NS1Continue Reading

  The 2011 budget cuts facing congress might affect DOD and VA programs.  Learn more from this article. http://www.airforcetimes.com/news/2011/02/military-republicans-budget-020711w/Continue Reading

  As a 4Clicks Client, your new RSMeans City Cost Index (CCI) update is available every quarter. This a a great benefit of using 4Clicks Project Estimator. If you haven’t downloaded the latest CCI data or need help doing so, just give us a call, or send us a quick email to support@4Clicks.com.Continue Reading

  RSMeans 2011 Cost Data is now available for 4Clicks Project Estimator users. If you haven’t ordered yours, it time! As always, you can rely on us to review all the new data, extend it to approximately 400,000 line items, and provide 4Clickers with the highest quality, most detailed, and robust RSMeans cost data available....Continue Reading