Sometimes I feel estimating can be a guessing game on some levels. I am in the market for a good estimating software and was looking for sugestions. We are a smaller company and bid on quite a few retail buildouts. Does anyone have any luck with thier software.

Estimating should be a guessing game, if you have the proper data, an estimate can be right on, and deviver a decent profit every time, the guys with the crystal ball prices, usually end up with a net loss over a period of time.

I did some estimating when we were writing "services" contracts at IBM. There are basically 3 areas you have to address. "Materials", "labor, including travel" and the hardest to estimate "risk". That is the amount you have to add for things you forgot or what just pops up after you start. Underestimating risk is the one that kills your profit when you hit that water pipe or your helper spills the cherry kool-ade on the marble stair case.