Been juggling between using dedicated estimating software or just sticking with my trusty Excel sheets for budgeting construction projects. Software seems slick but pricey, spreadsheets are free but kinda clunky...what do you guys prefer and why?
I've stuck with Excel myself for years—it's flexible enough once you set up your templates properly, though admittedly a bit tedious at times. Curious, have you found software that integrates smoothly with other project management tools?
I've been using Excel too, and yeah, it does the job once you put in the initial effort... but I totally get what you mean by tedious. Recently tried out some budgeting apps like YNAB and Mint—they're intuitive for personal budgets, but not sure how smoothly they'd integrate with project management tools. Maybe something like QuickBooks could bridge that gap? Haven't personally tested it, though. Curious to see what others have found useful.
"Maybe something like QuickBooks could bridge that gap? Haven't personally tested it, though."
Tried QuickBooks for my latest build... honestly, found it a bit clunky for tracking detailed construction expenses. Ended up back in Excel—tedious, yeah, but customizable enough to track every nail and 2x4.
Tried QuickBooks for my latest build... honestly, found it a bit clunky for tracking detailed construction expenses.
Same here, QuickBooks felt more geared toward general business accounting than detailed construction budgeting. Excel's still my go-to—bit of a grind sometimes, but at least I know exactly where every dollar goes.
