UK architects have to diversify the way they operate in order to survive the current financial turmoil.

That’s the view according to Anthony Botibol, marketing manager at the UK’s leading building software specialists, HBXL, who believes that unless architect practices provide new services for their customers some won’t ride out the credit crunch.

Anthony said: “Just as builders can now provide architect quality plans and drawings with easy to use CAD software, so architects have to look at ways in which they can add to the service they provide.”

One area Anthony believes architects should look to explore is that of loft conversions and extensions and in particular the ability to provide detailed estimates for potential projects.

This follows the announcement by the Government to relax the rules on lofts and extensions that will mean more people will be looking for this sort of work.

Totally Unique

Fortunately, those looking to add an extra dimension to their business will be able to use the UK’s only CAD software that not only has a special feature specifically for designing loft conversions but automatically prices up a job directly from plans.

Called PlansXpress the software allows architects to cost their plans at the click of a button by exporting the drawings from PlansXpress into HBXL’s estimating software EstimatorXpress which then automatically calculates the cost of the project.

The only system of its kind in the country an added benefit of the software is that EstimatorXpress links directly to live merchant price lists meaning the quotes produced are totally up to date based on actual prices.

Anthony added: “By providing a detailed schedule of costs, customers will be able to see for themselves exactly where the money is being spent based on the drawings presented before them.

“Historically once the plans had been drawn up a separate process of costing the materials would then have to take place either by the architect or by a builder, both of which cost time and money.

“Being able to price a job from plans is totally unique to PlansXpress and speeds up the process of putting together a price based on the plans.

“PlansXpress is a lot cheaper than many other alternatives on the market and will add another dimension to an architect’s business. No other product is capable of preparing such detailed budgets and will provide architects extra value-added service to their practices.

“As more people consider extending as opposed to moving, quality built loft conversions and extensions are in high demand. Being able to produce bespoke plans and price a loft conversion or extension easily and quickly will go a long way to securing that business.”

Already Got Plans?

Another impressive aspect of PlansXpress is its ability to import and export AutoCAD .dwg and .dxf files plus export to .pdf, .wmf, .bmp, .jpg and 3D .dxf.

This means if a customer already has a set of plans, PlansXpress allows the architect to import the drawings and trace over them onscreen and fully cost the project by importing the plans into EstimatorXpress.

But don’t take HBXL’s word for…

According to Alan Darbyshire, an independent CAD trainer, PlansXpress: ‘Is totally geared up towards the drafting / design of buildings.’

He also said that: ‘The interface from your drawing into EstimatorXpress is worth its weight in gold for the time saved in costing a job from a drawing…typically many man-hours of work.

‘The added bonus of export to create not only your costing, for your estimate, but a complete Bill of Materials for the whole job... is quite staggering when you think of everything that needs to be taken into consideration.’

Email: laurence@empica.com