- Same with the walls. Users can change dimensions, choose type of walls and now the possibility of a Custom Material for the walls e.g. Hay Bails.
Single wall choice screen:
- Double wall choice screen:
- The plastering is tied in with these new walls in a new easy way to choose exactly what you require for each section of walls by the aid of pictures.
Plastering choices screen:
- Detailed PC sums.
- General improvements to entire program including an overhaul of the Central Library
Estimated date of release: February 2010.
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Easy Groundworks™ version 2.0
- Added a new dimension using 3D pictures
The first major new feature is a complete new dimension to the program. This is accessed either through a coloured question mark on each line and/or thumbnails at the top of most work sections. The blue question marks also hold 3D pictures for your reference, illustrating the work that is required in that line and the thumbnails and red question marks link to 2D or 3D graphics of that section, where you can change options and enter information/requirements for the job directly.
This example is for ground floor requirements
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The user can enter all the information/change the materials used directly within the picture rather than read all the lines to find where to enter the numbers. However, the new dimension is optional. You can still enter information as you did before, directly into the cells. You will also see blue question marks throughout the program. The example below explains that these provide static graphics as a reference.
This example shows a help picture, accessed by a blue question mark, in this case showing what insulation has been allowed for in the floor slab being worked out. Don’t forget examples like the below are included in almost every line and instantly give the user much more control and detailed information.
These links to the illustrations are on nearly every line and this cuts down on reading time and gives the user lots more choice. It also allows him to see what the calculations are based on, rather than going to the Tech Sheet. This is very useful for calculations such as the expansion of soils. We allow 22% expansion when digging out. However, some builders prefer a different expansion rate or expansion rates can change from time to time, depending on whether you are digging in clay, sand or chalk soils. So now you can look at the ‘help’ picture, then go back and click on the red question mark in the relevant line and change the expansion rate to what you require. Other options, such as the weed membrane concrete under a block and beam floor: Yes, EPP has always worked this out for you but had ‘lean mix’ as the figure for the thickness of the weed membrane so you wouldn’t know exactly what this was unless you went to the Tech Sheet. The default thickness for this is 50mm and could always be changed by the user but it’s now far easier to gain quick access and change the figure when required or simply check what’s been allowed for.
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More options for the user
We’ve also tackled simple but sometimes frustrating items. Some users prefer their bricks or blocks to be shown as a metre square, but some prefer to specify the actual number of blocks or bricks. Prior to Version 2, we could only choose one option so we got it right for, say, 50% of builders. But our aim is to please all of the users all of the time! So, for this example, we have built in a picture you simply click on to choose how you want the program to display the bricks and blocks quantities.
- Enabling the user to do much more with P.C. Sums
You can now do so much more with P.C. Sums. You can add in most sections of work, the estimated items needed and then select this to be a P.C. Sum. This puts it in the ‘P.C. Sum’ section of the Summary Sheet where you also can add different mark-up margins. These are stated as “P.C. Sums” on the Summary and show up as a different colour (Excel 2007 onwards) making it much easier for the user to view. We also show P.C. Sums in charts, reports and in the quote.
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New, extensive libraries
The Libraries have been updated with many more new materials and fuller descriptions of the items,
along with sizes and pack sizes where relevant. Due to this we have widened the column slightly to
show a more detailed description. However, in some cases the description might be so large it’s
difficult to read in its drop box. So Easy Price Pro has created a magnifying glass.
The next example shows how you simply click on the magnifying glass and up pops the dropdown list
for you to read easily and make your choice.
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New features that make the program even quicker and easier to use
Many more features have been built in to the program to make it more user-friendly. For example,
when choosing “method of waste from the site” there is a thumbnail of a skip. Simply click on this
and up pops all the choices of waste disposal, along with the relevant information like sizes and
prices. Simply click on the picture of the chosen item and it’s entered into the Pricing Sheet.
Oh yes, and another thing you’ll notice is we’ve built in rubble sacks and trailers to help when you’re
moving waste.
Have a look at the next illustration.
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Easy Builders Contract™ version 3.0
Easy Builders Contract™ has been completely re-worded and redesigned.
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Easy Electrics™ 3.0
New features/changes:
- 3D graphics
Guide you through the program and show you how and what is being calculated.
- Brands/Makes of items
Selecting materials/items as you price is now more streamlined. You can select the brand, then the colour and style and only the items available for that brand and colour/style will appear in the drop down list.
- More customisable
You can set more of your own preferences using the 3D graphics for example, the spacing you usually have between cable clips or whether you estimate a job by costing cable in the exact length required or by the roll, etc.
- Even more accurate
We have added more detailed options for example, you can select the type of wall (e.g. studwork, masonry etc.) that backboxes are to be fitted into and the program atumatically chooses the relevant backbox type.
- Improved price libraries
You can now add any new materials/items with brands, colours and styles you prefer into the Material Prices Library.
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Easy Order Ultra™ 1.0 released
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Ordering is now even easier
See how it works
Easy Price Pro has completed a major upgrade of its popular Easy Order program, making it not only even easier to place orders but also refining the business of obtaining merchant’s prices and incorporating them into the estimating software.
For example, product and quantity data can now be imported from the New Houses and Extensions Plus™, Renovations and Extensions™, Easy Electrics™ or Easy Plumbing & Heating™ packages and then e-mailed to up to six builders merchants so that they can enter prices for each of the required items. The merchant can them return the completed e-mail sheet so that it can be imported back into Easy Order™.
Once this is done, Easy Order Ultra™ will perform all of the comparisons and highlight the cheapest merchant for each product as well as the cheapest merchant overall.
When the estimate is complete, Easy Order Ultra™ gives the options of printing an order sheet to send or fax to the merchants. This sheet is set out as a complete order form and includes item numbers as a reference. A single merchant can be selected or up to six order forms can be created, each of which shows only the items that are cheapest from that merchant.
When complete, prices can be imported back to the estimate, again either by cheapest overall, cheapest from each merchant or from a chosen merchant.
Other additions include a job details page, which imports job details from the chosen estimate. The file can be saved under the client’s name for future reference.
Paul Betts, Easy Price Pro Director said:
“In the current economic climate cost control matters more than ever before. When used in conjunction with one of our estimating packages, Easy Order Ultra enables the builder to obtain prices quickly and easily and to place accurate orders based on precise quantities calculated automatically by the estimating software. It also aids good record keeping and can make it easier to check deliveries against quantities ordered.”
Print Order
There is now the facility to print an order sheet to send or fax to the merchants. This is laid out like a proper order form and includes item numbers as a reference. There are a number of options for printing the form, these are:
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Print cheapest merchant:
This will print an order form for all items from whichever is the cheapest merchant overall.
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Choose a merchant to print:
This will print an order form for all items from the merchant chosen by the user.
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Print cheapest items:
This will print the cheapest items for each merchant, thus giving up to six order forms which will only show the items that are the cheapest from that merchant.
Import back to Quote Library
The prices can be imported back to the estimate, again either by cheapest overall, cheapest from each merchant or chosen merchant.
Job Details Page
There is also a job details page which imports job details from the chosen estimate, and also the file will be saved under the clients name for future reference.
Compatible with Microsoft® Excel™ 2007 & Windows® Vista™
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Easy 3D Designer™
Whether you’re an architect, builder or home improver, Easy 3D Designer™ lets you plan, design and visualise your creative ideas in photorealistic 3D. In 2D construction mode, simply place your elements like walls, doors, windows, roofs etc and see these come to life in an interactive 3D environment. Generate rendered images to see the effects of texturing, lighting and shading and save high quality images of any 2D/3D view. All to get the perfect design for your clients and their dream home creation.
We have produced a mouse mat which has many conversions and weights printed onto it. In addition to this mouse mat, there is 
a new website at http://www.buildinghelp.co.uk which will help calculate the following:
- Amount of sand & cement required free calculator ruler and mouse mat to build a wall, using either block or brick
- Dimensions to volume and weight, according to material
- Volume to weight according to material
- Weight to volume according to material
- Number and cost of skips, according to excavation dimensions and skip size
Future Developments
Renovations & Alterations™ 5
Easy Plumbing & Heating™ 3
Shopping Basket
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