There have been many changes since the shelter-in-place order went into effect due to the COVID-19 pandemic. On the estimating/project management side of things, it has meant fewer job walks, increased use of technology, and adjusting to working from home. Since most companies are trying to limit large gatherings of people (including job walks), we have had to rely on photos, virtual tours, and bidding to plans/specs, to provide estimates for our clients. Also, there have been a lot more conference calls for ongoing projects. Luckily, with today’s technology, it is much easier to perform our work remotely.
For me personally, I have been able to use my tablet to view and share plans/photos which makes reviewing jobs much easier over the phone. Also, there are many different types of platforms for conference calls (Zoom, Skype, Microsoft Teams, etc.) that make it easy to collaborate over the phone or computer. I have also spent less time on the road commuting to and from the office which has made me more efficient and productive with estimating and project management. Although these are very difficult times for a lot of people, we have adapted as a company and continue to move forward with hope for the future.