Estimator for SketchUp

dkendig · 8 Oct 2015, 19:49

Hey everyone. I just published my first plugin since leaving Chaos Group and V-Ray. Check it out if you get a chance. It's an estimation/reporting extension called Estimator. It is available on the extension warehouse. Http://www.estimatorforsketchup.com

Let me know what you think!

Krisidious · 8 Oct 2015, 20:26

will do

jiminy-billy-bob · 8 Oct 2015, 20:35

One comment : you should have a link to the extension warehouse on the website.

JQL · 9 Oct 2015, 00:21

Looks very very good! Not my department on our projects but I'll sure keep an eye open for trying it when the opportunity arises!

utiler · 9 Oct 2015, 01:32

certainly have a look at this one!

dkendig · 9 Oct 2015, 05:44

Thanks for the support everyone. I look forward to working on the next version, but I really want as much feedback as I can get, so we can make sure that this tool can serve as an essential part of any builder's tool kit.

srx · 9 Oct 2015, 07:23

But how can we try it? Am I missing download button?

dkendig · 9 Oct 2015, 13:46

There should be a trial version available on the extension warehouse: https://extensions.sketchup.com/en/content/estimator-sketchup

Krisidious · 9 Oct 2015, 19:39

So is this $150.00 for 1 year or owned outright.

jiminy-billy-bob · 9 Oct 2015, 19:47

EW doesn't have subscriptions yet. So it's a permanent license.

dkendig · 9 Oct 2015, 22:22

Yes, that is correct. This is a permanent license. User have expressed interest in a subscription, but that would require a different licensing system, which was not planned for version 1.

GJL · 10 Oct 2015, 08:42

Hi DKendig,

I think its a great extension, for what I see on your website... Not tried it yet.

But two questions: is it also available for European standards like using m's and euro's? And you are coming from VRay, that's an totally other cup of tea, or am I wrong?

With regards

cadmunkey · 10 Oct 2015, 13:03

Is this a competitor to PlusSpec then?

jgbrock1 · 10 Oct 2015, 14:01

Not so much a competitor to PlusSpec, because PlusSpec is a complete parametric modeler and estimates items created with it. However, Estimator allows users to assign costs to anything they model, as well as sort via their own cost codes (PlusSpec I believe has their own coding system you have to use, but not sure) in a branded report. I created and own Estimator for SketchUp (and Devin did a great job bringing it to life:) It is simple but powerful tool. We just launched it and hope to have Devin adding new features to reflect users needs.

cadmunkey · 10 Oct 2015, 14:18

@jgbrock1 said:

Not so much a competitor to PlusSpec, because PlusSpec is a complete parametric modeler and estimates items created with it. However, Estimator allows users to assign costs to anything they model, as well as sort via their own cost codes (PlusSpec I believe has their own coding system you have to use, but not sure) in a branded report. I created and own Estimator for SketchUp (and Devin did a great job bringing it to life:) It is simple but powerful tool. We just launched it and hope to have Devin adding new features to reflect users needs.

Thanks for the post, I'll check it out, good luck with it all.

dkendig · 10 Oct 2015, 16:25

This plugin actually required much of the functionality that was required for V-Ray for SketchUp. From the plugin side of things at least. I needed to be able to independently identify component instances, iterate faces to get area, tie in to the observer system to allow real-time interaction, create UI, etc. The only big difference is what data was being passed around, how it was formatted, and where the data was sent in the end. Also, if you want to get real technical, the HTML report is actually rendered by the browser

dkendig · 12 Oct 2015, 17:05

FYI, we are working on supporting non US number formatting and currency, hang in there world! Also, I should be pushing out an update today with a fix for CSV reporting on Windows.

ccaponigro · 12 Oct 2015, 23:14

I started checking it out today. I think it's great. A big gap transitioning from cadd to Sketchup for me is the lack of door, window and finish schedules. If you can do this adding schedules from components should be a snap. Soooo any way to get those nice looking reports as schedules of components w/ some attributes extracted quantity totals etc. for use in layout. Anyway I'm a fan ether way. Already talking to 2 of my builder about it.

TIG · 13 Oct 2015, 17:14

Idea
If you were to export the assembled data as an RTF file, then that could be inserted into a linked Layout document, AND it could be auto-updated if you changed it via the SKP [provided you don't edit it inside Layout]...

dkendig · 14 Oct 2015, 18:13

Great ideas and flattering feedback. I'm working on currency formatting right now, I don't think we should wait till version 2 to support non-US currency formatting. It seems there are a lot of folks on the other side of the ocean that want to use this in their workflow.