Using ArchiCAD for Estimating

[Anonymous]

Hello, all!

I need help! I've been using ArchiCAD at my company for about 2 years now, and I had no prior experience with the program. I have been taught the basics, and have gotten along well with my skill level until now. My company is trying to move towards automating all our estimating figures. How do I even begin? There are several figures that need to be populated, as you can imagine, and I'm not experienced enough to know exactly all AC10 is capable of. And the fact that I'm now using a Mac (which I've never used before in my life!) isn't making this process any easier for me!

Any help or guidance wold be very much appreciated!

[Anonymous]

Be aware, it's quite a complex area! The first place to start would be the 'AC10 Calculation Guide' found on your help menu in AC.

You should also look in the 'Schedules' section of the these forums. You may pick up lots of hints and tips by looking back through the older posts, and using the search button!

There is also a book which may be useful, ArchiCAD - From CAD to quantity survey. Perhaps someone who has read it could advise about it usefulness.

This post should really be in the 'Schedules' section, so perhaps a moderator should move it for you, and you may get more responses.

Good luck!

[Rick Thompson]

It is a big undertaking, but AC can do a great job at it. The interface suffers tremendously, as does the instructions. I haven't read that book, but if I were just trying to learn it, I sure would get it. As above, a lot has be discussed on this forum, and I know if you search my name you will find a lot of info. Ask for specifics, but a lot is here you can fine. I have uploaded a simple booklet someone did a long time ago. You can download it (link below). It is a start, but plowing through it is painful and necessary until (if) GS does something about it, which I am doubting more and more. The interface is about the oldest part of AC that exist, and is still virtually unchanged since the early days.

http://www.thompsonplans.com/files/TappingCalcMenu.pdf

On my web site, under any plan is a sample of how it works for me. I use Excel to format the various list I generate. AC is ridiculous at it.

[Karl Ottenstein]

Peter wrote:
This post should really be in the 'Schedules' section, so perhaps a moderator should move it for you, and you may get more responses.

Thanks, Peter - it is here now.

[KeesW]

I've got, read "Archicad-from CAD to Quanties" and worked through the first sections of it. The book's approach produces a very detailed list of quantities - what one would get from a quantity surveyor. However, it is very complex - at least for someone more interested in design.

I have also purchased Cigraph's ArchiQuant and have just upgraded it for AC12. This will, I believe, produce most of what I (and perhaps others also) need, but without the complexity. ArchiQuant is easy to use but, like most database products, loading the standard information is the time consuming bit. For those interested in getting useful quantities directly from ArchiCad, without the discipline or mindset of a programmer, buy and try. It is quite cheap for what it does.

[Rick Thompson]

A nice thing about putting the effort into generating it with AC is once it is done, it is there easily for other projects. You just have to manually link any composite, and any object to the database. Once you tweak the database, set up the property objects, and link them in various ways, it is done. Well, you have to set up the individual list. Yes, it is a lot to do, but once.. for the most part. I may be wrong, but with Cigraph's version it requires re tagging/linking all the time, for each pln. When tried the add-on (and maybe not enough), it seemed impractical to use in the long run.

[KeesW]

Hello Rick
I agree with you - I'd rather do it all in ArchiCad. But the instructions that come with the package, and the absence by Graphisoft of making schedules easier to understand and use, make it too difficult for most of us. The book emphasises this complexity. I'll give ArchiQuant another go.

[Anonymous]

Rick wrote:
I may be wrong, but with Cigraph's version it requires re tagging/linking all the time, for each pln. When tried the add-on (and maybe not enough), it seemed impractical to use in the long run.

It depends very much on what kind of work you do, and how organized you are about it.

I have used ArchiQuant in 3 projects, and have been quite happy about it.

I had formerly tried to tackle with AC calculation mode, but being just an architect I just go confused. "Archicad-from CAD to Quanties" only made it worse.

Having done some work in VICO, I can appreciate that linking everything through the calculation menu in Archicad is the correct way to do it, but unfortunately it takes such an effort that I could not do it.

ArchiQuant, on the other hand, I learned in a couple of hours, and after half a day I had quantity take-offs of a medium size building.

Second and third project where much easier, as I could import former databases and elaborate on them.

ArchiQuant has a crude but effective interface, is very easy to learn and populate.

I don´t use it any more because Cygraph lagged unbearably on the last upgrade, which put me in a position where I had to decide between starting new jobs on AC11 with ArchiQuant or AC12 without.

As that is a position I would not like to see myself again, I quit ArchiQuant, and am now hoping (naively, I know) that GS acquires it.

[Anonymous]

Rick wrote:
It is a big undertaking, but AC can do a great job at it. The interface suffers tremendously, as does the instructions. I haven't read that book, but if I were just trying to learn it, I sure would get it. As above, a lot has be discussed on this forum, and I know if you search my name you will find a lot of info. Ask for specifics, but a lot is here you can fine. I have uploaded a simple booklet someone did a long time ago. You can download it (link below). It is a start, but plowing through it is painful and necessary until (if) GS does something about it, which I am doubting more and more. The interface is about the oldest part of AC that exist, and is still virtually unchanged since the early days.

http://www.thompsonplans.com/files/TappingCalcMenu.pdf

On my web site, under any plan is a sample of how it works for me. I use Excel to format the various list I generate. AC is ridiculous at it.

Rick,

I clicked your link but only got from page 10 on of your pamphlet.

[Thomas Holm]

Wrathchild wrote:
I clicked your link but only got from page 10 on of your pamphlet.

Download works here. I suggest you try again.