Xpert guidance: Professional Builder's review of ContractsXpert

07/09/2009 16:03:30

Professional Builder reviews HBXL's ContractsXpert for their 'in the office' section.

HBXL's ContractsXpert is simple to use and could protect you against any unwelcome surprises

Perhaps it shouldn’t be so, but so often what you put down on paper is what you are judged by. Clients will often assess the professionalism of your company, not on your building work but by the way that work is described on paper. Badly typed, poorly spelt and hard to follow contracts are often put straight in the bin despite, or even because, they happen to be the cheapest price. This seems like rough justice but you have to ask if you would gamble 50K or even 500k on a company that can’t afford a decent typist.

In fact, if I think about builders I know who are doing well at the moment, they aren’t the ones chasing the cheapest prices, they tend to be the ones who have the most professional image. One company I visited a couple of weeks ago has all its operatives kitted out in identical workwear with the company logo, all driving vans less than three years old and I see their name everywhere I go. The proprietor told me with a glint in his eye: “We are taking over the world”.

He has a lady working full time in his office preparing estimates and contracts. The paperwork is a key part of his strategy. A draft contract is sent with an estimate and it is the first step in presenting a professional image.

Ask the Xpert

Even if you don’t have the luxury of a full time office assistant you can still produce contracts. ContractsXpert, from the building software specialists HBXL, is a collaboration with the Federation of Master Builders. It is intended to help small builders produce a document which will hopefully avoid legal disputes and help them win work. The wording in the document is in plain English and has been awarded the Crystal Mark. You don’t have to be a member of the FMB to buy the software but they have negotiated a members’ discount.

Contracts Xpert produces a legal document that will stand scrutiny in court, but the main intention is to stop disputes ever getting that far by avoiding the ambiguities that lead to misunderstandings.

The contract is detailed and covers RMI small works and new build up to 500K. An important feature is the ability to produce changes to the document as the job progresses. If, for example, you encounter dry rot and have to remove the floor joists you can quickly enter this into the contract, and produce a written amendment for signatures. Many disputes commonly arise over extras and often this is because a builder will carry out extra work on a verbal agreement. Memory is selective and so is hearing for that matter. If the extra figure isn’t in the contract it is very difficult to prove what it was. Most of the contract detail is achieved automatically by the software. In fact, apart from client details and a site description, there is hardly any typing involved.

If you are already using EstimatorXpress v.7 then you can import data directly into ContractsXpert and save a significant amount of time and effort. The intuitive step by step wizard guides you through the contract and flows in the data.

Like most software these days there are updates, which in this case are optional after the first year. When purchasing any software it is worth checking what the likely cost of these updates will be. You can arrange an online demo of any HBXL software or you can have a real human being demonstrate the products in the comfort (or perhaps discomfort) of your office.

To request more information on ContractsXpert call 0870 850 2444, visit the ContractsXpert page or chat live to an advisor now.

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