"Easily save 70-80% on the entire estimating job when using LIFT... We were able to complete the estimate on an $11 Million Dollar Job in 8 hours, where before it would have taken at least 2-3 days,"

Ivan Conway, Chief Estimator

Whitemud Ironworks has been implementing LIFT over the past year (2024). Ivan, Whitemud Ironworks' chief estimator, had modified some of their internal processes and was now able to use LIFT's AI steel takeoff software to handle their estimation work. This freed up their estimators to focus on complex projects and details while still bidding on simpler jobs that they would have previously passed on.

Now, they can bid on significantly more projects and choose which ones to take based on strategy, not time constraints.

Here is more about how they're using AI to win more of the right projects:

Key Results: 70-80% Reduction In Estimation Time

• Cuts estimation time by up to 70-80%

• Turned a three-day, $11M estimate into an eight-hour bid

• The estimating team can now bid on significantly more projects with the same staff

• Ability to bid on work they are well suited for even faster

About Whitemud Ironworks

Whitemud Ironworks is "Canada's Pre-Eminent Commercial Steel Fabricator & Construction Company" - a major steel fabricator working across three continents. Based in Edmonton, Alberta, they run two shops in Nisku, one in Edmonton, and have engineering and design teams in the UK and Manila. With more than 270 employees worldwide, they use their global presence to work around the clock on projects.

"We can actually be detailing a project over three different time zones... the guys in Manila can be doing the approval drawings, our UK office cleans them up, and it comes over here and we can start approving," says Ivan Conway, Chief Estimator at Whitemud Ironworks.

The team handles everything from airports to earthquake-resistant structures. This includes both complex custom jobs and standard building work, though juggling these different projects hasn't always been easy.

The Challenge: How Do We Maintain Both Quality And Speed In Our Bids?

Before LIFT, Whitemud Ironworks struggled with a common problem: how to estimate both complex and simple projects quickly without sacrificing quality. Their old process took too much time and forced them to be picky about which projects to bid on.

This quick-but-rough approach didn't give them the accuracy they wanted. Worse, they often had to pass on good projects simply because they didn't have time to estimate them. This was especially tough when contractors needed quick bid turnarounds.

"GCs will sometimes only help you out if you help at the budget stage, and won't ask you to bid... Customers notice a difference when they ask for a bid back in a week - before, we could have not been able to turn one around."

The Solution: Let LIFT Handle The Basics

In June 2023, Whitemud Ironworks started using LIFT. The decision was straightforward, and getting started was easy and quick.

"Very straightforward system... took a couple of hours to learn," says Ivan Conway, Chief Estimator. "If you have used AutoCAD before or know how to drag members and stuff like that, it's pretty basic and intuitive."

LIFT's AI handles about 75% of the basic estimation work, saving huge amounts of time. That time savings have allowed the team to focus their time on the more complex parts of the estimate and details where fabricators typically get caught.

The Impact: $11 Million Bid Done In 8 Hours

Significant Time Savings

The software made a big difference right away:

"Easily save 70-80% on the entire estimating job when using LIFT... We were able to complete the estimate on an $11 Million Dollar Job in 8 hours, where before it would have taken at least 2-3 days,"

Efficient Growth

The time savings changed how they approach new business:

1. More Bidding Power

"We're able to turn bids down because they don't suit us - rather than because we don't have time"

2. Smarter Project Choices

• WIWorks can compete on simple projects quickly while still handling complex ones

• They are also able to utilize their team more effectively, with more time for details and higher impact activities

3. Better Customer Service

"Customers notice a difference when they ask for a bid back in a week and they get it before hand. - we would not have been able to turn around some of those so quickly"

Looking Ahead

Whitemud Ironworks keeps finding new ways to use LIFT while staying strong in complex projects. The software helps them:

• Stay ahead of competitors

• Balance simple and complex projects

• Respond faster to customers

• Grow their business efficiently

"LIFT comes in handy to come in on quicker work, and allows us to compete with other larger fabricators... This gives us additional capacity without compromising on accuracy"

Ready to transform your estimation process?

Visit http://sketchdeck.ai to learn how LIFT can help you bid smarter and win more work.

About SketchDeck.AI

We provide AI-powered automation tools for steel fabricators, enabling faster, more accurate takeoffs and estimating processes. The platform integrates with existing workflows and systems, helping fabricators improve efficiency and maintain competitiveness in a rapidly evolving industry.