CHANDLER, AZ – 18/10/2025 – (SeaPRwire) – As construction firms confront one of the most unpredictable economic landscapes in decades, McCormick Systems—an all-in-one estimating and digital takeoff platform for electrical, plumbing, and mechanical trades—has released a new guide designed to help estimators recalibrate their bidding strategies. The release arrives at a time when material prices remain unstable, global supply chains continue to tighten, and contractors are being forced to make faster, data-driven decisions to stay competitive.
Industry data underscores the urgency. The Associated Builders and Contractors’ (ABC) analysis of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Producer Price Index reported a 0.5% increase in construction input prices in March 2025. While that percentage may appear modest, it represents a continuation of an upward trend that has persisted since 2021. Combined with unpredictable tariffs and logistical bottlenecks, many contractors are finding that traditional estimation models—often built on static price lists and manual calculations—can no longer keep pace with today’s cost volatility.
Construction Estimating Under Pressure
Estimators sit at the front lines of a rapidly changing market. Every missed quantity, outdated material price, or overlooked contingency can ripple through an entire project, eroding margins and delaying delivery. McCormick Systems’ new guide seeks to address this reality by outlining not just software-driven solutions, but also strategic frameworks for managing bids in turbulent conditions.
The guide highlights several recurring challenges that estimators encounter when building bids under economic stress:
- Incomplete scope coverage: overlooking trade intersections or subcontractor dependencies that later inflate costs.
- Inaccurate quantity takeoffs: manual counting errors that can result in material shortages or overordering.
- Unclear specifications: vague bid documents that introduce ambiguity and mispricing.
- Missing labor or equipment costs: insufficient accounting for overtime, equipment rental, or subcontractor fluctuations.
- Lack of contingency planning: failure to anticipate cost swings or delays tied to market disruptions.
Each of these vulnerabilities becomes amplified in an environment defined by constant change—making accurate, dynamic, and transparent estimating tools more essential than ever.
Technology as a Stabilizing Force
At the heart of McCormick Systems’ approach is its integrated digital estimating platform, which merges real-time material data, automation, and workflow transparency to help estimators regain control over uncertain variables.
Key features include:
- Real-time material databases tailored to electrical, plumbing, and mechanical trades, giving users up-to-date pricing and supplier availability.
- Automated digital takeoffs that enable accurate measurement and counting directly within the platform, reducing waste and rework.
- Built-in change order management, allowing estimators to continuously monitor and adjust actual costs against initial bids.
- Dynamic bid summaries, designed to simplify cost combinations, clarify scope divisions, and enhance communication across teams.
By embedding live data into the estimating workflow, McCormick transforms what was once a static process into a responsive system—one capable of adapting to daily price shifts and delivery challenges.
“Estimators no longer have the luxury of waiting for stable prices,” the company noted in a statement. “They need tools that evolve as quickly as the market itself. Our goal is to help contractors bid smarter, not harder.”
Building Smarter Contingencies, Not Bigger Ones
Beyond technology, McCormick’s guide provides practical financial strategies to balance risk and resilience. While setting aside contingency funds is standard practice, the guide warns against both extremes: overestimating reserves can tie up cash that could be used elsewhere, while underestimating them can lead to project overruns and strained client relationships.
Instead, McCormick advocates for a data-driven approach to contingency management—leveraging historical project data, current supplier trends, and predictive analytics to calibrate safety margins more precisely.
The guide also offers insights into aligning estimation workflows with broader project management systems, ensuring that cost updates flow seamlessly into schedules, procurement, and client communications. This holistic approach transforms estimation from a one-time exercise into a living, evolving component of project execution.
Why It Matters Now
According to Foundation Software—the parent company of McCormick Systems and a leading provider of job cost accounting and project management tools—the need for accurate, technology-enabled estimating has never been greater. Construction firms continue to face a “triple squeeze”: volatile input costs, workforce shortages, and tighter project timelines.
McCormick’s solution aims to help contractors not just react to these pressures, but anticipate them. By connecting estimating, takeoff, and cost management under one digital ecosystem, the platform provides the kind of foresight that manual systems simply cannot deliver.
Foundation Software executives emphasized that digital transformation is no longer optional for contractors: “In today’s market, visibility equals viability. Estimators armed with real-time intelligence are the ones keeping projects profitable.”
A Legacy of Precision and Practicality
For decades, McCormick Systems has served as a trusted partner for contractors seeking more accurate and efficient estimating workflows. Its flagship Design Estimating Pro tool allows users to perform takeoffs and build estimates in a single environment, eliminating redundant data entry and manual coordination between systems.
The company’s customer base spans electrical, mechanical, and plumbing trades across North America, with many reporting measurable gains in accuracy and bidding speed after adopting the platform.
As supply chain unpredictability becomes the “new normal,” McCormick Systems’ message to contractors is clear: success now depends on digital readiness, continuous learning, and strategic flexibility.
The full guide—detailing strategies to navigate material shortages, mitigate risk, and sustain profitability during market fluctuations—is available on McCormick’s official website.
About McCormick Systems
McCormick Systems is a leading provider of all-in-one estimating and digital takeoff solutions serving the electrical, plumbing, and mechanical trades. Its platform integrates design, estimation, and change management into a single interface to streamline project workflows and reduce cost uncertainty. For more information, visit www.mccormicksys.com, call (800) 444-4890, or email msi@mccormicksys.com.
About Foundation Software
Foundation Software, LLC delivers job cost accounting, estimating and takeoff, project management, safety management, HR management, mobile field apps, and payroll services to help contractors manage the business side of construction. Its suite of integrated solutions supports greater efficiency, transparency, and profitability across the construction lifecycle.
source https://newsroom.seaprwire.com/technologies/mccormick-systems-launches-comprehensive-estimating-guide-to-help-construction-professionals-navigate-market-volatility/
