Managed IT for offices across Auckland and Hamilton [email protected]
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IT support for quantity surveyors

Measuring from drawings, building estimates and valuing progress claims all depend on fast computers, large screens and files that open first time. We set up and look after the technology a QS practice works on all day.

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Office team working at desktop computers
From $69per user per month + GST, prices on the page
No lock-inmonth-to-month plans, 30 days' notice
Onsitetechnicians across Auckland and Hamilton
One teamfor IT, security, internet and phones

IT for quantity surveyors

Quantity surveying is detailed, screen-heavy work. A cost planner may have a full set of architectural and structural drawings open alongside an estimate, a spreadsheet and the tender documents, all at once, and switch between them hundreds of times a day. Underpowered laptops, small screens and slow networks turn an afternoon of takeoff into a full day. The right workstation and display setup pays for itself quickly in a practice where time is billed.

The data is commercially sensitive too. Cost plans, tender prices, rate libraries and contractor claims are valuable to competitors and to anyone negotiating against your client. Firms working under NZS 3910 or similar contracts also exchange payment claims and schedules on fixed dates, so email must be reliable and records must be easy to retrieve if a dispute reaches adjudication months later. Rate libraries built up over years are among a practice's most valuable intellectual property.

Office IT supports QS practices and cost consultancies with three to seventy-five staff. We specify and set up workstations and multi-screen desks that suit takeoff software, manage software licences, keep large drawing sets quick to open from cloud or office storage, and protect your cost data with good sign-in security and daily backups. Staff working on site or at client meetings get laptops that are just as secure as the ones in the office.

Common IT problems in this industry

Slow takeoff on weak hardware

Large PDF and CAD drawing sets push ordinary office laptops hard. Lag when zooming and measuring adds up to hours every week.

Too little screen space

Comparing drawings against an estimate on one small display is slow and error prone. Most QS work wants two or more large screens.

Software licence management

Estimating and takeoff licences are expensive and often tied to users or machines. Lost licences after a laptop swap cause real downtime.

Huge drawing sets

A full tender set can run to gigabytes. Syncing it badly fills laptops and leaves staff waiting for files to download.

Confidential cost data

Tender prices and rate libraries are commercially sensitive. Leaks through personal email or USB sticks are hard to detect.

Claims and dispute records

Payment claims and schedules need clear dated records. If they are scattered, building an adjudication file becomes painful.

What we set up for you

Workstations sized for takeoff

We recommend and set up desktops or laptops with the processor, memory and graphics that takeoff software actually needs, quoted in writing first.

Multi-screen desks

Dual or triple large monitors, docks and stands are set up so a laptop clicks in and every screen is ready to measure from.

Licence tracking

We record which estimating and takeoff licences are assigned to which person or machine, and move them cleanly when hardware is replaced.

Smart file sync

Project folders are set up so drawing sets download on demand rather than filling every laptop, with fast office storage where cloud sync is too slow.

Data loss controls

Multi-factor sign-in, managed devices and sharing policies keep cost plans and rate libraries inside the business.

Project archives with backups

Completed project files, claims and correspondence are archived in a searchable structure and backed up daily.

Systems we support

We work with the software and equipment your business already relies on, and with your software vendors when something needs their help.

  • CostX estimating and takeoff software
  • Bluebeam Revu for PDF drawing markup and measurement
  • Microsoft Excel for cost plans and rate libraries
  • Autodesk drawing viewers
  • Microsoft 365, Outlook, SharePoint and Teams
  • Electronic signature tools for payment schedules and reports

Start with a free IT health check

A technician reviews your computers, accounts, backups, security and network, then gives you a short written report with the risks ranked and a price to fix them. No charge, no obligation.

Book the health check

Services that fit

Technician helping an office worker at her desk

Managed IT

One monthly price per person for support, security, updates and backups. Your outsourced IT team.

Managed IT
Rows of new workstations ready for staff

Laptops, PCs & devices

Business laptops and PCs supplied or leased, set up automatically, tracked through warranty and wiped securely.

Laptops, PCs & devices
Row of closed equipment racks in a server room

Cloud & servers

Onsite servers, NAS and Azure set up and looked after, or your old file server moved to the cloud.

Cloud & servers

IT for quantity surveyors: questions

What computer specification does takeoff software need?

It depends on the software and the size of your drawing sets, but more memory, a recent processor and a capable graphics card make the biggest difference. We check the vendor's recommendations against how your team actually works and quote suitable machines in writing.

Should we keep drawings in the cloud or on an office server?

Cloud storage suits most practices and makes remote work easy. Very large sets accessed constantly by several people can be faster from local storage. We look at your file sizes and internet speed and recommend the right mix.

Can you manage our estimating software licences?

Yes. We keep a register of licences, activate and deactivate them when machines change, and work with the vendor on licence server or account issues so nobody is locked out on a tender deadline.

How do we keep tender prices confidential?

Restrict access to cost folders by role, require multi-factor sign-in, block personal cloud storage on company devices and keep an audit trail of file access. We set those controls up and review them regularly.

Can you set up home offices for QS staff?

Yes. We supply and configure docks and monitors for home desks so staff get the same multi-screen setup they have at the office, with secure access to project files.

What does ongoing support cost?

Plans run from $69 to $169 per user per month plus GST. Hardware such as workstations and monitors is quoted separately in writing, and we can arrange leasing if you would rather spread the cost.

Other industries we work with

When IT breaks, work stops.
Let's keep it running.

Start with a free IT health check. We'll show you what is working, what is at risk and what it would cost to fix.

Book a free IT health check