The Full Story — SmartScope™

After 27 years in the construction industry, working on millions of square feet across residential, multifamily, commercial, and specialty buildings, one truth became impossible to ignore:

Estimating is broken.

Projects lose money not because contractors don’t work hard—but because plans are incomplete, coordination is flawed, and estimating relies on rushed assumptions, disconnected tools, and human fatigue.

I’ve spent my career as a designer, estimator, and project manager, reviewing plans page by page, catching mistakes before they reach the field, and protecting contractors from costly surprises.
Over time, I developed a repeatable mental process—how a chief estimator actually reads plans—not just counting lines, but understanding intent, conflicts, omissions, and risk.

One year ago, I decided to turn that process into software.

The Result: SmartScope™

SmartScope™ is not just another takeoff tool.
It is a construction intelligence system built to think the way experienced estimators do—one page at a time, one division at a time, with real-world logic.

It was built from the ground up using:

• 27 years of field-tested estimating experience

• Real contractor workflows

• Real plan problems

• Real cost consequences

The goal was simple but ambitious:

Create the most accurate, time-saving, and risk-reducing estimating and bid proposal system ever built.

How SmartScope™ Works (High Level)

SmartScope™ operates in two powerful stages, designed to protect accuracy and intellectual property.

1. SmartTrace™ — Plan Intelligence Extraction

SmartTrace™ reads construction plans like a chief estimator, not like a basic OCR tool.

It:

• Scans plans page by page

• Converts drawings into high-quality, OCR-ready working files

• Detects symbols, legends, callouts, dimensions, scales, and notes

• Identifies missing information, inconsistencies, and red flags

• Structures all data into clean, usable intelligence

This stage is pure software logic—no AI guessing, no hallucinations.

2. SmartScope™ — Estimating + Bid Intelligence

Once the plans are fully understood, SmartScope™ takes over.

It:

• Applies division-specific estimating logic (CSI 01–33)

• Uses real-world labor, material, and equipment relationships

• Flags constructability issues before they cost money

• Produces clear, professional bid proposals

• Outputs structured, defensible estimates you can stand behind

The result:

• Faster takeoffs

• Higher accuracy

• Fewer missed scope items

• Fewer change orders

• More confident bids

What Makes SmartScope™ Different

SmartScope™ was not built by a software company guessing how construction works.

It was built by someone who has:

• Reviewed thousands of plan sets

• Found the same costly mistakes over and over

• Carried responsibility when numbers were wrong

• Worked inside the pressure contractors live with every day

This system exists to protect contractors—not replace them.

SmartScope™ doesn’t remove your judgment.
It amplifies it.

How to Be Part of the SmartScope™ Family

SmartScope™ is designed for:

• Contractors

• Estimators

• Designers

• Builders

• Developers

• Project managers

Whether you are:

• A one-person operation

• A growing regional contractor

• A specialty trade

• A full-service builder

SmartScope™ scales with you.

We offer:

• Per-project estimating

• Licensed software access

• Division-specific tools

• Full-scope estimating solutions

• Early access partnerships

This is not a mass-market product.
It is a professional system for professionals.

What’s Needed to Get Started

Getting started is simple:

1. Your plans (PDF format)

2. Your scope (or we help define it)

3. Your trade or project type

4. Your location (for labor context)

5. Your goals (speed, accuracy, growth, or all three)

From there, SmartScope™ handles the heavy lifting—while you stay in control.

The Vision

SmartScope™ was built to:

• Raise the standard of estimating

• Reduce waste and rework

• Protect contractors’ margins

• Bring clarity back to construction

This is only the beginning.

If you believe estimating should be smarter, faster, clearer, and more reliable,
you’re already part of the SmartScope™ mindset.

Welcome to the SmartScope™ Family.

 

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