Excel slowed down the estimating process, so they transitioned to HeavyBid to get the job done five times faster.
The Issue
As the new Chief Estimator for Interstate Companies, a Frontline Road Safety Group company, Tom Shafer brought over a decade of construction estimating experience. He quickly recognized that his traditional Excel-based workflow, while familiar, was too labor-intensive and error-prone for the complexity of Interstate’s DOT and municipal contracts. To mitigate risk and support business growth, Shafer recognized the need for a scalable solution that could streamline his processes across a wide range of project types.
The Solution
Fortunately, Interstate Companies had already implemented HeavyBid as its estimating solution. As the sole estimator, Shafer collaborated with his predecessor to understand the existing workflow and then took the initiative to master the system using HCSS’s online videos and support documentation. He focused on refining the company’s codebooks, a crucial step that has scaled up their bidding process. By optimizing this foundation, Shafer was able to eliminate errors, save significant time, and turn around complete, accurate bids in as little as 30 minutes.
The Outcome
With HeavyBid, Shafer’s bidding capacity has increased significantly – he can now submit up to 15 bids per day. This speed allows the company to build a solid project backlog, keeping crews busy and driving business growth. It’s not just about volume, though. Shafer uses the system’s data to constantly sharpen his productivity rates. By linking his estimates directly to the cost codes used in the field, he’s created a crucial feedback loop. This means the real-world performance of his crews helps make every future bid that much more accurate.
“Once you learn the system, it's kind of hard to put into words how easy it makes your life as an estimator.”
– Tom Shafer, Chief Estimator, Interstate Companies
Shaping the User Experience on Roads for Drivers and Driverless AI
Tom Shafer joined Interstate Companies as Chief Estimator, bringing over 15 years of industry experience to the role. Interstate Companies, a member of the Frontline family of companies, is in the business of creating the fundamental “user interface” of our roads. Interstate’s core business is applying a full range of road markings—from paint and thermoplastic to specialty tapes—that guide both human drivers and the autonomous vehicles of the future. The company also provides safety traffic control and operates an in-house sign shop.
“Basically, if it’s a marking on the road, we do it,” says Shafer. “If it’s a message telling you what to do on the road, whether that’s ‘stay in your lane’ or ‘stop here,’ we cover it all.” Road markings provide the safest path for today’s drivers while simultaneously creating the essential visual language that will guide the autonomous vehicles of tomorrow across our nation’s infrastructure.
From Hours to Minutes: Boosting Bidding Capacity
Shafer’s arrival coincided with a major technological shift for Interstate, as the company was adopting HeavyBid estimating software to replace its manual processes. It was a significant change for Shafer as well; his deep expertise had been built over years of mastering and developing complex estimating workflows in Excel at his previous company. The immediate impact of the new system was time-saving and transformative.
“I can get a bid set up and ready to finalize within 10 to 15 minutes,” Shafer notes. “It’s super quick. For probably 90% of what I need, it pulls in the right activities with my base production rates. I still handle some things manually, but it gets me 90% of the way there in minutes.”
Eliminates Errors and Rework
Beyond just speed, the system also provides a crucial safety net against the small mistakes that can jeopardize a bid under pressure. Coming from a manual environment, Shafer particularly appreciates how HeavyBid minimizes the risk of human error.
“I love that it eliminates typing mistakes,” he says. “I’m kind of a nitpicky person, and when you have to type things out manually, things get missed and you make mistakes. With HeavyBid, as long as the information is correct in the codebooks, it all transfers perfectly. I don’t have to worry about that anymore.”
Tools like HeavyBid’s Estimate Review provide another layer of quality control, allowing Shafer to quickly spot issues like a production rate set to zero or when there’s a mismatch between the bid item quantity and the takeoff quantity. For a sole estimator, this functionality is like having a built-in partner watching his back.
“I’ll go back and realize, ‘Oh, I forgot to put in my production rate, so it’s showing zero hours. That’s why it has a zero cost,'” Shafer recalls. “That’s tremendously useful, for sure. Especially when you’re in my position and you’re the only guy looking at this. I don’t have a second person following up and making sure I didn’t miss anything.”
Closing the Loop: How Field Data Creates Stronger Bids
Shafer’s responsibility doesn’t end when a bid is won. He plays a crucial role in handing the project off to the operations team through HeavyJob construction management software. He conforms his estimates to create clear, actionable budgets and exports the bid data, allowing foremen to easily track their daily field operations. He also uploads digital plans to their tablets, replacing clunky paper sets and ensuring everyone is working from the same up-to-date page.
This careful preparation is built on a simple premise: when field crews are given a budget they can trust and codes that make sense, they are far more likely to provide accurate, detailed feedback. This creates a powerful feedback loop. As the field tracks actual productivity for labor, equipment, and materials, that data flows back to Shafer.
He can then build his next bid using real-world numbers, giving him a competitive edge as if he were getting live rates directly from the jobsite.
“Totally Worth It” – The ROI of Moving Beyond Spreadsheets
For any estimator on the fence about switching from a manual spreadsheet system, Shafer’s experience makes a clear point. He estimates that managing Interstate’s diverse range of projects in Excel would take him five times longer than it does with HeavyBid. The automation of time-consuming tasks, he says, has made his life “a million times easier.”
His advice to his peers is direct and encouraging.
“Don’t be afraid to change. It will definitely be some work on the front end, but it’s totally worth it,” says Shafer. “Once you learn the system, it’s hard to put into words how much easier it makes your life as an estimator.”
What’s Next? The Freedom of the Web
Looking ahead, Shafer is excited about the upcoming web-based version of HeavyBid, set for release in 2026. This evolution promises to eliminate the need for an in-house server, giving users the freedom to access their data securely from anywhere with an internet connection, all while being built on the latest available technology.
