DIGITAL CANAL HOME DESIGN AND ESTIMATING SOFTWARE OVERVIEW


Digital Canal Corp. provides home design and estimating software, as well as structural engineering software, for contractors, homebuilders, remodelers and structural engineers worldwide. Digital Canal was officially founded in 2001 in Dubuque, Iowa, after the company bought the Building Designs Divisions of Eagle Point Software, though its products have been in use, in one form or another, for more than 20 years.

The company's building and construction offerings include design, estimating and scheduling software packages.

The Design Software package consists of Building Blocks Technology, SolidBuilder Design Software and Virtual Image Rendering Software. The built-in wizard within Building Blocks Technology allows contractors and builders to create blueprints, designs and plans, the vendor said. Building Block designs can then be transferred to SolidBuilder, which has features such as 3D modeling, framing and complex roof generation. Finally, the Virtual Image application then presents the computer generated image as a 3D image that can be enhanced with scenery, textures and other artistic effects, the vendor said.

The Estimating Software package includes BidBuilder and Digital Takeoff. BidBuilder is an estimating tool with a Microsoft Excel interface and a construction database including materials, labor and pricing. Digital Takeoff is on-screen takeoff software that does not require digitizers, just a digital camera or scanner, the vendor said.

Digital Canal's Scheduling and Resource Management Software contains JobTracker and an Etails Punchlist Manager. JobTracker manages the progress of a job by creating a construction schedule and Gantt Charts, storing important project information, and automating work orders, the vendor said. The Etails Punchlist Manager allows job site information to be shared between field, office and project members by automating information distribution and updates and organizing job information and details.

In addition, the company's Structural Design Software offerings are divided into 15 separate packages. Many come with a variety of modules that aid contractors with steel, concrete, timber and footing designs. This suite also includes StrucPro Drafting/Detailing, which is compatible with AutoCAD and parametrically defines and automatically customizes details; this facilitates the use of blocks in the design process, the vendor said.

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