Atlas Painting and Restoration Ltd. is located in Vancouver and specializes in commercial, light industrial, and residential painting. Family owned and operated since 1975, Atlas began with exterior painting and moved into some general contracting. They are experts in restorations and all facets related to coatings.
The Atlas estimating team started out using pen and paper and then tried Bluebeam for a brief period but were unsatisfied. They switched to STACK about 5 years ago and have been using the platform successfully ever since.
Top 3 Favorite Things About STACK
Search
There’s nothing more frustrating than not being able to find what you need in the midst of dozens or even hundreds of blueprint pages. The ability to search for keywords speeds up the takeoff process for Atlas and even comes in handy after being awarded a project. If it’s been months since an estimator looked at the plans, and a site super has questions once a project begins, it’s easy to look up the relevant issue and resolve it right away.
Simplicity & Convenience
Because STACK is browser-based, Atlas estimators can work anywhere there’s a wifi connection. Whether they’re home, in the field, or on the go, takeoffs take just a few clicks. The platform itself is intuitive and user-friendly and allows Atlas to complete a lot of projects in a short period of time.
Markup Tools
Leaving notes on plan pages makes it easier to be as thorough as possible with estimates. An Atlas estimator references STACK almost daily during the bidding phase, making markups for clarification. If there are ambiguities, the team can note down questions and comments to come back to later if they need to follow up with architects or other stakeholders, so all bases are covered.
Other STACK Highlights
For Mark Gled, Chief Estimator at Atlas, STACK just really clicked for him and was a better fit than Bluebeam. “It’s just a few finger clicks and you’re done,” he says. He also appreciates the ability to request new features and the frequent updates made by the STACK product team.
Ultimately, it comes down to saving time, and with STACK’s simple user interface and low learning curve, Atlas has been able to speed up takeoffs and eliminate time spent searching for information on plans, letting Mark and his team focus on what’s most important – bidding and winning more work, and continuing to grow the business.
