Building the model for the industry

By Emma Peterson. 

Learn how SmartBuild Systems’ 3D modeling can make your bid process more efficient and effective. 

In Season 2, Episode 3 of MetalCast™, Karen Edwards spoke to Keith Dietzen, the CEO of SmartBuild Systems, about their powerful software and what it can do for contractors. The parent company of SmartBuild is Keymark Enterprises, which Keith also founded back in 1975. He explained, “We were something of a pioneer in terms of writing software for the residential and commercial construction industry.” One of their keystone achievements was writing the first program for engineered wood products in the 1980s.  

With this background in the industry, he founded SmartBuild seven years ago. He explained that “the original purpose of SmartBuild was to develop a software program that would be a presentation tool and a takeoff and pricing tool for the post-frame industry.” He might not have planned it, but, through a partnership with Sherwin-Williams, his programming was going to be a game-changer in the metal roofing industry.  

When working on metal roofs specifically, there are a lot more nuances than the traditional asphalt. Keith explained, “There are a lot of pieces and parts that go into it. The bottom line is that it's much more difficult to get an accurate bid because the process is much more painstaking.” The measurements that make a bid accurate are the part that takes up the most time for the contractor and dissuades many folks from making the switch to metal. But SmartBuild had a solution to this!  

Keith explained, “We had our own 3D modeling program for post-frame. And then the logic inside of SmartBuild would say, ‘I want to put metal panels on this roof. So, here's my preferences, here's where I want to start my placement from.’” From there, the program is intended to find everything from the cut list links for each panel to the available trim pieces, takeoff accessories, screws, adhesives and closure material. Once a contractor has that precise model, they can customize it to include whatever information is most impactful to their client. Keith elaborated, “We help our customers lay out the complete format and the pieces of information they want to create that will be presented in that proposal. We can do things like take snapshots of the picture, the 3D picture of the roof and they can include that where they want.”  

Read the transcript, Listen to the interview or Watch the webinar to learn more about what SmartBuild System’s 3D modeling can do for your business.