For over 20 years, Taylor Made Joinery Interiors (TMJ Interiors) has relied on a bespoke estimating system tailored to the unique requirements of specialist joinery estimating. As a growing business with approximately £48 million annual turnover, the system had become a critical part of the company's pre-construction process. However, with support for the legacy platform coming to an end, TMJ Interiors needed to find a modern alternative that could match the level of detail their estimators depend on every day.
The challenge was finding software capable of handling the complexity of bespoke joinery estimating, where projects need to be broken down into individual items, components, materials, processes and labour. Many estimating solutions are designed primarily for main contractors and lack the flexibility specialist contractors require.
"We needed a system that could do everything our existing package does, while helping us move towards a more connected and efficient way of working.”
Brett Bayliss, Estimating Manager, TMJ Interiors
The Challenge: Balancing modernisation with specialist requirements
TMJ Interiors existing estimating process relied on a combination of their bespoke estimating application and multiple spreadsheets used to manage procurement activities, supplier pricing and subcontracted packages.
As the business continues to grow, this approach created several challenges:
- An unsupported core estimating system created operational risk.
- Estimating, procurement and supply chain processes were managed across separate tools.
- Significant manual effort was required to manage bespoke materials and supplier rates.
- Limited visibility across the end-to-end estimating and tendering process.
- The need to maintain detailed cost breakdowns for highly customised joinery items.
With approximately 8 estimators, 12 surveyors and 99% of projects containing specialist materials, bespoke components or subcontracted elements. TMJ Interiors required a solution that could provide greater consistency and efficiency without compromising estimating accuracy.
Why CausewayOne Pre-Construction?
Of the solutions that were assessed, CausewayOne Pre-Construction stood out because it offered more than a replacement for an unsupported estimating system. It demonstrated the flexibility TMJ Interiors needed to continue estimating at the level of detail their projects demand while bringing together estimating and enquiries in a single environment.
"We were looking for a solution that could handle the level of detail required for bespoke joinery estimating while helping us move away from disconnected spreadsheets and manual processes. CausewayOne Pre-Construction gives us the opportunity to bring estimating, supply chain management and tendering into a single platform that can support the business as we continue to grow." ”
Brett Bayliss, Estimating Manager, TMJ Interiors
The team saw that they could retain the ability to build costs from the ground up, breaking down individual joinery items into materials, dimensions, manufacturing processes, labour and supplier-specific rates, while benefiting from a more connected workflow across the wider pre-construction process.
CausewayOne's ability to support detailed cost build-ups, rather than forcing estimators into a package-led approach, gave TMJ Interiors confidence that they could modernise without compromising the accuracy and methodology that had been developed over more than two decades.
The team were particularly interested in CausewayOne's ability to:
- Build detailed estimates from individual components, materials, dimensions and labour activities.
- Maintain and manage material libraries, labour rates and supplier-specific pricing.
- Create a more connected workflow between estimating, enquiries and procurement activities.
- Reduce reliance on multiple spreadsheets and manual processes.
- Provide improved cost and margin visibility.
- Support a growing estimating team with a scalable, supported solution.
The ability to combine specialist estimating requirements with a modern pre-construction platform was a key factor in TMJ Interiors decision to move forward with CausewayOne.
What success looks like from here
As TMJ Interiors prepares to implement CausewayOne Pre-Construction, the business expects to create a more streamlined and integrated estimating workflow that reduces manual effort and improves visibility across projects. The outcomes they anticipate are:
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Faster estimating, with less time lost re-keying data between spreadsheets and systems
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Better margin visibility, particularly on the bespoke and subcontracted work that makes up almost all of their pipeline
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Less manual rework, freeing up estimators to spend more time pricing and less time reconciling
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More efficient management of subcontractor and supplier pricing.
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More competitive bids, backed by greater consistency across bids and a process that scales as the business grows
For TMJ Interiors, the move is not simply about replacing an ageing system. It is an opportunity to modernise pre-construction processes, create efficiencies across the business and build a platform that can support future growth.
About Taylor Made Joinery Interiors
TMJ Interiors is a specialist joinery contractor delivering bespoke joinery and fit-out projects across the UK. With a reputation for high-quality craftsmanship and custom manufacturing, the business requires highly detailed estimating processes capable of accurately costing unique materials, components and labour requirements for every project.
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