groundplan.com

What It Is

Groundplan is cloud-based takeoff and estimating software for the construction industry, primarily serving contractors in Australia, New Zealand, and overseas markets. Users can upload PDF drawings and perform counts, length measurements, area/volume measurements directly in the browser, then generate material and labor estimates. It supports a wide range of trades, including electrical, plumbing, fire protection, roofing, concrete, HVAC, landscaping, and more.

Core Features and Collaboration

Its core workflow is a closed loop of online quantity takeoff and estimating: Count, Length, and Area tools are used to extract quantities, while Excel-style formulas can calculate material quantities, labor hours, costs, and profit. Worksheets consolidate quantities and pricing. The Plan Design module provides PDF editing capabilities such as symbols, lines, rulers, text, images, title blocks, legends, erasers, and cropping, making it suitable for turning estimates into professional, client-readable drawings. At the project level, it supports document storage, project templates, takeoff templates, calendars, and to-dos. Team members in different locations can work on the same set of drawings at the same time, and tasks can be assigned to specific users with due dates.

Pricing, Integrations, and Deployment

The main content does not disclose specific plan pricing, only stating that Groundplan uses a subscription model with unlimited data storage and backups included. A 7-day free trial is available, during which users can complete the full estimating workflow and receive expert guidance or training. Groundplan is a 100% cloud-based product, requiring no download or installation, and runs in modern browsers. Its integrations are closely aligned with the Australia/New Zealand construction software ecosystem, supporting Simpro, AroFlo, Xero, QuickBooks, Fergus, and Ascora. It can also export to Excel and PDF, and calendars can sync with Gmail and Outlook.

Pros and Cons

Its strengths include a clear onboarding path and a fairly complete workflow around construction drawing takeoff, quoting, drawing presentation, and team collaboration. Templates, drawing revisions, and Count Assist are practically useful for repeated bidding and counting on large drawings. Training and online support information is also relatively clear. The downsides are limited pricing transparency, and no clear information on granular permissions, an open API, self-hosted deployment, or security/compliance certifications. Its fit with Chinese bill-of-quantities standards, Chinese-language interface needs, local payment methods, and integrations with domestic software is also unknown.

Best Fit and Access from China

Groundplan is better suited to small and medium-sized construction contractors, specialist subcontractors, suppliers, and remote estimating teams in the Australia/New Zealand market, especially companies that need to quickly generate quantities and quotes from PDF drawings. The main content does not provide information on access from China, so buyers should test network connectivity, payment methods, and drawing data compliance requirements before purchasing. Domestic alternatives in China may include Glodon, Luban, and Pinming cost estimating/quantity takeoff tools; overseas alternatives to compare include PlanSwift, Bluebeam, and STACK.