Software FAQ's
How user-friendly is your software?
How much past experience do I need to use your software?
Does your software eliminate the need for an engineer’s stamp?
Will your software tell me what snow load to use based on location?
Does your software tell what wind speed, exposure, and seismic information to use based on location?
Your software seems limited in what it can do. Why?
Your software is all written in the Microsoft Excel platform. Why?
I see your programs list Trus-Joist MacMillan engineered wood products. How about other brands?
What about upgrades?

Seminar FAQ's
I’d like you to bring your ‘Basic Structural Concepts and Design Fundamentals’ seminar to my town. If I sign up as ‘interested’ how long will it be before you schedule one here?
You don’t advertise your fee schedule for on-site customized training. Why not? Can I get a copy of it?

Answers to Software Frequently Asked Questions

How user-friendly is your software?
All software takes a little getting used to, however, we believe ours is the most user-friendly in the industry for the following reasons:
All input is done on the same screen. There is no clicking or bouncing around between screens or sub-screens. Scrolling can be minimized by simply changing Excel’s zoom setting to a lower percentage. Input is similar to how you think out the problem. Start at the top with basic information and simply work your way down the screen. This format continually prompts you for all required information, i.e. your chances of forgetting a load or other critical item are drastically minimized. Every input cell or area has helpful notes (denoted by red triangles) hidden therein to remind you of the nature of information being requested. All notes are revealed by simple ‘mouse-over’.

How much past experience do I need to use your software?
We recommend that you are familiar with construction practices germane to the particular software product you wish to purchase (i.e. wood framing background is important for the Basic Structural Bundle). We also recommend that you have a decent handle on running a computer. In the absence of these two background items, you may still be able to use our software confidently, however, you should expect to invest substantial time reading our "Basic Structural Concepts for the Non-Engineer" book, and in going through the examples in our User’s Manual.

Does your software eliminate the need for an engineer’s stamp?
No. No software, span table, calculator, advice from a contractor or building official takes away the requirement for an engineer’s stamp. However, the vast majority of residential and light commercial construction in the U.S. is performed without professional engineering. If you have ever used a span table, or sized a beam by some rule-of-thumb, you probably would have been safer using good software, like ConstructionCalc’s.

Each state has laws describing what constitutes ‘engineering’ and who may perform it. We believe our software should be legally treated the same as span tables, manufacturer’s proprietary software, or any other design aid. If in doubt, contact your state board of professional engineers.

Will your software tell me what snow load to use based on location?
No. To our knowledge there is no single place to go for that information. Check with your local building official for basic snow load requirements in your specific area. Once you have that information though, our Loads software will calculate unbalanced, and slope-reduced unbalanced snow loads.

Does your software tell what wind speed, exposure, and seismic information to use based on location?
No. To our knowledge there is no single place to go for that information. Check with your local building official for basic wind and seismic information pertinent to your specific area. Once you have that information though, our wind and seismic Loads program will compute your wind pressures in pounds per square foot and your seismic base shear equation.

Your software seems limited in what it can do. Why?
Our software is the best in the world at solving what most people in the construction industry face daily: beams, columns, footings, retaining walls, etc. If you want software that will solve skyscrapers and bridges, we’re not your brand. We have no intention of creating massive, hard-to-use, complicated programs that only engineers can figure out… that has been done many times over. We are the hammer and saw… the power tools of structural software. If our current list of programs doesn’t address your software power tool needs, check our website and newsletter for upcoming products. We’ve probably got what you want already under development.

Your software is all written in the Microsoft Excel platform. Why?
There are several reasons:
1. Excel is hugely powerful as a stand-alone program. Rather than us trying to recreate all Excel can do by itself, we’ve chosen to piggy-back and let Excel work for us (and you!). 2. Most people in the construction industry are already familiar with Excel or other spreadsheet programs. This limits the learning curve with our programs. 3. Excel enables many cool features such as split screen, in-cell equations, variables, etc. that YOU can take advantage of. Printing and file operations are also a snap with Excel. 4. Compatibility problems are virtually eliminated. If you can run Windows and Excel, you can run our software.

I see your programs list Trus-Joist MacMillan engineered wood products. How about other brands?
At some point we may add other major brands to our program’s databases. But in the meantime if you size for Trus-Joist MacMIllan, competing brands (your lumber yard) should be happy to cross-reference for you.

What about upgrades?
Like all good software, ConstructionCalc upgrades are inevitable. No product is ever ‘perfect’, so even the best of them have room for improvement. But in keeping with our ‘best software value anywhere’ philosophy, our upgrades will be very reasonably priced. We want to KEEP our customers, not drive them away.

Answers to Seminar Frequently Asked Questions

I’d like you to bring your ‘Basic Structural Concepts and Design Fundamentals’ seminar to my town. If I sign up as ‘interested’ how long will it be before you schedule one here?
It completely depends on how long it takes to get forty-nine other people near you interested. It might be next week, next year, or never. Our suggestion is to talk to your associates and friends and have all of them register. Or better yet, all of you should consider joining together for a customized on-site seminar. That is usually the most timely, cost-effective way to get the specialized training you need.

You don’t advertise your fee schedule for on-site customized training. Why not? Can I get a copy of it?
We don’t advertise that because there are too many variables involved in determining exact costs for each situation. If you are truly interested in on-site training, please call or e-mail us. Once we have an idea of what you want and where you are, we will be more than happy to fax you a detailed cost schedule. Generally, if you’ve got several people needing the same training, our on-site program is the best way to go. This is especially true if you can muster others from outside your organization to help share the costs.

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