Civil 3 design

[LiecaMan]

Hey guys , I work for a small company that purchased some gps equipment about a year ago. The majority of our jobs aren't engineered and we would like to get into modelling our sites too maximize use of the gps . Any suggestions on modelling software, we are currently checking into civil3 . Your comments are appreciated :cool2

 

[Former Wrench]

I work for the ST of AK, DOT&PF. There are 30+ designers and engineers in the building who have Civil 3D. It is a great program that can do more than you might be capable of doing. To run right, it takes a high horsepower computer. But if it is good enough for the state to use to design roads and bridges, it should be good for your needs.

 

[LiecaMan]

Thanks Former Wrench , from what I have heard that makes sense , I think it might even be a bit extreme for what we would use it for , but it's nice too have lots of tools in the toolbox

 

[Bliz]

LiecaMan, I have run AutoCAD LDD and Civil 3D for years. I also just made the switch to Carlson and my only regret is I didn't do it sooner. Talk to many more people than the few who will respond here before you spend that much money. Civil 3D has a very steep learning curve and without a strong CAD background or professional training, you'll probably never use it to it's slightest potential. Many, many surveyors, contractors and designers have made the switch to Carlson and I have never heard of one saying he was switching back. Carlson has a learning curve as well, but for the construction application, in my opinion you be crazy to pick Civil 3D over Carlson. Good luck with your choice.

 

[LiecaMan]

Thanks Bliz , definitely gonna check Carlson out. How are they for customer support and training ?

 

[Bliz]

Thanks Bliz , definitely gonna check Carlson out. How are they for customer support and training ?

They are the best I have ever dealt with. Number 1, they speak very good English because they are based in Kentucky and the support on the product is for life, not a year or 90 days. I recently had an item I couldn't figure out and ended up speaking with Dave Carlson who said, don't struggle with an issue, just call us. I believe their support is six days a week and they do answer the phone. Try getting that with AutoCAD. No matter what you buy, I would suggest a dealer who can actually give you some training verses buying the cheapest price on the internet.

 

[Brad SEIN]

I have used Carlson Takeoff for 8 years and would highly recommend it. I was in the same situation with no plans for my jobs. Working in rural and agriculture jobs, there can be large projects that don't have the first grade shot. I bought a Trimble rover so I could at least have a topo, and it has evolved from there.

I have never had any formal CAD training and was able to learn the program fairly well. Support is great, and they are continuously updating the software with more features. It's nice to be able to build a surface and use the clean up button to check for mistakes. That way when you put the surface in the dozer you are confident there are no "holes" in the surface.

 

[PrecisionPro]

I work for a company called Precision ProFile and do all modeling and volumes for cheap. We're very accurate and get designs back quick. We also support Carlson as we've been doing work on it for about 10 years.

Check us out at www.precisionprofiledesign.com if interested in anything! We'd love to team up.