# Page 4 | RSMeans Data Online Reviews 2026. Verified Reviews, Pros & Cons | Capterra > Page 4 - Is RSMeans Data Online the right Construction Estimating solution for you? Explore 304 verified user reviews from people in industries like yours to make a confident choice. Source: https://www.capterra.com/p/151681/RSMeans/reviews --- RSMeans Data Online 4.2 (304) Provider data verified by our Software Research team, and reviews moderated by our Reviews Verification team. [Learn more](https://www.capterra.com/our-story/) * * * Last updated April 27th, 2026 # Page 4 - Reviews of RSMeans Data Online ## Showing most helpful reviews Showing 76-100 of 304 Reviews Sort by: Most Helpful Rating Company Size Reviewer's Role Length of Use Frequency of Use JJ Jeff J. program officer Non-Profit Organization Management Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "cost estimation for non-profit" October 7, 2021 4.0 Pros relatively easy to use. I was able to figure out the software with minimal instruction. Cons sometimes pricing is confusing. especially for drywall Review Source SB Sharal B. President/CEO Construction Used the software for: 2+ years ### "President/CEO " February 19, 2019 5.0 We are a commercial construction company that competitive bid on projects . Pros The software is user friendly and gives a good foundation for cost estimating. Cons Sometimes I find the cost estimate to be rather low compared to actual bids. Review Source JB Jay B. Estimator Construction Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Very User Friendly" September 23, 2021 5.0 has been very easy to use and has helped me out on several estimating projects. Pros The software is very easy to use and the export function is excellent. The new WBS is also very useful for breaking up your estimates. Cons There are not many cons of this product as it is very user-friendly and very straightforward. Reason for choosing RSMeans Data Online Price and ease of setup. Review Source Response from Gordian November 18, 2021 Hi Jay - Thank you for taking the time to submit your feedback. We are glad to hear you are taking advantage of the export and WBS functions. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to our customer support team! RU Rebecca U. Associate, Tangible Property Services Accounting Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Ease the headaches of Costing" October 12, 2018 5.0 Pros One of my favorite features with this software is the locator. Having the costs customized to your location is so handy and much more accurate than applying a general multiplier to each item. Cons My least favorite feature about RSMeans is the subcategories. I love having all of my HVAC costs in one category but I find the subcategories hard to navigate and find exactly what I'm looking for. Review Source TP Thomas P. President Architecture & Planning Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Some suggestions" June 27, 2019 5.0 Generally good - we are satisfied with the product. Customer service is great too. Pros Detail of the data, and ease by which we can pull an estimate together. As an A/E firm on the front end of a lot of projects the first question is usually how much does it cost. RSM consistently hits the mark with the bid results. Cons \- a 80" computer monitor would work best to try to see everything with all the scroll bars - it would be nice to have an A/E fee adder % like we have for markups, instead of adding a % to every line item. The current option makes the math work but makes for a very messy output in reports. - have the Excel report outputs match the appearance of the PDF outputs. The PDF's are super clean but obviously lack any ability to augment or add things like A/E fee %, contingency, etc. We have to hand-edit them, which is fine, but if we change a number then we have to hand-edit everything again. Review Source pB patrick B. Program Manager Aviation & Aerospace Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Great Resource " January 15, 2020 5.0 Pros Current and up to date information with the online version. Cons Sometimes difficult to find the correct line item and you have to refer back to the book to find exactly what you are looking for. Review Source JN Justin N. Fiscal Manager Government Administration Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "RSMeans gives real time valuations" June 13, 2019 5.0 RSMeans gave us the ability to quickly create valuations for our many structures on six different campuses across the state of South Dakota. The customization process was cumbersome at times but the values were very helpful. Pros The ability to create valuations of a variety of different buildings Cons I'm a fiscal manager not a civil engineer so it is difficult to look at those huge lists of interchangeable components to what goes into a building Reason for choosing RSMeans Data Online The support we received from your sales team, their presentations of the software, and the cost of getting started. Review Source VP Valery P. Senior Energy Analyst Renewables & Environment Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Great service" June 20, 2019 4.0 Great, but again limited in items focused for energy conservation measures. Pros Useful line items, and ability to price out how much it installation is. Cons \- Limited in terms of what items you can find and price out. We use this software to price out energy conservation measures and some technologies are just not listed which is a limits how useful it can be on a project to project basis. - Sometimes pricing is not realistic for metropolitan areas. Worked on a project in San Francisco and spoke to someone local that said that the prices were nowhere near what RS Means was saying, they were much higher. - need to create every time i want to put together and export pricing for something small. Sometimes I get small requests for pricing and instead of being able to put a couple of items together, export it and send it out, i have to create a project and then put it together to export. Review Source JL Jun L. Project manager Design Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "Thoughts as a user" June 13, 2019 4.0 Pros Easy to search for the data Many tips available to do the cost estimate (e.g. how to do the quantity take off regarding foundation, spread footing) Cons RS Means sale various versions - Heavy Construction, Concrete & Masonry, MEP, Commercial renovation Cost. I have all of them and found out only a few added data-base specific to the title, not much worth to pay for. Abbreviation dictionary: It has most of the abbreviation but does not cover all. I have to google from time to time. Review Source JC Jerid C. President Construction Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Database is slow" September 23, 2021 2.0 It is very slow. Affects production of employees with generating estimates. Cons The database is slow. I cannot scroll through without it stopping to look for the data to insert. The search function is great, but only if you know the exact words that are used for the line item. Cannot easily move one or ten line items from a previous estimate and then add one or ten from another estimate. Overall difficult to manipulate. Hard to use line items for labor only. The export to excel is weak. Review Source RC Robert C. President Construction Used the software for: 2+ years ### "A reference library I use on a periodic basis. Helpful but expensive." June 26, 2019 3.0 Pros The content is fairly comprehensive and helps me get a better idea what costs may be for certain tasks or items. It also gives me the ability to see what the costs are through the different regions of the country. That is helpful because we service clients nationwide. Cons Sometimes I find it clumsy to navigate around. Also it never fits on my screen. I always have to scroll to the right. At times when I'm searching for an item I may have difficulty finding it. Even simple things. The reports are flat out terrible . Review Source RM Rich M. Chief Estimator Construction Used the software for: 2+ years ### "RS Means Data Online" July 2, 2019 4.0 It saves the time of having to pull a physical paper copy of the RS Means books of the shelf and searching though pages for data. As stated, it is much easier and convenient to search for items in the online data base and adjustments for time and location are done for you rather than having to search for a factor in the book and calculating every item you look up with these factors. Data is also updated quarterly, while the physical book is updated yearly. Pros I like that it is a comprehensive database of all of the RS Means Books in one easy to access, online database. Searching for items is fairly easy. Adjusting prices for markets and quarters of the year is easy with one touch of a button Cons The descriptions of items are long and if you try to extend the description field so that you can understand what item you are looking at, you lose some of the productivity and cost data fields. The viewing box could stand to be larger to allow for more data to be visible Review Source ES ERICK S. Vice President Construction Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "The Need For Assemblies" June 21, 2019 4.0 Pros Industry standard. "We used MEANS for pricing" - lets people know where the price baseline comes from and most constructors are familiar with the system. Cons The lack of assemblies. My specialty is electrical construction - lots of parts and pieces. It would be best to create an assemblies section of MEANS. 1. Conduit with supports and boxes. Create an assembly that has supports and "x amount of boxes" per foot of conduit. 2. Wiring device assemblies - include all the parts and pieces plus some branch circuit. Have assemblies tailored for tennant finish, warehouse, etc. 3. Fixture assemblies. Assemblies are much more efficient for use at the MEANS level of pricing. Independent count of individual fittings isn't critical, so having an assemblies section would be much more effective, but more accurate than a square foot number. Review Source cJ chad J. Sr. Project Manager Architecture & Planning Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "RS Means for job costing " October 5, 2021 3.0 I use RS means for a second or third check before I submit my estimates to the clients and because of the reputation it has established helps my justification of estiamtes Pros I appreciate that way that it uses the standard divisions to organize the estimates which is expected, however sometimes it is clumsy to navigate back and forth Cons When creating an estimate I would like to be able to navigate through the divisions quicker. Working on a medical university setting I find that the the program is good for basic costing but it is difficult to compare the complications of the environment that I work in, for example, I can be involved in project on campus in active lab spaces, medical equipment/chemical usage and storage, and even nuclear materials, RS means can not help with the complications that we deal with in these scenarios. Review Source jO jamal O. construction manage Government Administration Used the software for: 2+ years ### "it is good tool for refence for construction cost" February 8, 2018 3.0 Pros crews and daily output, it is update quarterly and it is good for big project and complex project. on site work or civil work has more breakdown. Cons the RSMeans does add variable for small job or the condition of the site, the date need integrate with all variable ex. the construction index, the shortage of materials and labors city by city. . Review Source RR Roxanne R. estimating Construction Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "Review " June 21, 2019 3.0 qty and price already "adds up". Too much time to create a system proposal because you need to add each line. Procore system contains a construction system layout with all its accessories synced as soon as I click the type of system to be installed. Pros The catalogue does contain a fair amount of line items. Cons I need to create my own system. I need to search for items with different terms. Line items sometimes may be too generic or too specific. It's not consistent. Reason for choosing RSMeans Data Online Because others were moving in that direction. Review Source SR Susan R. Certified Professional Estimator Construction Used the software for: 2+ years ### "What's not to like! " June 13, 2019 5.0 Great on-line experience unless you get a power outage. Pros The ease of looking up specific material items. Cons The inclusion of new technology pricing has a wait. Review Source aH alan H. Director of PreConstruction Construction Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Hudson Budgeting/Value Engineering" June 21, 2019 5.0 quick and easy Pros the 2019 on line service brings up 2nd, 3rd, 4th level data a lot quicker than in the past. I use the production info and modify for projects and the materials costs are extremely helpful. searching from the search bar is quick. Cons upon opening the divisions are open. when working on a laptop it is harder to close the section. it would be good to have a setup button to determine whether we want that open or not. Reason for choosing RSMeans Data Online advanced data upgraded and references the market. Review Source MS Michael S. Program Manager Construction Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Detail oriented " July 2, 2019 5.0 Pros The details provided when building an estimate is immeasurable Cons Training is needed when doing speciality estimates Review Source AB Andy B. Design Manager - VP Construction Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Fire Protection Contractor - Use of RSMeans for Labor Estimates for Change Orders." July 2, 2019 4.0 I do like using RSMeans to create estimates of time for change orders. It provides an acceptable means to present the amount of labor required for the work. We have not had labor hours questioned when using RSMeans. Overall, it's a great tool for us to use in this way. Pros As a fire protection contractor, I use RSMeans data to estimate field time for change order work on government projects. This method has been acceptable to the corps of engineers, and provides a fair and reasonable estimate of time. In addition, I like the ability to save the estimate in an Excel spreadsheet, and add a total labor calculation to the file. Cons RSMeans data does provide data on new installations, but does not provide data choices for reworking of existing systems that I could find, such as demolition or reworking of sprinkler drops, etc... for a tenant improvement. Also, I do not use the material cost estimate portion of the work.... only because we provide actual quotes of materials, including freight costs, to the project site. Review Source KG Kevin G. Director Civil Engineering Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Cost estimating for capital reserve planning and replacement cost analysis" June 20, 2019 4.0 Pros Relatively easy to use after some training. Automatically adjusts costs for regions. Cons The determination of which "package" is appropriate for our use extremely cumbersome and difficult. Our current package covers most of the line items we need, but there are some that it doesn't cover. We still purchase the book every couple of years as it includes many line items our online package does not cover. Reason for choosing RSMeans Data Online Line item cost data for various components. Review Source HT Haashiem T. Cost Estimator Architecture & Planning Used the software for: 2+ years ### "RSMeans Rates library" June 16, 2019 5.0 More accurate basic element pricing, from product source locations, this eliminates the need to get quotes from a local distributor, which take a long time, it also assists us in negotiating with local distributors, as we have a confirmed base price for various items at the source (EX WORKS) Pros Major list of basic construction items, which assist with having a basis for pricing, at least for a base cost, because we are in a different geographical location, where most products are sourced from the US. Cons Limitations in the product description in some occasions can cause some confusion, not all products are created equal, but it is understood that naming items will have to expand the list to millions of items, causing major capital expenditure and price increases to service offerings Reason for choosing RSMeans Data Online Extensive list, better suited to the source of materials Review Source SR Sujay R. Estimator Construction Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Wish the data works in both Metric & Imperial Units" September 23, 2021 4.0 I wish there is a unit conversion in the tool. In Canada we need metric, not imperial units. it sucks when we generate reports for client with a unit they can not relate to. Pros Much easier to use compared to looking for information in a paperback copy Cons It sucks that there is no unit conversion with this software. Makes it difficult to use when majority of work we do is in metric system. Review Source MR Mark R. Manager Government Administration Used the software for: 2+ years ### "RS Means" February 15, 2019 4.0 Positive. We use RS Means to verify the cost reasonableness of construction costs for federally funded disaster recovery costs. Pros It provides a broad cross section of construction industry price data. Cons Because the data for labor is gathered from a large variety of sources, it is not reflective of common construction pay rates for many labor classes. Locally, very few construction workers receive any type of benefits with their hourly pay. Review Source TE Tony E. Engineer Government Administration Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Great tool" June 13, 2019 5.0 I've had great support with purchasing, training, and product use. Pros This is the industry standard software for cost estimating. The costs are available in multiple levels of detail - by square foot, assemblies, or individual component or item. Very powerful and easy to use once basic training is taken. Cons I would like to see more background information (image, details) on specific line items. Not all have this. Review Source ## Send me user reviews about this product ### Fill out the form and we'll send a list of the top-rated software based on real user reviews directly to your inbox. Talk to a Capterra advisor for free and get results within 15 minutes.