Ferra

Ferra vs Beam AI

Beam AI covers more than 15 trades, as a done-for-you service or a DIY platform. Ferra is built only for structural steel, and your estimators drive it.

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Ferra and Beam AI, side by side

What each tool does today, row by row. Bring one of your own sets to a demo and test the rows that matter to your shop.

Built for
FerraStructural steel only. Built and tested by Ferra's in-house structural steel estimators.
Beam AI15+ trades, with structural steel as one of them.
Takeoff scope
FerraBeams, columns, joists, and braces, plus base plates, cap plates, anchor bolts, and studs. Column properties come off the schedule, each linked to where it was read.
Beam AIBeam lengths, studs, camber, columns, joists, and braces, plus base plates, gussets, and clip angles.
Misc metals
FerraIn beta, starting with stairs, ladders, and railings.
Beam AIStairs, railings, ladders, and platforms.
Revisions
FerraCompares two sets side by side. The estimator confirms each change, so nothing gets double-counted into tonnage.
Beam AICompares revised sets for added and removed members, quantity changes, and sheet revisions.
Pricing the job
FerraEnter your labor rates, material prices per ton, and buy items. Ferra works out shop hours, erection hours, labor, material, and paint. Rapid Estimate gives a conceptual price before the takeoff.
Beam AIExcel estimates with your material and labor costs, with hours, rates, and markups kept separate.
Which jobs to bid
FerraBid Intelligence reads the ITB, specs, and drawings for scope, risk, and fit, so you can make the go or no-go call before committing estimator hours.
Beam AINo go or no-go scoring is published.
Exports
FerraTekla PowerFab CSV, custom CSV formats, Excel, STRUMIS, IFC for Tekla Structures and SDS2, and Bluebeam markups.
Beam AIExcel, PDF, and a shareable link.
How you buy it
FerraSoftware your estimators drive. Plans are tiered by shop size, and the standard plan has unlimited users and sets.
Beam AIDone-for-you takeoffs in 24 to 72 hours for any trade, or a DIY platform for HVAC, plumbing, and steel. Sold as an annual license per trade.

Beam AI details come from Beam AI’s own website, checked . Something out of date? Tell us at hello@bidferra.com.

Where Beam AI is strong

  • It covers more than 15 trades, which suits a contractor bidding several of them.
  • You can hand the takeoff off entirely, with human review, on a 24 to 72 hour turnaround.
  • Its steel takeoff covers misc steel such as stairs, railings, ladders, and platforms.

What you get with Ferra

Ferra steel takeoff for one floor: beams, columns, joists, and braces with piece counts, tons, and each family marked reviewed

Takeoff the estimator can check

Beams, columns, joists, and braces detected across the set, with every member in a review list before anything is exported.

Ferra column library read from the column schedule: each mark with its section, base plate, anchor bolts, and source sheet, including a column spliced at level 3

Columns on real sets

Column properties come off the schedule, splices included, each linked to the sheet it was read from.

Ferra Bid Intelligence for a distribution center: a risk score, scope findings with their source sheets and spec sections, and a go recommendation

Know which jobs to bid

Scope, risk, and fit pulled from the ITB and specs, each finding linked to its source, before anyone starts counting.

A three-level steel frame in Ferra's 3D model with one floor highlighted, member counts, and IFC export to Tekla Structures and SDS2

3D model and IFC

The takeoff becomes an estimating-level 3D model, exported as IFC for Tekla Structures and SDS2.

Which one fits your shop

Pick Beam AI if

  • You bid several trades and want one vendor for all of them.
  • You'd rather send drawings out than run the takeoff in-house.

Pick Ferra if

  • Structural steel is most of your work.
  • Your quantities need to land in Tekla PowerFab, STRUMIS, or an IFC model.
  • You want a go or no-go read on a job before you commit estimator hours.

From a Ferra customer

“This took me 10 to 15 minutes to get this project to this point — it took 5 seconds to add 314 columns. You guys have got something that no one else on the market does: a real working AI takeoff tool that doesn't require hours of manual work. Taking the main framing off on this one by hand would easily be 5 to 10 hours.”

PK
Peyton Kline
Senior Estimator, Gridiron Steel

FAQ

Ferra vs Beam AI questions

What is the main difference between Ferra and Beam AI?

Beam AI covers more than 15 trades, offers done-for-you takeoffs or a DIY platform, and returns Excel, PDF, and a shareable link. Ferra is built only for structural steel, adds Bid Intelligence for the go or no-go call, and exports into Tekla PowerFab, STRUMIS, and IFC.

Does Ferra do the takeoff for me like Beam AI?

Ferra is software your estimators drive, so the takeoff happens in-house and the estimator reviews every number. If you want to hand bids off entirely, Beam's done-for-you service is built for that.

Does Ferra export to Tekla PowerFab?

Yes. Tekla PowerFab CSV is Ferra's default export, alongside custom CSV formats, Excel, STRUMIS, IFC for Tekla Structures and SDS2, and Bluebeam markups.

How do I compare Ferra and Beam AI fairly?

Run the same structural steel job through both and compare columns, connections, and a revision, member by member. Book a demo and bring the set; we run it with you on the call.

Bring a set you know

Send us a job you already ran through Beam AI, or one you're bidding now. We'll run it in Ferra with you on the call.

JF

Send me a drawing set. We’ll run it and show you what Ferra found.

Josh Ford · Co-Founder, Ferra