Comparison · Active 2026; AI takeoff add-on in pre-beta
Lift vs Steel Erection Bid Wizard
How Lift compares to Steel Erection Bid Wizard on detection breadth, integrations, customer outcomes, and what an estimator should buy in 2026.
01 · In short
Bid Wizard is the only purpose-built erector estimating product in this guide. It assigns hours and equipment to erection scope, and more than 400 erection shops rely on it. The company is now layering an AI takeoff product on top, still in pre-beta. The overlap with Lift is narrower than it sounds. Erection labor estimation and AI fab takeoff sit on different sides of the workflow.
This page lays out how the two line up on detection, maturity, integrations, usability, pricing clarity, and stack independence. Then it covers where each has the real edge and where each falls short. The one-paragraph call is at the bottom. Both are real options for a steel shop. Which one fits depends on the specifics below, not on a single headline number.
02 · Head-to-head score
Editorial scoring, 0 to 100, based on public claims, product surface area, field reports, and 2026 positioning. It is not a benchmark. Neither product leads on every axis, and where Steel Erection Bid Wizard is ahead, the bar shows it.
03 · Spec comparison
| Attribute | Lift | Steel Erection Bid Wizard |
|---|---|---|
| Vendor | SketchDeck.ai | Steel Estimating Solutions (Vince Hughes) |
| Status | Generally available · paying customers since 2021 | Generally available · Active 2026; AI takeoff add-on in pre-beta |
| Pricing | By quote · no per-month takeoff cap | License model on request |
| Detects | Beams, Columns, Braces, Joists, Plates | Labor estimation, Equipment estimation, Erection-side scope |
| Member attributes | Shape, Size, Length, Stud counts, Camber, Framing conditions, Moments, Copes, Holes | Not publicly itemized at this depth |
| Elevations | Yes, plans and elevations | Not applicable |
| Integrations | Tekla, Strumis, Fabtrol, E.J.E., Excel | Tekla, eTakeoff, SDS2 |
| Headline metric | 95–99% accuracy · 50–80% time savings | Not publicly quantified |
| Named results |
King Steel · 50% bid takeoff time reduction FabArc Steel · 91% time reduction per sheet Metals Fabrication · 40% more bids completed |
Not published |
04 · Where each has the edge
In Lift's favour
- Lift produces a fabrication BOM directly from a PDF. Bid Wizard handles erection labor and equipment.
- Lift is generally available with quoted customer outcomes. Bid Wizard's AI takeoff layer is pre-beta.
- For shops running both fabrication and erection, the two products complement more than they compete.
In Steel Erection Bid Wizard's favour
- Vince Hughes built it as a working erector, not a software founder, which gives it deep field credibility.
- More than 400 shops on the platform, with deep references in the erection community.
- Integrates downstream with Tekla, eTakeoff, and SDS2 for cross-team workflows.
- Editable assumptions per task, which turns a generic estimate into a shop's own book.
05 · Limitations on both sides
Lift's limitations
- Priced at the higher end of the category, and quoted rather than published, which makes it harder to weigh against a public number.
- The interface is not the fastest in head-to-head demos. Newer entrants like Ferra switch pages with less lag.
- Column workflows are still maturing. Some rivals ship a dedicated column scanner today.
- Feature pace is steady rather than flashy. Parametric assemblies and base-plate schedules are on the roadmap, not shipped.
Steel Erection Bid Wizard's limitations
- Erector-side focus, not a fabrication takeoff tool.
- The AI takeoff add-on is pre-beta, not yet shipping.
- Marketing reach is smaller than the AI-native entrants crowding NASCC.
The take
Bid Wizard owns erection-side estimating, labor and equipment, in a way no AI takeoff tool does. It has more than 400 shops and real field credibility behind it. Its AI takeoff layer is still pre-beta. For erectors, it's the incumbent and the natural starting point. For fabricators, Lift handles the takeoff side. Plenty of shops that both fabricate and erect will run both rather than pick one.