Boston, MA Doing business with Brian Burke is like turning the clock ahead and back at the same time. His pioneering reprographics firm Plans4Less.com helps customers save time and money – and capture additional business – combining cutting-edge 21st century technology with cut-rate prices. It’s a story of how a traditional blueprint maker has reinvented himself to become, as he says with a smile, “the FTD of the reprographics business.”
Burke’s novel concept offers distinct advantages for general contractors and subs, architects, construction firms and related industries:
• Plans for $1 per page – a savings of about 70% over competitors’ fees (black and white, standard architectural and engineering sizes). Color pages are a bit more.
• Same day or sooner turnaround – Large format plans delivered within 24 hours of receipt of digital files. His network of local print partners often makes possible same-day delivery.
• Integrated solutions to improve the preconstruction process – In the Spring, Plans4Less.com and SmartBidNet® (www.SmartBidNet.com), a leader in ‘invitation to bid’ software for general contractors and subcontractors, joined forces to improve speed and collaboration.
Plans4Less.com has built a loyal following across the country among companies of all sizes and types. A few examples:
When Bernice Bako, national marketing director for giant Turner Construction Co. ($11 billion in annual revenues) needed printed small format color copies for a presentation, she called on Burke “who has never let us down.” She says, “We sent our digital files in the evening, Central Time, and we had the prints in-hand for a presentation the next day at noon, an hour before the presentation. Plans4Less.com beats the local office of a national copy/print company on turnaround and price. We saved 20% on the job. Brian is available, flexible and fairly priced.”
Paul Dawson is an architect and Asset Manager for The Grossman Companies, Inc., a commercial real estate firm near Boston with a three million square-foot portfolio. He’s been using Plans4Less.com since its founding. This past year, much of Paul’s work has focused on an apartment construction project. He says, “The quality of black and white and color prints is always excellent. A recent order for three 24” x 36” full color large format presentation graphics mounted on foam board arrived the next day, well packaged, in great condition. We appreciate Brian’s ‘can do’ attitude and personalized service. They have saved us many hundreds of dollars.”
Office Manager Sue at Steven C. Hayes’ architectural firm on Cape Cod, has used Plans4Less.com for two years. She says, “Where else can you get 24” x 36” prints for $1 per page, delivered the next day – sometimes the same day?” She says costs add up when you need 10 sets of 20 pages each. Subcontractors and town building departments require hard copies of every page. We email our PDF’s and delivery instructions, and within 24 hours, like magic, the package arrives as promised.”
In June, Plans4Less.com secured its first West Coast client, Bobo Construction in Elk Grove, CA, a general contractor that needed plans in order to bid on two school construction projects.
“The faster architects, engineers, contractors and real estate people can turn digital project specification documents into large format prints, the sooner their team can review and complete RFP’s and submit their bids. Every day we help our clients meet deadlines, enabling them to submit bids on time and win contracts.” Large files can be easily uploaded to www.Plans4Less.com . For more info, contact brian@Plans4Less.com / (203) 592-5714.
