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Who We Are

The mission of the AIA Small Firm Exchange (SFx) is to advance the mutual interests of architects practicing in small firms. The objectives of the AIA SFx are three-fold:

1. Advocate the value of small firms, the national SFx, and local SFx groups, both within the AIA and to the public.

2. Curate and disseminate the most pertinent resources and information, from the AIA & elsewhere, that benefit small firms.

3. Inform the AIA of current issues facing small firms and areas in which current resources/information are lacking.

Approximately 75% of all firms within the AIA are small firms (less than 10 employees), which equates to 14,459 small firms within the organization.

~26.8% = sole practitioners = 5,173

~33.5% = 1-5 employees = 6,459

~14.7% = 5-10 employees = 2,827

For context, small firms share of staff is 16.0% and share of billings is 12.0%

We need to find ways to leverage that size for collaboration and influence, just like the individual large firms do.

   

  

  • 1.  Bluebeam Alternative

    Posted 01-26-2023 07:34 PM
    Hi,
    I was happily using Bluebeam Revu on my Mac to edit, mark-up and stamp Shop Drawings and Submittals until they stopped making the software for Macintosh in 2020. Does anyone know of a similar PDF editing and mark-up software (for Macs). I've tried Acrobat Reader, Acrobat Pro and Preview, but nothing is as intuitive and geared towards the construction industry as Bluebeam.


  • 2.  RE: Bluebeam Alternative

    Posted 01-27-2023 09:30 AM
    Wow, they stopped making Bluebeam for Apple products? I'm so sorry. I hope you get some good suggestions here!

    ------------------------------
    Sarah Mannes Homstad AIA
    Prairie Line Architecture
    Yankton SD
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 3.  RE: Bluebeam Alternative

    Posted 01-27-2023 01:11 PM
    Hi Dennis,
    Wow! why would they abandon a market share of users? Interesting. Maybe working with Mac OS and iOS is cumbersome and way too closed or who knows... I did a quick search on line and found an app that is inviting, its called PDF Expert. Here is a link to check it out. It looks like it allows similar mark ups as we are used to in Bluebeam. 
    https://pdfexpert.com/blog/bluebeam-for-mac-alternative
    Let us know if this is a viable alternative for Mac users. 

    Best,

    ------------------------------
    Daniel Guich, NCARB, CDT, LEED ap
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: Bluebeam Alternative

    Posted 01-30-2023 05:44 PM
    I also downloaded and tried to use PDF Expert. It is not even close to Bluebeam. Like not at all. It may be the next best thing but as a Bluebeam daily user it is not a replacement. Bluebeam has also gone away from the perpetual license to a subscription platform that is $400 /- per year. We are now having trouble printing from our perpetual licenses with font size and type. I figured this would be inevitable as the existing versions become obsolete with other software upgrades.

    If anyone has other pdf editor apps for architects, especially Mac based please share!

    ------------------------------
    Eric Simonsen AIA
    Simonsen Architect
    Billings MT
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 5.  RE: Bluebeam Alternative

    Posted 01-28-2023 11:40 AM
    Did you check out Bluebeam Cloud?
    It looks like a web based version.  The Bluebeam website directs you to it if you use a MAC or IOS.

    ------------------------------
    Kenneth Crutcher AIA
    Crutcher Studio Architects
    Farmington MI
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 6.  RE: Bluebeam Alternative

    Posted 01-30-2023 11:24 AM
    The Adobe Acrobat family is about as good as it gets now that Bluebeam left for the darkside PC-world only.  Definitely not geared for anything like what Bluebeam delivered.

    ------------------------------
    R. Ashley Coco AIA
    Parkhill
    Midland TX
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 7.  RE: Bluebeam Alternative

    Posted 01-30-2023 05:35 PM
    We have been using PDF Studio Pro from Qoppa as a replacement to BlueBeam and are happy with it.  It is great for mark ups, dimensioning, notes and edits.  Good price point as well.

    https://www.qoppa.com/pdfstudio/

    ------------------------------
    Paul Rivers AIA
    Rivers Barden Architects
    Houston TX
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 8.  RE: Bluebeam Alternative

    Posted 01-31-2023 09:33 AM
    Thanks for the Studio Pro recommendation. I'm installing the trial and will see how it compares. I've always been very happy with Bluebeam and consider it a great value considering how much more productive it's made me, but I'm also always looking for a good/better deal!

    ------------------------------
    Sarah Mannes Homstad AIA
    Prairie Line Architecture
    Yankton SD
    ------------------------------

    Original Message