2.  What's it like to work with PPM?
     The PPM Process

 
A relationship with PPM starts like any other relationship – with introductions.  First, we want to get to know you and your business in order to best determine how we can help you.  We’ll meet you at your office or on-site at a project to show you how we work and get an idea of how you work.  We pride ourselves in our ability to adapt our plans and our services to meet our clients’ needs.

When you have a project for PPM, here’s a quick step-by-step of how the process usually works.

• PROJECT INFO – You can email us, use our online form, or call us with the address and details of the property.
   
• PROJECT INFO (if necessary).  We will research the property using assessor’s information and satellite photos.  At this point we will call/email you to clear up any questions or get more detailed project information from you.
   
• ESTIMATE – Once all details are clear, PPM will provide you or your client (usually whomever is paying) with an estimate for our services.  It usually takes us about 24 hours to get the estimate out via fax or email.
   
• SCHEDULING – If the estimate is approved, we are ready to schedule the on-site visit.  The time frame between getting the signed estimate and PPM visiting the site averages 3-5 days.  If you’d like, the measurer can meet you on-site to review any important details prior to measuring. 
   
• CAD DRAFTING – After hand-sketching and measuring the property, the measurer brings the sketch back to the CAD Department.  The CAD Department will draft all property elements and prepare them for output.  It’s at this point that we can customize plans however you’d like, using your styles, your symbols, even your titleblock.
   
• OUTPUT – The finished product can be provided to you in a number of forms:

CAD file
We can provide you or your client with a DWG or DXF file (PPM currently uses AutoCAD 2008, but we can save down as low as Version 2000).

Plot
We can also provide you or your client with a printed plot of the plan, typically done at 8th scale as a 24” x 36” bond print.

PDF file 
With a PDF, you can view the plan on your computer, or you can easily forward the file to a local printer where they can make it as big or as small as you need.