Recent News

Features of the NEW OBE Online Planroom 

The NEW OBE Online Planroom is a digital, state-of-the-art online repository, where OBE Members access and download all available plans, specifications, and addenda for Nebraska and Western Iowa construction projects.  It is designed to get OBE members where they want to be, and FAST!

• Member access includes features such as On-Screen Takeoff, Quick-Eye display of project plans, specs and addenda, and access to My Desk, New Projects, Bidding Projects and Bid Results on their mobile devices.

• The bulk download utility provides OBE Members flexibility in quickly accessing multiple project documents.

• At the Bidding Projects list, OBE Members can view bidding, or past-bid projects organized by bid date.

• By clicking on the project name, OBE Members are directed to a “Project Details” page with the project information and useful tools available as well as links to view, download and print project plans, specs and addenda.

• From Project Details, OBE Members can view the project activity to see a list of other OBE Online Planroom users looking at the project, request to be listed on bidder’s lists, order prints or open the documents in On Screen Takeoff.

• The OST tool allows jobs to be downloaded and printed, AND basic take-off and measuring tools can be used to compile bids by OBE Members who currently lack access to similar tools.

• The OBE Online Planroom also offers a robust search function which allows OBE Members to search all the specs and addenda by keyword. Using this tool, specialty contractors and suppliers can easily identify projects that contain the work they do!

• Additionally, OBE Members can also subscribe to receive nightly project updates via email that display updates on their tracked projects, new projects received, new addenda posted, or notifications of new projects that contain the keywords indicated by the member.

• And, upon request of the project owner or design professional, OBE Online Planroom will create private projects which are assigned a private web address and password for distribution to those who are to be invited to view the project.

Call or email Lisa Shockey today to sign-up for the NEW OBE Online Planroom today!

Phone: (402) 991-6906  Email: lisa.shockey@omahaplanroom.com

The Omaha Builders Exchange office and plan room has been moved to 4159 South 94th Street, about half a block north of the prior quarters.  The move was effective November 1, 2016.

Volunteer help from several OBE board members made short work of the job, especially with the help of Ron Wellendorf and his crew from Builders Supply.  Ron, a long-time board member and former OBE president, showed up with several men, a flatbed and truck-mounted forklift.

“The office and plan room is still in Hannibal Industrial Park,” said Bob Wiechert of Lincoln Laminating, the OBE board member who led  the charge in securing the new space.  “Gary Hannibal worked hard to accommodate the needs of OBE, and we’re glad to have such a fine relationship with him.”  “OBE members won’t have to go far to find the new space, being just a few doors north of the old office in the “Hi-Park” development,” Bob said.

Gary’s father, Russ Hannibal, was an OBE Board Member for many, many years.  The more seasoned OBE members will remember Russ’ time on the board and always be grateful for Russ’ service and leadership.

The move went smoothly for the most part, but the volunteer team couldn’t budge the plan bins, which were apparently field-constructed of 5/8 inch MDF when OBE moved to the former space.  Though a photo is not available, the crew stood back as Dick “The Hammer” McMahon of Waldinger Corporation, board member and incoming OBE president, began deconstructing the old bins with the nearest available hammer.

Rich Boone, of Boone Bros. Roofing, a board member and past-president of OBE, gave Dick a breather from the bin-smashing project.  Undeterred by the lack of a roofing hammer, Mr. Boone quickly completed deconstruction of the old bins.

New bins are on order and will be installed soon in the new quarters.

“The space is smaller now and more manageable for the board, but there is still enough space for the members who use the plan room,” said Steve Johnson, of Johnson Sales, the current OBE President.  “Over the last decade or so, more and more members have gone to using digital plans rather than coming to the plan room,” he commented.

“We’re meeting the demand for digital plans with the new OBE Online Planroom, but we recognize there are still some members who like to work with paper plans, so their needs are met with this new space,” Steve said.

The OBE plan room continues to be open from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.  Lisa Shockey is busy making the new space friendly and inviting as the former location.  Feel free to stop by  and check it out when you’re in the area.