In the era of digital tools, you have more options now than ever before; especially when it comes to managing your work. Cloud-based construction software can help builders and project managers control scheduling, provide accurate estimations, generate job costings, invoices, quotes and much more.  

The success of business decisions are based on the strength of their return on investment. It’s no different if you’re a small builder or remodeler looking to increase profit and take your business to the next level. Investing in cloud-based construction software is a cost-effective way to help make this a reality. 

The goal of construction project management software is to help builders and their teams manage construction projects more effectively and efficiently.

The best construction management software can automate many tasks and processes, making the management of construction projects and monitoring project progress easier.

In this article, we are going to look at how small builders and remodelers use cloud-based construction software to help manage their work and build the business they’ve always wanted in today’s competitive construction industry.

Table of Contents

  • Affordable and simple management solution

  • End-to-end construction management 

  • Access your work from anywhere

  • How Sabado Homes used construction management software to scale faster

  • Ready to get started with construction cloud software? 

Construction project management is a process by which building projects are planned, monitored, and controlled. The goal of project management is to ensure that all aspects of the project are completed efficiently and on time. This includes tasks such as budgeting, scheduling, procuring materials and ensuring that all workers are coordinated.

There are also other different aspects of the project, such as customer relationship management, procurement, document management and logistics. By overseeing these different aspects, construction project management can help avoid any costly errors ordering materials or time-consuming delays.

Affordable and simple management solution 

Overhead is always a big concern for businesses. Builders need to ensure that the software is affordable relative to the size of the projects it manages as well as the broader aspect of the business. Financial oversight of overhead is an important aspect and errors made by overlooking this can be costly.

Implementing cloud construction software for your projects is relatively easy. The days of massive investments and weeks to get started are gone. With a cloud-based platform as a service you pay month-by-month, no upfront cost, nothing. Builders and renovators can get started in hours with training webinars from the convenience of your office or home, using the latest online video conferencing tools.  

Things to consider when purchasing your construction management software

Pricing structure

Most cloud construction software are transparent in nature and usually publish their license charges upfront. Options include monthly subscriptions or even based on the amount of projects and work uploaded onto the platform.

A free trial experience

A free trial is the best way for a builder to understand how software works. If it is easy enough to implement a project management plan with a few clicks, construction and remodeling professionals benefit so much more from the get-go.

Check out its features

When looking for a cloud-based construction management solution, it’s important to consider the features that are offered. Many solutions have very similar functionality, but some offer unique functions that other solutions don’t. Builders need to be sure to find a solution that caters to their specific needs.

Customer service and queries

Cloud-based platforms usually have a dedicated customer service function and are very responsive to queries. Great customer service allows for greater understanding on how to use the software to its fullest, and ultimately, run projects more efficiently.

Consider an enterprise level service

Construction firms experiencing high growth and managing multiple projects at the same time, need construction management software that offers an Enterprise solution. This solution includes services for organization-wide access to your platform.

Reviews and use cases

As you consider which software to purchase, it can be helpful to read reviews from other users. Watching case study videos and YouTube tutorials on the platforms of interest for the construction industry offer a better understanding of what’s available to construction contractors. Compare what others have said about the products before making a decision.

End-to-end construction management 

Cloud-based construction software helps you work out the ‘when and where’ of each job. For example, if you have someone dropping off materials at a specific time, you can see this in your calendar and receive a notification as the time approaches. The same goes for your subcontractors; they will know when they are due to arrive at job sites to complete the required work. 

Your project schedule keeps everything visualized ‘at a glance,’ helping project stakeholders stay on track of where they need to go (and when). The scheduling functionality can generate project planning reports for clients whenever they ask – a great way to keep clients informed about the entire project lifecycle.

Considerations for a construction management system

The construction management software needs to have all the functions that enables the small builder to lay the groundwork of a work execution platform as quickly as possible. To do this, the builder or remodeler must look at these considerations.

Preconstruction tools

Takeoffs and estimation are the bread and butter for builders who manage projects from end-to-end. However, creating accurate takeoffs to estimate correctly is time-consuming. With automated functions, preset templates, builders can ditch paper plans for digital takeoffs, and the measuring and estimating are complete in just a few clicks.

Customer management

A collated database of all customers, each tracked in real-time, frees up time and physical clutter. This allows the builder or contractor to better manage projects and have better communication with customers.

Project management

A cloud-based system allows builders to manage all aspects of each job, like scheduling, purchasing, delivery and invoicing. This can give confidence that all projects are delivered on time and budget. Construction teams are constantly kept in the loop through team communication.

Finance & insights

If you’re running your own construction business, profitability is key in determining your success. A construction management software solution can help track your line-by-line costs, so builders always have up-to-date information on the project budget, job costing, and ensure profitability. Financial management becomes much more streamlined and simpler.

Integrations

Today’s construction industry relies on a variety of software to keep projects organized and team collaboration flowing. Integrations with accounting software, supplier price lists, and legal and compliance requirements are key features. By integrating these tools, construction professionals can save time and ensure that projects run as efficiently as possible.

Access your work from anywhere 

Whether you’re on the road, traveling to different work sites, or busy in the office doing admin work, you can check to see how your team is progressing. You can verify whether your materials are delivered and collaborate with contractors on each of your projects as they continue to develop over time.  

Meeting a client on-site or checking how the project’s progressing? All your project information can be accessed through a web browser from mobile devices. Whether the mobile device is your phone, laptop or tablet, everything is stored in one centralized location (the cloud).

File sharing is also easier with a click of a button. All your work is saved automatically. This means no more missing files, or the headaches and stress involved with losing them.  

A cloud-based solution really is the ideal solution for modern small builders looking to improve the efficiencies of their business.  It also improves the team communication of your business.

Things to look out for in a mobile construction management experience

Live information and data access

Cloud-based software enables access to project data regardless of physical location. Builders can be connected to project documents from anywhere, whether working on a desktop at the office, from mobile apps on a smartphone or at the construction site.

Updated project amendments

Cloud-based data is great because when changes are made in the office, they are automatically updated for users at the job site. This ensures that both office and the field teams are using the same data. This feature eliminates wasted time taken for manual processes and reduces expensive mistakes.

Safe from accidents

Cloud-based software provides your construction firm with a secure environment for housing critical documents and data, safeguarded by the latest security protocols and standards. In addition, this type of software is safe from environmental risks, thanks to regular data backups. This means your business can keep moving forward, even in the event of a problem.

Secured access

The use of encrypted security and rich-access permission features ensures that company data remains safely secure in the cloud, accessible only to those who have been authorized to access it.

Cost savings

Onsite software solutions can be more expensive in the short term, due to the higher up-front costs associated with this type of deployment. In contrast, cloud-based, software as a service subscription models tend to be more affordable and can result in significant savings in the long run.

Getting ready for the future

Cloud adoption is becoming increasingly important as technologies around the globe move toward the cloud. Future advancements are likely to require cloud adoption in order to provide benefits to the end user. So, investing in the cloud today puts you in a good position to scale faster.

How Sabado Homes used construction management software to scale faster

Sabado Homes is a Dallas-based design-build firm offering custom A-Frame and classic or modern-style lake houses. Sabado means Saturday with the idea that one can enjoy a lake house any day of the week while still affording a sense of relaxation a Saturday naturally brings. 

When Matthew McCrimmon, owner of Sabado Homes, first started, his business was a menagerie of spreadsheets, Word docs, text messages, emails, notebooks, and trying to piece these all together.

It became too much of a headache for him and his business. He started searching for a more efficient way to communicate with his subcontractors for a quicker bidding process.

“I disliked going having to go into the office to look for a piece of information.”

As he had used software to manage his personal life, Matthew began his search for a construction management software that would work for his professional life. He chose Buildxact because it offered a two-week free trial, and he didn’t have to spend time on a call with anyone. He could jump right in. 

He started with takeoffs, and it was powerful for him, so he moved onto estimating. As soon as he had a question, he pulled up a video tutorial. From there, he developed his skills to fully utilize the end-to-end solutions for construction project management in Buildxact.

Buildxact solved Matthew’s need for speed and accuracy from takeoffs to the bidding process. He’s fielding fewer phone calls and clarifying fewer details because Buildxact lays everything that needs to be bid.

Ready to get started with construction cloud software? 

Buildxact is more than just a construction estimating tool for builders – it is filled with features that help you streamline the entire project management process from start to finish.  

If you’re unsure whether it’s the right fit for your business, get in touch with our team who will be happy to answer any questions you have in a one-on-one, online demo. Alternatively, you can start a free 14-day trial right away.