10 Benefits of Construction Management Software

Competition in the home building and remodeling industry has never been more intense, but the same could be said for opportunities. New housing starts are at a record high and the remodeling index is skyrocketing. To truly compete, today’s builders must be organized, operate efficiently, and deliver an exceptional customer experience. That’s where construction management software comes in. Leaders in residential home construction make business and operational decisions, collaborate with their team and clients, estimate and control costs, and schedule projects using an industry-specific management software solution.

Given all of the moving parts involved in building or remodeling a home, pen and paper processes and outdated systems can crush your revenues, choke growth opportunities, and ultimately doom your business. Using a top-notch construction management solution, you can start running your business more efficiently and growing it without adding more people to the team.

Here are ten ways using construction management software can make your home building or remodeling business more competitive:

1. Simplified scheduling

Without software to run job scheduling, you may rely on spreadsheets and waste hours each day on unnecessary emails and phone communications to update everyone involved. Not only does this disorganization cost you time, it often results in costly mistakes. Scheduling applications automate this process with a centralized communication platform that sends out real-time alerts and updates all information. That information is available to all office administrators and sales personnel to your field-based trades and partners.

Scheduling software keeps your projects on track toward deadlines so that everyone knows what they are responsible for and when. Quick-view dashboards give each team member the information and real-time updates they need to perform their tasks effectively. The system immediately notifies your trades when a phase of the project needs to move forward or back. There are no more wasted trips to the job site for management, crew, and subcontractors.

2. Centralized communication

With a centralized communication platform, your team won’t have to play phone tag or try to organize all one-off emails and texts exchanged about the job. One central inbox organizes all conversations by project. It is searchable and sortable so you and your team can find job information in seconds, not hours! And job information is stored in one spot.

3. Fewer costly mistakes

Your profit on a home can be made or lost with a single change order. You thought they agreed to a standard tub, but wanted a jetted one instead. Without a proper change order process, these changes cut into tight margins—and completely avoidable! Construction management software eliminates these mistakes by ensuring your crew, subcontractors, and clients all have access to the same information as soon as it becomes available. And nothing is lost in translation from multiple phone calls or emails.

4. Accounting Integrations

By integrating with an accounting software, your accounting processes are simplified so that all projects, cost codes, and subcontractor data are automatically imported and populated across all of your business data sets and forms. This puts an end to double-entry errors and time wasted manually inputting data into QuickBooks or other non-integrated software.

5. Keep subcontractors in the loop

For your projects to run smoothly, everyone needs up-to-the-minute information at their fingertips. Moving away from outdated or incorrect information in the builder binder. Subcontractors are always in the loop with features like Project Poster that allow builders to easily and securely share documents in the field.

6. Simple and secure photo sharing and file storage

Custom projects involve many moving parts and personnel who need access to plans, photos, and project documents. Construction project management software gives managers the power to choose who has access to specific information. This keeps projects on track and avoids miscommunication by guaranteeing that everyone has the information they need to get the job done without sending multiple emails.

7. Accurate management of selections and change orders

Using a construction management solution means all updated information is accessible to your client, designer, and construction team in one location. With the right software, clients can easily approve change orders online at a time that’s convenient for them. You can keep track of their approvals, avoiding he-said/she-said conversations, and preventing you from losing money on the project.

8. Financial reporting

Accurate and up-to-the-minute financial reporting is essential to know whether you’re making or losing money at every stage of the project. Comprehensive construction management software shows you at-a-glance, through dashboards, whether you’re on track to meet budget so that you can make in-process adjustments. It also enables you to create daily, weekly, quarterly, and annual custom reports and even automates sending them out, saving your business even more time. Financial reporting functionality also gives you more control over maintaining positive cash flow as you issue purchase orders and document project costs.

9. Quick and easy estimates

The estimating functionality is one of the most important features for your growing business. With it, you simplify the sales process and win more clients. You can easily manage proposals at every stage—from creating estimates to closing the deal—without having to re-enter data. You can also speed up sales by electronically sending proposals to potential clients for review and approval.

10. Happier clients

Keeping your clients in the loop, getting approvals on change orders, and sharing exciting updates about their projects goes a long way toward ensuring a good customer experience. Word-of-mouth marketing is essential to ensuring your clients have an experience they can rave about is vital to your success.

At the end of your day, when your clients tell their friends and family about their new home or recent renovation, they'll be sharing the details of the process, from start to finish. Let that set expectations from future customers that your competition can’t meet!