Buildertrend vs. CoConstruct

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Buildertrend and CoConstruct are two technology companies that address the same issue found in the construction industry: how to manage projects better. In 2006, Buildertrend started in Omaha with three employees and the idea of building an all-in-one, cloud-based platform to help homebuilders, remodelers, and other contractors. CoConstruct began in 2004 in Charlottesville when its founder decided to create a better process and software for custom home builders and remodelers.

Both construction management software solutions have pre-sales, project management, financial, and customer management tools. Buildertrend is for homebuilders, remodelers, specialty contractors, and commercial contractors of all business sizes. CoConstruct is ideal for small to mid-sized custom home builders and remodelers. But aside from business size, it is important to know how each tool helps users manage projects through the features of their software and other services.

This article will look at similar and competing features, different approaches, and unique services.

Pre-Sales Tools

Buildertrend lets users create bids quickly, set deadlines, and send them to subcontractors with a few clicks. Subcontractors will be notified of the opportunity by email, text, and push notification. Users can easily compare and store bids, accept the winning bid, and roll them into contracts. They can also quickly create a proposal for a lead using templates from Excel and other application partners. Customize templates and send them to leads for approval with a digital signature. Other features include several ways to add a lead and an auto email marketing tool to help communicate with leads.

CoConstruct helps streamline the bidding process, from creating detailed bids to awarding the winning bid. Automated bid creation helps put the needed data coming from specs, selections, and estimates to bid request without double entry. Subcontractors and trades can quickly notify users if they plan to bid and get automatic reminders as the due date gets closer. Winning bid numbers will automatically flow to estimates eliminating double entry. Proposals can be quickly created and sent with the automatic flow of data all residing in one place. It also has a full lead management tool that shows all contact details, activity history, and upcoming tasks for leads.

Project Management Tools

Buildertrend has a daily logs tool for documenting daily activities and statuses. Information can be recorded using voice-to-text, include weather updates, and be kept private or shared with others. Creating a to-do is easy with the same dictation feature that can automatically add text. Tasks can be assigned with attached documents, photos, or videos for greater details. The scheduling feature includes different views including a Gantt chart view that is highly interactive, automatically adjusts dates after changes are made, and sends notifications of the schedule changes to affected partners. Other project management tools are photo and document storage with unlimited sharing, email integration, and electronic warranty claims management.

CoConstruct lets users track jobsite activity and progress with daily log notes. They can easily view the daily history of a particular job or view all that happened on a particular day across all jobs. Users can share daily log notes to clients to keep them informed, add custom flags to report issues, and write notes by typing or using voice-to-text. It has a simple to-do list tool to add items, checklists, and photos where they can draw from any device. Users can coordinate schedules with an interactive chart with drag-and-drop functionality. Schedules supports different calendar programs, automatically sends alerts and reminders, automatically updates due to a change, and can be quickly built from available templates. Other features include photos and file management, optional sharing, Facebook integration, and punchlist and warranty tool.

Financial Tools

Buildertrend lets users generate line-item invoices directly from their estimates, change orders, or selection sheet. They can set deadlines, and it will automatically send reminders. It allows their customers to pay online, and the software integrates with QuickBooks and Xero accounting software. Users can create budgets by easily tracking time clock labor with its built-in time clock app. They can also track bills and purchase orders on the field with the mobile app to monitor the financial health of the project on the go. Other features include electronic purchase orders that can be created, approved, tracked, and paid online, as well as manage change orders with electronic approval, signatures, and online payment.

CoConstruct invoices can be easily generated from actual costs in a budget. Users can also invoice a percentage that the software automatically calculates. They can email invoices to customers directly from the software, which can automatically sync with QuickBooks. Users can create budgets and forecast costs quickly by using cost codes from specs and selections automatically. Budgets update automatically as customers choose from the selection sheet. The built-in time clock simplifies timesheet management that also includes features such as real-time reporting, filtering, and exporting. Other features include purchase orders created from line items of stored data, and change orders automatically created from selection overages or from scratch with secure online sign-offs.

Buildertrend vs. CoConstruct Summary

Buildertrend vs. CoConstruct have very similar features. Aside from those compared above, they can also improve communications with clients, help clients make better decisions with organized access to selections, and provide access to the software from the web, tablets, or smartphones both on iOS and Android platforms.

Buildertrend includes a work-in-progress report that provide real-time data on billings, and a plan markup tool that lets users make changes to plans and blueprints on the field. Phone support and chat is from Mondays to Fridays, 8AM to 5PM CST, with anytime access to a resource library, and scheduled webinars. Learn more about the software in our Buildertrend software review.

CoConstruct streamlines overhead tasks by allowing users to enter data only once such as creating estimates while automatically building specs and selections at the same time. They can upload and view 360-degree photos. It also offers customized branding and marketing, with videos that users can customize for their own use. Phone support is 24/7, along with email and access to a help center page. Read more about the software in our CoConstruct software review.

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