Buildertrend turns 20: A thank you to the builders who shaped everything we do

Twenty years ago, Buildertrend started with a simple goal: Help builders run better businesses.

Back then, construction looked very different. Most companies were juggling spreadsheets, paper schedules and scattered communication across phone calls and email threads. Running projects required a lot of manual coordination and a lot of patience.

Buildertrend began in 2006 with a small team and a belief that builders deserved better tools. The early product was simple and the mission was clear: Organize projects, communicate with clients and bring structure to growing construction businesses.

But here’s the truth about Buildertrend’s 20-year milestone: We didn’t build this alone.

Every improvement, workflow and feature inside Buildertrend started with a conversation with a builder. This anniversary celebrates the builders whose ideas, feedback and daily work helped shape the platform.

The celebration of this milestone started earlier this year at the International Builders’ Show in Orlando, where hundreds of builders stopped by the Buildertrend booth to reconnect with our team, share stories and celebrate how far the industry has come together. We wrapped up day one of the tradeshow with an evening celebration surrounded by hundreds of our customers, reflecting on the journey so far and the builders who helped shape Buildertrend along the way.

You didn’t just use Buildertrend – you shaped it

Construction software evolves through real-world feedback from people running projects every day.

From the earliest days, builders helped shape Buildertrend. Calls, emails and job site conversations turned real challenges into practical solutions.

That partnership shaped how the product grew. Builder feedback influenced major workflows, tools and integrations across the platform:

• Builders called in describing scheduling headaches, which helped shape today’s project scheduling tools
• Contractors shared communication challenges with clients, leading to centralized messaging and client portals
• Job costing frustrations pushed improvements in financial tracking and reporting
• Feedback from growing companies helped expand CRM tools and operational workflows

This constant feedback loop became part of Buildertrend’s culture. Listening to our builders is how the product improves.

Our support team, product managers and customer success teams spend time talking with builders every day. Product teams regularly participate in Buildertrend Customer Ride Alongs to understand what really happens in the field.

The goal has always been the same: Build Buildertrend alongside builders. That partnership still shapes how the platform improves today.

The industry has changed – and you’ve led the way

Over the past two decades, residential construction has transformed because builders pushed the industry forward.

The modern builder operates very differently than the builder of 2006. Companies are more structured, more connected and more intentional about running construction as a business.

Across the industry, builders have pushed professionalism and operational discipline forward. Many builders who started as project managers or tradespeople are now leading growing companies.

That shift shows up in several ways. Across the country, builders are taking on new roles inside their companies:

• Business owner and CEO responsible for strategy and financial performance
• Brand leader focused on marketing, reputation and customer experience
• Systems builder designing repeatable processes across projects
• Team leader responsible for hiring, training and company culture

This evolution pushed Buildertrend to improve as well.

No longer are the best builders focusing just on craftsmanship. Systemizing companies and running them like profit-driven businesses is the new standard.

As builders grew, they needed better financial visibility, stronger day-to-day operations and clearer project communication. The platform expanded alongside those needs, helping builders connect scheduling, budgeting, client communication and project management in one system.

Your ambition pushed the product forward.

Every new challenge builders faced created an opportunity for Buildertrend to build something better. That cycle continues today as construction businesses keep evolving.

More than software: A community

Software helps run projects. But relationships are what sustain businesses over time.

Over the last 20 years, Buildertrend has grown into something bigger than a construction platform. It’s become part of a community of builders learning from one another.

Some Buildertrend customers have been with us for more than a decade. Many started as small teams and have grown into large, highly organized companies. Watching those companies grow has been one of the most rewarding parts of this journey.

“I’ll never forget the three owners of Buildertrend coming into our office 20 years ago asking us to join. We saw something special in these guys, so we said yes. Here we are, 20 years later! Using Buildertrend daily has been one of the most impactful decisions we’ve ever made in our company.” –ADC Homes, Customer since 2006

That sense of connection shows up across the Buildertrend ecosystem. Builders regularly connect through events, education and shared experiences:

• Industry gatherings like IBS where builders meet face to face
• Buildertrend University sessions where teams sharpen operational skills
• Customer conversations that turn into new ideas and improvements
• Peer discussions inside Community by Buildertrend

Construction isn’t an easy industry. Builders have navigated recessions, labor shortages, supply chain disruptions and rapid market shifts over the past two decades.

Through those seasons, the Buildertrend Community has continued to support one another.

We also want to recognize CBUSA, part of the Buildertrend family of brands. Through local chapters across the country, CBUSA helps connect builders so they can share ideas, strengthen purchasing power and build stronger businesses together.

Builders share ideas, compare systems, trade lessons learned from the field and help push the entire industry forward.

We’re proud that Buildertrend plays a small role in connecting these conversations.

Twenty years of building together

Buildertrend has grown alongside the builders who use it. What started as a simple project tool now connects teams, finances and communication in one platform.

Looking back, several milestones highlight how Buildertrend and the builders who shaped it have grown together:

2006: Buildertrend is founded

Buildertrend starts in a basement with two brothers and their best friend and a simple mission: Help builders organize projects, communicate with clients and run better businesses.

2008-2011: Builders begin shaping the platform

Early customers call in with ideas and frustrations from real job sites, and their feedback helps guide improvements in workflows. During the Great Recession, Buildertrend grew by 80% as builders relied on better systems to navigate uncertainty. The platform also expanded beyond home building into remodeling and entered the Australian and New Zealand markets.

2012: Cloud construction software gains traction

More builders begin adopting cloud-based systems as the industry moves away from spreadsheets and paper schedules. Buildertrend launches its first mobile apps for iOS and Android as the company grows to 20 employees and 100,000 users, allowing schedules, photos and communication to happen in real time from the field.

2018: More than software

Builders begin managing more projects from the field using mobile tools that keep schedules, communication and updates connected in real time. Buildertrend also launches Buildertrend University and onsite consulting to help builders learn the platform and run stronger businesses.

2019-2020: Builders navigate industry disruption

As supply chain disruption, labor shortages and shifting demand reshape the industry, builders rely on digital systems to stay organized and keep projects moving. The moment follows strong momentum in 2019, when Buildertrend reaches 500 employees, serves 1 million users and launches a refreshed brand and mission focused on helping builders build better.

2023: The Buildertrend ecosystem expands

Buildertrend acquires CoConstruct and CBUSA while expanding financial and operational tools. The platform evolves into an all-in-one system to run the entire construction business from pre-sale to closeout.

2026: Buildertrend celebrates 20 years

From one basement to thousands of job sites around the world, Buildertrend marks 20 years of innovating and growing alongside builders. Today, thousands of companies rely on the platform to run stronger construction businesses, with tools like AI-powered Client Updates, digital signatures, Bill Pay, real-time reporting, tax tracking and streamlined client selections helping teams stay connected.

And this timeline is still being written. The next chapter will be shaped by the same people who helped build the first twenty years: Builders.

Thank you for building the first 20 years

Reaching a 20-year milestone is exciting, but anniversaries matter less than the people who made the journey possible.

Buildertrend exists because builders trusted us to support their businesses. You gave feedback, shared frustrations and helped us understand what actually happens on real job sites. That trust shaped the product, influenced our culture and continues to guide where Buildertrend goes next.

Today we want to say thank you to the builders who answered early product calls, the customers who shared honest feedback and the companies that grew alongside the platform. The first 20 years were built on your grit, your feedback and your trust.