Construction software basics

Top 3 Buildertrend features for specialty contractors

Find out which top Buildertrend features help our specialty contractors finish projects on time and on budget.

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Being a specialty contractor requires juggling dozens if not hundreds of tasks at once to keep jobs running. Your multi-tasking skills are strong, but why not let an app help you work smarter so no important tasks drop? Buildertrend’s leading construction management software has features that can smooth out the pre-sales process, schedule work for your crew and foster communication with clients.

Here are the top construction software features that specialty contractors can benefit from as well as some tips on how to use them.

1. Document daily logs to streamline communication

The Daily Logs tool gives contractors the ability to document the work done each day. Not only is this feature great for communication internally and with clients, but it also allows you to pull reports and know what was done on a day-to-day basis. Ultimately, you can save time by sharing status updates with everyone via the click of a button.

How can your construction company use the Daily Logs feature? Simply write a daily log to update customers and your team – it doesn’t take long and can be valuable in the long run. These documented logs are saved for reference and can be used to keep track of what’s going on at each of your many projects. A quick tip: Use voice-to-text capability to make recording logs even easier.

“Now that the team is using Buildertrend and updating Daily Logs in real time, customer calls and emails have decreased by 90% after using Buildertrend for a year,” said John Burke, owner of Paramount Fence. “It only takes a few seconds to write a daily log to update customers. It’s significantly more manageable than getting inundated with emails and calls from customers, who understandably want to know the latest progress. It’s been a big win for all of us.”

2. Improve your schedule management

The days of having a handwritten project timeline are over. You can simplify the scheduling process by taking it digital! With our mobile app and desktop version, Buildertrend’s Schedule feature is always available at your fingertips. Update and save changes to your schedule while you’re on the go to keep your team on track. And if you’re an outdoor contractor dealing with weather delays, don’t worry. You can easily shift the timeline to account for delays and reschedule tasks, so your clients, subs and team all stay in the know.

Our scheduling tool also offers more than meets the eye. With a list, calendar and Gantt chart option, there are several ways to view your schedules and multiple projects at once. Specialty contractors can also benefit from linking notes, billing information and files to the schedule that their team can access at any time related to the project.

“The thing that’s really changed the way we use Buildertrend is the capability to link to Schedule items,” said Jess Gibson, Cronulla Pools’ project coordinator. “Now that we’ve got that working, we’ve simplified our schedule and added the necessary information to the proper places like Owner Invoices, Daily Logs or To-Do’s. And now, the rest of it just flows.”

3. Start jobs faster with templates

Let’s say you’ve taken the plunge to use a home builder and remodeler app like Buildertrend. The next step is to set it up in a way that makes sense for the way you run your specialty trade business. Seems like a huge undertaking, right? That’s why we have templates.

Templates can be created for all sorts of our tools – from daily logs and proposals to scheduling and surveys. Instead of building everything from scratch, templates allow contractors to save time by starting your new jobs with preset information for that job type and customizing it along the way to meet your project’s needs. This frees up time that could be better spent on the construction site or managing your team.

“When you run a small business, inefficiency is money lost. If just one thing takes 30 minutes longer a day and there’s an average of 30 days in a month, that’s 900 minutes wasted. Templates help cut that 30 minutes down to five,” said John Lea, CEO and founder of Decksouth. “There’s only 24 hours in a day, and last time I looked they aren’t making more of them.”

Want to learn about other Buildertrend features that can save you time and money?

Schedule a demo today to learn more about construction management software and what it can do for your business.

About The Author

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Lizzie Long Lizzie Long is a Content Specialist at Buildertrend.

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