Let’s just rip the band-aid off right now…
General contractor software is too limited to manage a construction program!
Whew! Ok, I know that probably stung a little bit but you’ll feel better in a moment I promise.
GC software just wasn’t designed to handle the entire construction process.
Developers know this and they’ve come up with a load of other apps to try and fill in the gaps… all at a price. Having multiple software applications to handle even just one project can often lead to costly and time-consuming issues.
Data silos, double-data entry, licensing issues, cost, and compatibility problems all lead to a less efficient construction program.
Thankfully, there are owner-focused, all-in-one construction management software platforms to help manage your entire construction process from concept to closeout and beyond.
When you use the right web-based platform, you have access to planning and design modules, pre-built and configurable reports, digital bidding tools, submittal tools, punch lists, and much more.
And it can do that for all of your projects, not just one.
See, aren’t you feeling better already?
Limitations Of Contractor Software
Now, let’s take a closer look at how GC software is limiting your construction program.
The first limitation we touched on briefly already and that’s scope. Plain and simple, contractor software won’t work with you through the entire building process.
It’s designed specifically to cover bidding, cost tracking, construction, and closeout. It won’t help you manage your planning or design phases and it won’t help keep track of how you use the building you’ve just constructed.
For that, you’ll need to purchase and train team members on more software.
And with that, comes another symptom of using contractor software: a disparate tech stack.
These more specialized construction programs would be great in a vacuum but in actual practice, they often create wasted time and money for an owner.
Switching between software, entering data in multiple places and compatibility issues all leave your program open to wasted time and costly errors.
Another limitation when using the software your GC provides is the lack of data control.
As an owner, you want all relevant data to be immediately available and you want to know that it’s up to date.
When you use the software your contractor is using, you don’t control your own construction data.
Access to information is granted on a temporary basis and can even be revoked by the contractor… which is pretty detrimental if there’s any sort of litigious issue on your project.
Owners need data from their construction projects to learn about mistakes and successes, as well as for auditing purposes.
It’s yet another way that general contractor software is too limited to manage a construction program.
Using Projectmates for Your Construction Program
We’ve established several reasons why contractor software isn’t a good fit for owners. So, what software offers the best way for owners to manage a construction program?
You need a platform that was designed from the ground up to meet all of your needs.
Used in the Planning and Design Phases
Projectmates can be used from the very beginning of a project before any construction work even takes place. In fact, the design phase is one of the most important in construction. Design errors and poor communication between team members can break an owner’s budget. Owner-focused platforms like Projectmates offer a single source of data truth for every document created in the design phase. And these can be reviewed or revised right in the application.
Used in the Bidding, Cost Tracking, Construction, and Closeout Phases
Owner-focused software excels in the construction phases as well.
Digital Bidding, enhanced cost tracking, daily field reports, and closeout activities are all handled within the application. No need to jump in and out of other software to get the job done.
And since your contractors will use software designed specifically for their work, Projectmates has built-in integrations with the most widely used contractor software platforms, Procore and PlanGrid. That way, they’re not wasting time jumping in and out of different software platforms either.
Used Beyond the Closeout Phase
An owner’s job doesn’t end once the building is closed out. The FF&E phase of the project can also be managed within Projectmates. Everything from merchandising, signage, equipment, and more can be planned in the application.
Now that your project is seemingly complete, what do you do with all of the data you’ve accumulated?
Everything is archived in a digital vault that can only be accessed by you.
The application’s approach to managing construction project data in a single location makes it easier to find relevant information and archived data offers limitless opportunities to learn from past project successes or failures.
At Projectmates, we’re working to empower owners with the best tools for the job. In one application you can manage multiple projects at a time, all from planning to opening and beyond. Contractor software can be useful when managing construction-specific phases of your projects, but beyond that, it’s not just limited, it’s useless.
