As we near the end of 2017, it’s time to look ahead to make 2018 great for your construction business. The following 10 apps can help you enhance your processes, help you deliver projects on time and on budget, save you money and boost your bottom line:
1. PlanGrid
If you haven’t already been using PlanGrid for awhile now, make 2018 the year you jump in. It’s easy to learn, intuitive to use, and has garnered rave reviews from construction users for years.. Architects and contractors use it daily to collaborate on and revise project plans, photos, and other specifications, in real time, over the cloud, with a high level of security. Punch lists and integrated plan viewing make getting jobs done much more efficient. And it’s available for Windows, Android, and Apple, so it doesn’t matter what system you or the other team members are using.
2. Autodesk BIM 360
If you want to manage all project documents from just one place, Autodesk BIM 360 is your app. It sends notifications across teams about changes to any document in the system so that all key decision makers are on the same page, whether they’re on-site or in the office. This document organization system and instant notification format improve communication across the team, keeping projects organized, on time and on budget.
3. DroneDeploy
Drones are becoming the norm rather than the exception on job sites, and that will only continue to grow in 2018. But managing the data collected by drones has been tricky up until recently with the advent of DroneDeploy. This app enables you to create flight plans for your drones, collect and compare the actual job site imagery with BIM models and create high-res, 3D maps that you can share across the team. Not only has this helped with planning and design mapping accuracy, it has also improved security, work safety conditions, and efficiency standards as well.
4. SmartBid
This perennial favorite continues to shine for 2018. App users can manage bids securely in a cloud-based environment so that bid invitations and related documents are available anywhere and anytime you need them. SmartBid enables you to speed through prequalification, manage subcontractors, send out bid invitations and track team collaboration.
5. TrueLook
If nobody on your team has a drone or plans to use one yet this coming year, you can still get high-quality drone footage and data through TrueLook. Just select from a long list of well-respected drone pilots in your area for footage or use construction site security cameras’ birds-eye-view data to collect data and share fly-through or time-lapse photography between team members.
6. FallSafety Pro
It's a sad, but undeniable truth: the Occupational Health and Safety Administration reports that falls are the leading cause of injury and death at construction sites, but this app can help. In addition to proper use of safety equipment and protocols, FallSafety Pro monitors your phone’s accelerometer, detecting a fall immediately and alerting emergency contacts of your GPS location through text, email, and voice message to speed emergency response time and save lives.
7. GasBuddy
This popular, general use app makes the list because it can save your entire team money on any project. Knowing how to find the cheapest gas between the office and jobs sites can save you thousands of dollars yearly. Make sure everyone on your team is using GasBuddy in 2018.
8. Timesheet Mobile
This app keeps getting better every year, and we expect it to continue serving well past 2018. Timesheet Mobile is free for Android devices and iPhones, it automatically sends shift start and stop notifications and tracks workers job locations using a geofence feature. Shift data is recorded in real time and supervisors can track and approve schedules anywhere.
9. ToolTracker
Stop spending money replacing lost tools, and keep track of up to 10,000 pieces of equipment in real time using barcodes and scanning them with this app. ToolTracker enables you to enter inventory, usage, location and maintenance data. You can also use the app to assign tools to job sites as a group or individually.
10. iQuick Contract Maker
Contracts are a constant source of headaches for many construction firms, but this app will make 2018 the year of simple, hassle-free contracts. iQuick Contract Maker is especially useful for new construction businesses without a lot of contract writing experience. Populate new contracts with pre-written text and templates, remove what you don’t want, or add new pieces to cover each phase of a project. Then you can quickly send it to customers via your iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch.
Try out some of these full-featured, money and time-saving apps for your construction business in 2018 and you’ll wonder how you ever got along without them.
