Precise Builder vs. Buildertrend—Which is Right for Your Construction Company?

Precise Builder vs. Buildertrend—Which is Right for Your Construction Company?

When it comes to running a profitable construction business, a system for making accurate, reliable estimates is paramount.

Unfortunately, this is where many building professionals run into trouble—relying on DIY spreadsheets or even old-fashioned pen and paper (gasp), errors get made and stress mounts.  Because of this, many owners end up wishing to avoid the one thing with the greatest potential for improving their bottom-line.

In that vein, here are just a few of the issues managers typically run into with old-school estimating.

• Wasting Time: Manually calculating estimates requires a significant amount of time, and it’s not unusual for companies to be limited to one or two estimates per day—all time spent away from current projects and meeting potential customers.
• Making Errors (& Bidding Unprofitably): Handwritten calculations are prone to error—be it with arithmetic mistakes or misreading handwriting. And as for Excel formulas, they’re easy to break. These errors can be costly, reducing margins and adding confusion.
• Inefficient Cost-tracking: Tracking actual costs against estimated costs is a challenge for many companies. This is because getting these numbers requires constant updates and cross-referencing—and when done manually, gets confusing and stressful very quickly.

‍

These challenges are not only frustrating, but also hold a business back. However, there is another way. And you can actually learn to enjoy the estimating and managing process as that work becomes more accurate, replicable and easy.

On that front, you’ll now learn about two popular estimating and project management softwares in the construction industry: Integro’s Precise Builder and competitor Buildertrend. 

While both offer comprehensive tools designed to streamline your construction business, there are a few key differences. And by the end of this article, you’ll have a clearer understanding of where each shines and which is right for your company.

Buildertrend

Created by Dan Houghton, Steve and Jeff Dugger, Buildertrend is a popular construction management software known for being user-friendly and excellent for client communications. In the time since its creation, Buildertrend has become an excellent choice for managing small to mid-sized projects.

A few key feature of Buildertrend are: 

• Easy Scheduling: Intuitive and easy to use, Buildertrend makes scheduling projects with clients a breeze.
• Simple Estimating: Buildertrend includes tools for creating bids, tracking expenses and managing project budgets.
• Document Management and Sharing: Buildertrend allows easy storage and sharing of project files and documents.
• Client and Subcontractor Portals: Buildertrend’s unique portal feature allows easy communication between client, subcontractors and general contractor—granting quick access to necessary documents and progress reports.

‍

Due to these features, Buildertrend is a fine choice for smaller teams working on small to mid-sized projects. However, if your projects are a bit more complex—or you’re operating multiple crews simultaneously—Precise Builder may be the better offer.

Have a look. 

Precise Builder

Developed by Integro, Precise Builder is a robust project management software suitable for a wide range of construction professionals. 

As well as the typical project management features listed above, Precise Builder also provides some unique functionality over Buildertrend such as . . . 

• Customizable Sales Pipeline: Your dashboard sales pipeline is fully customizable—meaning you can configure your company’s sales process and see where all projects lay along the journey from start to finish.
• Job Costing: Once a job is completed, users may easily review individual expenses and costs—leading to more accurate estimating, simple “kit” updates and better profit margins.
• Materials Tracking: Easily track how much of a specific material had been used with the mobile app right from the jobsite.
• Schedule by Crews: Schedule jobs by crew, easily moving workers between crews using a Kanban Board to best allocate resources and move jobs along efficiently.
• Custom Proposals: Select colors, fonts and modify bids to fit your brand and each individual project.

‍

While these are just a few of the functional features of Precise Builder, the bottom line is - Precise Builder shines as the more flexible of your two options—with greater customization to match your current processes and the ability to seamlessly run larger projects.

Which is Best for Your Construction Business?

When it comes to deciding which of these two capable project management softwares is best for your company, it all comes down to the work you do and where you’re headed.

On the one hand, Buildertrend offers a user-friendly experience for creating estimates and seeing projects through. This makes it a reliable choice for smaller projects and companies. However, it does lack the flexibility and overall functionality of Precise Builder.

Because of this, Precise Builder is the superior choice for easily managing larger construction projects and multiple crews. And if you’re curious about what that might look like at your company, reach out for a free demo with Precise Builder’s Dan Lapp.

Dan is a seasoned construction pro who’s passionate about sharing this modern building solution with you. Why? Because it’s a great software that makes your life easier (and your business more profitable.)

Your demo is absolutely free and comes with no strings attached—so there’s no reason to put it off. Instead, run your business like the professional you are. Schedule your free demo today and check out how Precise Builder can make your life on the job a whole lot simpler.

‍