Software For Contractors

There are many types of software for contractors, ranging from free to high-end enterprise solutions. Software companies offer numerous options, depending on what kind of solution you need. Here we look at some of the most common software solutions contractors use today.

Construction Project Management Software

Construction firms use construction project management software to manage all aspects of a building project from start to finish. This includes scheduling, estimating costs, tracking project progress, and communicating with clients and vendors. The software also helps keep track of budgets and deadlines.

Construction Accounting Software

Contractors use construction accounting software to track all the costs associated with building projects. The software allows users to track expenses, such as materials, labor, equipment, and subcontractors and generate financial reports based on these data. This helps project managers and owners keep tabs on how much money they spend on each project.

Estimating Software

Construction estimating software helps construction firms estimate how much work they need to complete projects, allowing them to plan for future jobs and avoid delays. Estimating software also provides valuable information about project costs, which contractors can use to negotiate better prices from subcontractors.

Invoice & Billing Software

Invoice and billing software helps a contracting business track sales, customers, and payments. This software allows users to create professional invoices, send them electronically, and receive payment from clients. The software also tracks customer information such as contact details, purchases, and orders.

Time Tracking Software

Construction time tracking software enables construction companies to track their employees' timesheets, so that you know precisely how long each employee has been working on a project. It's important to accurately record your staff's hours because it affects payroll calculations.

Construction Payroll Software

Construction payroll software tracks total employee hours worked, calculates overtime and generates reports. The software also allows contractors to track payments made to subcontractors, which helps ensure that all parties involved in the project are paid correctly.

There are many different types of contractors, each with varying areas of specialization and unique requirements from their construction management software. No matter what your job or specialization is, you need your software tools to have the flexibility to handle your specific needs.

Here is an overview of the various types of contractors and their requirements:

• Commercial Contractors: Commercial contractors have several unique needs that commercial contractor software must satisfy. Job costing is essential to ensure that they profit on every job, giving a comprehensive picture of the company's health. They also need flexible invoicing and billing options, including AIA billing, Time & Materials, Unit billing and more.
• Demolition Contractors: Demolition contractors require powerful solutions to help them handle job costing, accounting, equipment management and more. For demolition contractors, one of the most distinctive needs is a steady understanding of how your equipment is faring. Demolition software needs to be able to schedule jobs around the equipment and show how much each piece in the fleet costs.
• Electrical Contractors: Electrical contractors use specialized software for estimating, scheduling, project management, billing, and accounting. Electrical contractor software with built-in scheduling lets contractors track technicians across multiple service calls. These essential features mean they can easily build a schedule for all their techs, preventing overbooking and idle technicians.
• Excavation Contractors: Critical to any excavation contractor software is equipment management. Excavation contractors need tracking systems that can tell them everything they need to know about every piece of equipment, truck or car in their fleet. That way, they know when the cost of maintaining an item is becoming too high to be worth keeping.
• General Contractors: Whether they complete jobs themselves or they subcontract out all the work, every general contractor needs a subcontract management system that helps them keep track of jobs, bids and subcontract agreements. General contractors also need project management tools and construction accounting software with payroll and billing features.
• Heavy Highway Contractors: Contractors who build highways, roads and bridges have highly specialized software needs. They use construction accounting software for job costing and equipment costing systems, so they always know everything they need about every piece of equipment or vehicle in their fleet.
• HVAC Contractors: HVAC contractors need software that can handle various issues. They need a dispatching solution to keep track of technicians in the field and job costing solutions to ensure every job they take ends up making a profit. They also require payroll administration that can handle multiple locations, various job types, and compliance with labor laws wherever they go.
• Mechanical Contractors: Mechanical contractors are in a highly specialized construction industry niche. Software for mechanical contractors needs to keep up with all the unique requirements of the industry niche to remain profitable. Scheduling software lets mechanical contractors track their field staff across multiple service calls. Construction accounting solutions with built-in payroll features enable them to automate pay rates and fully comply with labor laws.
• Pipeline Contractors: Pipeline contractors' software needs are unique due to their specialized equipment and the prevalence of multi-state and multi-local payroll jobs. Software for pipeline contractors will include job costing, payroll and billing features. Equipment costing is also essential for pipeline contractors to track the location and costs of every car, truck or piece of equipment in their fleet.
• Plumbing Contractors: Plumbing contractors need software that can handle scheduling and dispatch challenges and tracking and managing tools and inventory. On top of that, plumbing contractors need a job cost accounting system and a CRM that can keep them ahead in the bidding process.
• Remodeling & Renovation Contractors: Whether they focus on commercial or residential renovation projects, remodeling and renovation contractors require software that helps them to deliver successful projects. Job cost accounting software helps renovators to ensure a profit on every job. Construction management software with powerful reporting features lets them know where projects are performing well and identify potential problems before they arise.
• Residential Contractors: Residential contractors are an important sub-section of the construction industry. Whether they build small family houses or large multi-unit structures, they need residential construction management software that helps them manage all aspects of their home-building projects. Project management and construction accounting software enables residential contractors to manage their budgets, schedules and work in progress reporting so they can deliver successful projects.