Best Construction Apps for Efficient Sites

Over the past few decades, many construction companies have turned to digital solutions in order to increase efficiency, streamline their operations, save money and improve safety. Although the shift to replace old methods of working with new mechanisms has been slow across the industry as a whole, many businesses who have adopted novel technologies have seen real improvements to their operations, and the list of software targetting the sector continues to grow.

The construction industry faces many unique challenges, which digital solutions can help to solve, such as:

• Projects running over time and over budget - one of the greatest threats to a construction business' profitability (and reputation) is projects consistently running over schedule, and thus running over estimated budget or running out of funds before completion.
• Managing a large temporary workforce - the use of subcontractors in construction is extremely common, with some working on sites for just a few weeks at a time. Businesses must ensure these workers are still accounted for, and their records are kept for auditing.
• Chasing payments and invoices - construction finances can be a huge headache, with many firms constantly chasing invoices. Late payments can cause serious cash flow issues, and risk derailing current projects.
• Employee absences, lateness and lost payroll - with multiple sites and teams of employees spread across the globe, it can be extremely difficult for HR and management to ensure employees arrive on schedule. Reliance on paper timesheets also leaves businesses vulnerable to buddy clock-ins, costing thousands in lost payroll expenses.
• Ensuring compliance and adherence to protocols - keeping staff and visitors on site safe is a top priority for all construction firms; as regulations change constantly, it's a challenge to keep on top of processes and create accountability throughout your sites.
• Managing designs and ensuring adherence - taking a construction project from conception to completion can be a real challenge; from navigating design changes and supply chain issues, to ensuring plans and tolerances are adhered to on site during the build.

Solutions for Modern Construction Companies

TimeKeeper

What problems does it solve?

• Manage your whole workforce including permanent employees, subcontractors, on-site/remote staff and office staff
• Protect against buddy clock-ins, ensuring accurate payroll
• Schedule your teams across your current projects
• Monitor your labour budget per job
• Distribute company documents instantly and communicate with employees in real-time
• Integrates with your accounting software (Sage, Xero, Moneysoft and BrightPay)

With TimeKeeper's cloud-based time and attendance system, you can ensure all your staff's hours are accounted for - whether they clock in on their desktop in the office, a central tablet on your site, or via the mobile app with GPS geofencing enabled.

The platform has been designed with construction businesses in mind, with the ability to set up unlimited jobs for employees to track time against. Your team can snap photos, make notes or take signatures for each job, meaning all your job information is kept safe in one central place.

How much does it cost?

TimeKeeper's monthly subscription costs just £3.50 ex VAT per employee, with no base fee or minimum charge. Discounts are available above 50 and 250 employees.

Optional add-ons include a visitor book (£29 ex VAT per month) and unlimited employee messaging (£39 ex VAT per month).

SafetyCulture

What problems does it solve?

• Conducting site audits and generating reports
• Reporting issues and hazards, and assigning solutions
• Generate and store safety checklists

How much does it cost?

Small teams can use the system for free (up to 10 users), but you'll need to upgrade to their premium plan if your team grows above that. The Premium monthly plan costs $24 (£19.37 as of May 2023) per user.

Archdesk

What problems does it solve?

• Full finance management for your projects including purchase orders, invoices and payments
• Generate estimates and send direct to clients
• Increase profitability and ensure projects stay on budget
• Integrates with your accounting software (Sage, Xero and Quickbooks)

How much does it cost?

The Essentials plan begins at £330 per month for smaller teams, with Professional and Enterprise plans also available.

Payapps

What problems does it solve?

• Ensure payments are requested and received on time
• Allows both sub-contractors and contractors to monitor variations
• Stores all applications for payment in one place, for easy auditing

How much does it cost?

The Basic plan for Subcontractors starts at £30 per month, with Premium and Unlimited plans available too. Pricing for Main Contractors is available on request.

Tantek4D

What problems does it solve?

• Creating and maintaining digital twin models
• 4D and virtual reality scenario planning
• 3D laser geospatial surveying for verification and quality control

How much does it cost?

Prices available on application.

Dusty Robotics

What problems does it solve?

• Save time on site with robotic layout
• Ensure high accuracy in your plans and remain within tolerances

How much does it cost?

Subscription services or concierge offerings are available, depending on the nature of your business. Prices are available on application.