An Estimators View

Great Construction Resource

Overall I will continue to use the software as it is a very reliable source.

Pros

I get receive 30% of my bid invites through Building Connected. Very organized. Nice layout. Definitely a recommended source.

Cons

The bid form is a bid to much others I have been on I put on the amount the scope and then drop my estimate in. With this software its a draw out process.

Streamlined & Simple

We've eliminated a substantial amount of the risk in our bid process by having current information available to all team members. It helps us get info out to subcontracts 3 or 4 days faster than we could with our previous process.

Pros

Great for when we have bid teams of 4 or 5 people and having an instant snapshot of where our bid process stands. We have committed to doing detailed bid forms that subs have gotten used to for submitting their proposal and using the breakdown provided.This helps us zero in on the right conversations we should be having with the right subs and makes us more effective during the bid.

Cons

Our people rely too much on communicating through BC and it reduces the amount of phone conversations where we believe we learn a substantial amount more that a line item on the bid form.

Not in love with this

Pros

I like how this software is widely used with General Contractors. it makes it easy to download plans, specs, and upload quotes.

Cons

I do not like how it automatically will start invites from all GC's in your state. Each time I try to unsubscribe to a GC nothing happens.

Building Connected Rocks

Love it makes my life easier

Pros

The ease of use and the ability to manage large amounts of information with ease. The projects run threw Building Connected are streamlined and increase productivity overall.

Cons

Not having the ability to edit contacts information in our data base with out having the user to log in and confirm the edits some times our subs are not tech savy enough to log in.

Day to Day with BuildingConnected

Awesome!

Pros

The leveling section is such a time saver. We can look at everything one screen, make adjustments and go with a final number on bid day seamlessly. A real time saver. A great tool to show owners and clients that we have done our homework and selected the lowest most qualified bidder

Cons

Be sure you have a strong network and a strong network connection. As the day wears on it can be slow down at bit

Building Connected has increased our business

We started using BC in 2018 and more than doubled our revenue the following year. Add BC was a large contributor to that success.

Pros

Easiest and best way we have found to send and track bid invitations to a targeted recipient.

Cons

There are no enough key work options in the bid package to cover all of the bid I need.

So easy to use!

Pros

I like how user friendly it is. I also really like that each user controls their account but if I notice it's not up to date, I can make a suggestion. Crowd sharing is brilliant!

Cons

I would like to make comments for a particular company which can only be seen internally but without actually rating them. Right now, to make a comment, you have to rate them from 1-5 stars. But sometimes I need a comment about the contacts at a company, etc.

User Friendly Software

Pros

easy to use, user friendly, simple, the bid-form section is awesome!!

Cons

would be great if they had an RFI section to use like Procore has.

Definitely recommend it

Being able to access subcontractor information, the bids, bid levelling - all of the tools make the bidding process much smoother and in one place.

Pros

The ease of finding all the bidding information in one place and user-friendliness of the website makes this a very helpful tool for bidding process.

Cons

The directory functionality needs some work.

Pre bid activities made so much easier!

Pros

The interface is so user friendly- in one click all your documents are uploaded and sent out to your vendors! The BuildingConnected team is always there for any doubts or concerns.

Cons

It probably requires some kind of a browser upgrade or a particular setting- some of our subcontractors have not been able to use it for the same reasons

Possibly the best Bid Invitation Software available.

We wanted a bid invitation solution that our subcontractors liked, were familiar with, and we wanted a long term partner. So far the relationship with BC has been great. I wish the pricing was a little lower and more comparable to other softwares out there as that would allow me to not have to review other competitor products upon renewal.

Pros

The user-friendly interface allows us to issue bid invitations in a matter of minutes.

Cons

I dislike that you have to use the software to obtain quotes. I wish direct emails were possible without having to go through the web.

Small Tweaks Would Be Nice!

98% positive. I do think a "live chat" feature would be nice though!

Pros

I definitely love this software. Love the database and love the ease in adding new people to an invitation after it's already been publishes. I like having these things "at my fingertips" so to speak. I like it's ease in navigation - FOR THE MOST PART, THAT IS. I have indicted below what I did not like.Most of the time I think it's very user-friendly.

Cons

My only negatives are with regard to ease of use when it comes to navigating the site. It seems a little "clunky" sometimes that you have to go through the steps you do to get to certain areas from other areas.....meaning that I think it could be more streamlined to access companies or individuals when you are in one screen without having to get out of where you are and "re-navigate." This among other small switching back & forth situations and hiding columns that I'd like to see have the option of staying "static" or in-view, are just about the only things I'd change. One last thing: I'd also like to be able to add individuals to a company account (as a GC adding to a subcontractor account) - I say this because often the one person I want to invite is not on their account and I have to stop and call the company and ask them to add their person. This of course happens when subcontractors are not diligent enough with keeping up their accounts and I know is hard to track....just a suggestion.....Other than that I think it is a valuable tool and really enjoy using it.

Ron Wright Inc

Team members can decide on what to bid without meeting at the same time.

Pros

The organization of the bid list by due date is great. It's important sometimes to search an archived project. Huge time saver having a dedicated email auto populating the bid list and auto populating some of the project information. The bid form notification of being read is great to have reassurance that the proposal was received. The comment section is great for notes to other team members.

Cons

The planhub invites not auto populating client information is frustrating. The split screen on the bid board is useful or needed, split screen with limited views of both screens. One screen with all the info would be more useful. When you need more info you open the project. The right hand screen is not used.

Love this program!

If your looking for Construction Software call these guys and take it for a test drive, you wont be sorry and your subcontractors will love it.

Pros

Building Connected is the best software out there for me getting my bid invites and access to plans and specs. It so easy to use and everything you need a click away. Contractors that are using this software can send bid invites and access to the plans right to my account. I'm using their Opportunity Manager also, I just forward my bid invites from Contractors who are not using Building Connected to this program and it puts it in order by bid date automatically , much better than me trying to organize my outlook. Another thing about this software when you download plans its way faster than it competition.

Cons

Once in awhile I will have to go in and manually put in the bid date on certain bid invites that I have forwarded to the Opportunity Manager.

We Choose to Build with Building Connected!

We use the integration with Building Connected to Procore, which simplifies the process of turning a bid into a contract or purchase order. If you use both or one of these systems, we definitely recommend using them as a pair.

Pros

The ability to track and store all of our bids in one place. We can run reports and review previous bids for estimating new projects, pre-qualify our subcontractors with a customized questionnaire, and store templates for bid contact lists separated by cost code/bid package and organized by locations, type of project, category, or really anything we need!

Cons

We cannot edit the sub's contact information, and companies are not the best at keeping emails and company information up to date in the system. If the company is not in the system, then we can add them with email, but can't store any of their company info (name, address, etc).

The top apps for finding the best-priced contractors in your area

BuildingConnected offers a pioneering idea for project owners, increasing their ability to get the best prices and also access to specialized contractors to carry out some complex tasks.

Pros

Through reports and lists of contractors, BuildingConnected helps users to finalize bids in every location it covers. The BuildingConnected system will allow you to create your own bid lists, and through those lists provided by BuildingConnected you will be able to send quotation requests to a wide range of contractors, some of whom you may not have previously come into contact with or had any previous knowledge of. BuildingConnected allows you to filter the bids you receive, generate a list of those bids, and eliminate any that you don't want. Getting regular updates on fresh opportunities that align with your company's goals is one of the wonderful benefits of joining BuildingConnected.

Cons

Even though I found the search and filtering capabilities for qualified contractors and estimates to be lacking in accuracy, BuildingConnected is still simple to use.