When it comes to home building projects, general contractors are the face that everyone wants time in front of. “Everyone” in this scenario primarily includes the customers paying for the build (i.e., future owners of the home, realtors or maybe even a property agency) as well as the many numerous subcontractors hired to execute on their specialties.

With all these people fighting for time, a general contractor needs some organization and automations to fall back on. This is where home building software comes onto the scene. Home building software systems offer general contractors newfound efficiencies around every facet of their operation. They collect and provide easily accessible data for general contractors to reference. The systems also enable contractors to mandate standard processes for all subcontractors and customers to follow.

We have dozens of home builder construction software offerings listed on our site for you to explore. Take some time to check out our user-generated reviews to get a sense of how the various systems have performed for your peers. And keep in mind the wide variance of the product capabilities, ranging from less expensive resident-specific software all the way up to enterprise-level construction manage systems.

All the decisions you’ll face when choosing your system can seem like a tall task, but it’s not that bad. We’ve created this buyer’s guide for you to reference when making your selection. It should ease the selection process and help you make the best decision for you and your construction company.

Here's what we'll cover in this guide:

• What is home builder construction software?

• Common features of home builder construction software

• Evaluating home builder construction software

What is homebuilder construction software?

As alluded to above, general contractors on a home build job typically rely on subcontractors to complete specialized tasks. This often ends up with the home builder having to collect, monitor and store invoices, purchase orders and other important communications. They have to do all this while also monitoring the status and progress of all their jobs and those of their subs.

Screenshot of Jonas Enterprise user dashboard

With all these management requirements, many contractors building a house typically require a complete construction management software system that can manage every aspect of the building process. At a very high level, these construction management systems offer core features:

• Project scheduling: Put together a formal, high-level outline of when benchmark tasks need to be completed by. Set payable hours and manage job site personnel and activity.

• Project management: Monitor each facet of the job to ensure all tasks are moving along in accordance with the schedule. Determine process efficiencies to shave off tasks/time.

• Customer management: Collect and store valuable customer information for future reference and analysis. Automate messaging in accordance with major updates.

• Service management: Manage the nitty gritty, day-to-day activities of the boots on the ground. Keep track of parts, tools, equipment and employees on the clock.

With these highly beneficial features, you can see how the need for a fully equipped construction management system will often be the most effective solution for residential general contractors. Keep in mind though that this is not the only choice home builders have.

Many top construction software vendors concentrate on one type of application. These specific software offerings are known as best-of-breed or standalone systems and can be a great fit for a home builder in need of a cost effective system to complete just one or two specific functions.

Common features of home builder construction software

Home builders need most of the standard features that come with top rated construction management software, but as you’re looking there are a few features for home builders to consider:

Evaluating homebuilder construction software

There are dozens of home builder programs for the construction market. In fact, several companies make multiple products for this one niche. Selecting the right one can be a daunting task, but as with any software, start by assessing your needs. An integrated suite will combine accounting, project management, scheduling and home builder CRM, but you may need just one or two of these capabilities. Residential remodelers have specialized needs within this industry, so they should choose a dedicated residential remodeling system.

Specific questions to ask when selecting home builder construction software include:

• What size is your company? Most home builder construction programs are geared toward companies of a certain size, so this should be one of the first things to match when evaluating a program.

• What features do you need?

• Do you want an on-premise, client/server-based deployment or is your organization interested in exploring web-based deployment opportunities?

• How well does the software integrate with your existing accounting, CRM, ordering or other systems?