Construction companies have high resource requirements than other industries. This makes running a successful construction business complicated. Fortunately, there are several best contractors apps that can help them manage different aspects of the company.
From project management, scheduling, and budgeting, to everything required for managing small business operations in the construction business, technology can help. Most contractors need help with keeping business operations in line. This is why over two-thirds of construction businesses miss deadlines or go over budget with their projects.
To help alleviate most of these problems, there exist cloud-based contractor apps. These applications are built with the requirements of the construction business in mind.
Here in this article, we list the best apps for construction that contractors can use for project management. We picked the top apps for contractors based on their features, technology, portability, and overall effectiveness.
Let’s get started.
Table of Contents
Five best apps for contractors
1. Truein: Best time tracking scheduling app for contractors
Truein is one of the most robust staff time tracking and attendance apps. Its cloud-based, hardware-less design makes it the best time-tracking app for contractors. You can deploy it directly on the phones of laborers and supervisors. There are all the scheduling and time-tracking features available on this app that you will need to run your construction business.
Truein has a complete schedule management feature that project managers can use to schedule workers on site and even track their location at the work site in real-time to ensure they are present at the job site through GPS Geofencing. Managers can ensure that workers are on-site, and approve shift switches, leaves, overtime, etc., using the app.
This scheduling and time-tracking app for contractors is made for distributed and contractual workers. Therefore, if you hire subcontractors for construction projects, you can easily accommodate the workers they provide for the projects in the workforce management system.
With its geofenced attendance tracking, you can eliminate time theft from your construction business. You can limit the workers to clock in and out only from the location of the job site. Furthermore, it directly integrates into payroll, which automates salary calculation and decreases errors.
Truein is ideal for construction businesses of all sizes. You can manage multiple job sites, and several more features make it one of the best apps for construction.
Key features:
- Real-time work hours tracking
- GPS Geofenced Attendance
- Auto-generate reports
- Company-wide policy creation that can be customized according to location and staff category
- Create and update shift schedules
- Allow workers to switch shifts
- Direct integration into the payroll system
2. LetsBuild: Best construction management app for project managers
LetsBuild is one of the best apps for contractors to help the on-site teams collaborate efficiently. The app provides project managers to have clear access to the business operations and receive information in real-time. LetsBuild removes all the complications from sharing information between the site and the office.
The app is a suite for products – Documents, Progress & Planning, QHSE, and Control and Insights. Construction managers and project supervisors can easily use this application to manage the labor force at multiple construction sites.
Key Features:
- Track and update a project plan in real time
- Access the latest documents, construction drawings, and on-site plans
- Overview processes and insights
- Ensure compliance with standards and regulations at the worksite
- Easily digitize key processes for an efficient business operation
- Enable seamless communication and collaboration
3. All-In-One Calculator: Best for remodeling contractors
All-In-One Calculator is a free android app that helps business owners to do various construction-related calculations. You can use it for everything from the simple unit and currency conversions to calculating volumes, areas, and proportions. In total, there is a set of 75 calculators and unit converters.
If you use an iPhone, you can use Construction Calculator for similar functionality. It might not be a complete project management application, but it is still one of the best apps for remodeling contractors.
Key Features:
- Calculate stair lengths, roof pitch, and rafter lengths
- Unit converters
- Quick-Job feature to quickly calculate projects like fencing, drywall, painting, and flooring
- It can be used for accurate estimations
4. DeWalt Mobile Pro: Best for multi-contractor calculations
DeWalt Mobile Pro is present in our list of top construction apps because it helps make the construction process much more efficient by offering several calculators and tools. Whether you want to calculate material costs or do job-site math, you can make more accurate estimates of project costs and deadlines using this app.
It is an excellent app for contractors working on projects of any type or size.
Key Features:
- Construction calculations
- Save calculations for later reference
- Mobile-friendly for both Android and iOS
- Add on packs for multiple trades
- Easy to use
- Free download
5. Sortly
Sortly is the application that assists construction teams in staying on the project timeline and ensuring the project is completed within the deadlines by offering inventory management. For construction companies, it is often challenging to manage and track supplies, materials, and equipment spread out across multiple locations.
With Sortly, teams at several sites can collaborate and track inventory as it moves between sites. It also has construction invoicing features that help project managers keep the project within budget. This app for contractors is suitable for companies of all sizes.
Key Features:
- Organize inventory folders
- Easily upload existing inventory list
- Get real-time reporting insights on inventory
- Get alerted when you’re running low on stock
- Sync inventory management across multiple devices
Frequently Asked Question
What is a contractor app?
Contractor apps are digitally driven tools helping automate the tasks associated with construction projects. These applications are designed to automate tasks, store documents, enable collaboration, offer tracking and scheduling, and more.
What to look for in a contractor app?
The best apps for contractors have the features to augment every segment of the construction project. Apart from facilitating the automation of most tasks, they should be easy to use and even easier to deploy.
How do contractor apps work?
All the contractor apps listed above are cloud-based and can be downloaded on your phone or tablet. After successful installation, contractors need to input data related to their project. These apps will help them track project progress, schedule workers, enable team communication, generate and store documents, and much more.
What are the benefits of using a contractor app?
- These apps improve business efficiency by reducing manual administrative tasks.
- Compliance becomes more accessible as the regulations and policies can be seamlessly shared with workers.
- There are many delays in project progress as managers can keep an eye on all the tasks in real-time.
- There is improved communication between teams.
- Contractor apps are also cost-effective in minimizing paperwork, eliminating time theft, and accurately calculating overtime.
Conclusion
If you want some help to make your next construction project more efficient and profitable, these are the best apps for contractors to consider. From worker time tracking to resource management and everything in between, the apps listed in this guide offer all the capabilities.
Using these apps, contractors can collaborate easily, schedule and time track workers, remain compliant, stay up to date with safety protocols and other information, and automate different tasks to streamline projects.
Overall, Truein remains a complete solution for employee time tracking and attendance management for contractors in the construction industry.
