What New Technology Is Available In Construction?

Technology in construction has seen great improvements in the last years but information technology particularly has come a long way. Being an information intensive industry, there is a high amount of information that always needs to be exchanged. In addition, adoption of the improvements in technology is essential in ensuring projects are finished in time and the budget is observed as there is more accountability and tracking of expenditure. The information that is shared in this industry also allows for better interaction with the suppliers and enables the project managers to have better control of the tasks, the materials and other resources.

Cloud computing for example, has a strong impact in the construction industry particularly since the workers constantly change and new job sites are always being established. Furthermore, there are numerous parties involved in the construction project and cloud computing allows for the relevant information to be shared. This information is often critical for making decisions in a timely manner as well as reporting on the project status. Cloud computing ensures that the needed information can be accessed from any location whether it is the construction site, main office or even a subsidiary office.

Construction project management software has also been adopted. They allow the construction project managers to effectively manage the different aspects of the projects. The software allows the manager to have pertinent information relating to the orders, payments, available resources and this helps him or her to then plan and organize his teams as he ensures all the resources at his disposal are utilized effectively. Ultimately, this software helps to ensure the quality of work delivered is of high quality and that the profitability of the company remains unchallenged.

With cloud computing, mobile devise management has also become necessary. Most of the construction workers utilize their mobile devises to get the information on construction. But with these devises grows a security risk and the construction companies must invest in protecting themselves from the associated overall business risks as well as the support costs that would then follow.

Technology improvements have also brought into the construction industry an eLearning platform. This allows the different practitioners in the construction industry to stay on top of the changes in the field and continuously improve on themselves. This platform is essential for the professionals who cannot afford to attend the schools on a fulltime basis but alternatively, work on their studies form alternative locations. Some of these platforms are provided by the construction firms to their employees to ensure they are conversant with the use of some of the software being adopted.

Another technology being used in construction is for accounting in which most of the software can be tailor made to reflect the needs of the industry (especially Small Construction Business Software). This is especially important for the project manager, the procurement team and the accountants as the software aims to enhance the speed of estimating as well as the accuracy of the data given. This information is crucial in the early stages of the project as it guides the tendering and procurement process and also guides the reports at the end of the project.

Cloud software to enhance financial management, cloud security software, integration of data applications, and even platforms to allow for the prequalification of subcontractors are now available to in the construction industry. Programs that assist the architects in development of designs are also available. Different construction firms have come to fully comprehend the advantages of these advancements in technology and have made budgetary allocations to ensure they stay updated. Using great technology effectively and being able to show it, is essential in staying ahead of the competitors.

Approach of a Successful Construction Project Management

Construction project management demands an extensive knowledge of the industry as it is a unique and complicated field. Project managers have to be more strategic and thoughtful in working with different people and several plans to execute. Effective project management requests architect, contractor, and supplier to remain on schedule and budget. Fortunately, construction project management has become more technical with the emergence of construction project management software. This discussion belongs to the implementation of those strategies that counts.

v  Communication flow:

Communication is the most important element of all project management. Flow of communication should be maintained with everyone on the ground. Communication transparency can make the process smoother. It can be done via the management software by syncing discussions, attachments and calendars which give more time to view other tasks.

v  Continuous Planning

Planning gets started long before the actual construction begins and continues revising until the project ends. Every stage of the ongoing project requires extensive planning. Mishaps are unpredictable, so design may need to change time to time. Even a little adjustment can affect the overall plan and timeline so keep planning.

v  Execution

Execution is the integral part of the process. Projects require more attention and integrated effort to come the same as planned. Continue plan execution and better performance from others is required in order to manage a successful project. Keep an eye to the process by project management construction software.

v  Budget

The permit, wages, materials and equipment of construction projects accomplished by an array of financial sources. Even small construction projects need to use software that can also plan costs and budgets. Calculations keep track of project’s finances.

v  Reporting Systems

Weekly distribution of different spreadsheets and status reports are required to maintain coordination within the different sections of the construction project.  Project management software for construction industry can provide aid and allow focusing on other tasks.

Therefore go for the right tool or software for your next construction project that helps you work more efficiently.

How Did The BuilderStorm Construction Software Come About?

Starting BuilderStorm happened by complete chance, I was becoming more and more disillusioned by the Excel spreadsheet RFI schedule that I had to update every time a RFI changed status and then issue it to the team so they were up to date. We then had different team members with different revisions of the same spreadsheet and nobody really knew where we stood. As the sub-contractor we were probably missing out on delay claims, as the main contractor we probably not managing our designers properly.

The whole process was archaic and wrong. One day things had come to a head and I had a good old rant down the phone to my dear friend James, who until only recently had never been on a building site, let alone know what a RFI was. After a brief explanation of the process, James pointed out that a simple website would keep track of our RFI's in real-time. Whilst James had zero experience in construction, he is a web developer of many years working for some of the biggest clients in the UK. Within a few weeks we had the basic workings of a RFI website and it was pretty awesome. After showing my contracts manager at the time, his response was "That pretty neat, can you do an online diary"?..... Fast forward 3 years, we now have Builder Storm and over 30different features.

So Why The History Lesson?

Because back then, the end was always in sight. Just a few more months and it will be finished. Not true! We have now come to terms with the fact that the product will never be truly finished and that working all hours to get the latest release out will probably be the case for a while yet. Its hard work, long hours and stressful. But every so often I get an email from a client telling me how much easier we have made their lives and it really does give me a sense of achievement and put a smile on my face.

So What About The Big Software Companies?

Then we have the big boys. Google. The software company that has "made it", quite possibly the biggest company on the planet and the most profitable. You have to admire some of the innovations created by Google; they are literally the trend setters for all things technology. But there is a dark side to this giant.

In late 2015 a war was raging between the UK tax collectors (HMRC) and Google over tax avoidance tactics employed by Google. They had amassed total sales of £24Bn in the UK between 2005 and 2014 with an estimated profit of £7.2Bn (based on an assumed margin of 25-30%). But Google managed to negotiate a deal where they paid just £130m in tax for that period. They have since agreed to pay another £70m on top. This puts their corporation tax rate around 2-3% of profits. The standard corporation tax rate in the UK is 20%, which is what Builder Storm pay, like everyone else.

Tax expert to Jeremy Corbin is quoted as saying "What was already a poor deal for the government is now looking even worse and it looks like HMRC’s mess-up. I would say it clearly shows that HMRC is under-resourced and is struggling to cope in negotiations with major corporations".

How Did We Get To This Point?

My question is, why are they allowed to negotiate in the first place? They were paying back taxes for ten years, not one mention of a fine and they pay just 2-3%?? How Is That Fair? We pay our taxes; it’s the morale thing to do. If we only had to pay 2-3% we would benefit massively and our business would be on a level playing field. As it stands, it is impossible for any UK firm to compete with companies like Google and that can only change with legislation reform. We're obviously nowhere near their status and never will be, but let's hope every company can remain as competitive as these competitive giants that have a bigger spending budget then most countries.

Fancy Giving BuilderStorm A While?

If you feel you are struggling to manage your growing company we may be a great fix for you. We work hard to adjust our software to work with companies to ensure the software does not impact on your internal procedures that are critical to your business. Get in touch to have a free trial of our competitively priced online construction software today.