8 Best Construction Management Software for a Small Business

Construction projects are more likely to succeed with online project management software. But not all construction projects are the same and not all firms in the construction industry are the same. Why should general contractor software be the same? They’re not.

This list of the best construction management software for small a business reviews project management solutions aimed at small contractors. Despite this list of construction management software for small contractors, there is no small job. A general contractor of any size needs the right tool for the job.

What Is Construction Management Software for Small Businesses?

Construction management software for small contractors is designed to help manage various aspects of a construction project efficiently. Some tools can assign general contractors with project planning, scheduling, budgeting, resource allocation, communication and documentation, which we’ll get to in more detail momentarily.

When in the market for construction management software for small businesses, there are many things to consider. Certainly, features are paramount, but cost must also be considered. Other factors include the pricing structure, ease of use and scalability to grow alongside the business.

Many small businesses in the construction industry don’t have the resources or skills to set up or train staff to use project management software, which is why good customer support and troubleshooting is critical. Finally, mobile access is key for logging hours on the job site. Make sure the tool has a mobile app to enhance productivity for field teams.

Key Features of a Construction Management Software for a Small Business

Now let’s look at features. Several features are needed to plan, manage and track construction projects. A small construction firm isn’t going to have the funds to invest in multiple tools but rather seeks one construction management software that can do it all. Therefore, make sure the tool has the following features.

Project Planning: Gantt charts are fundamental project management tools, especially for construction. Whether big or small, these powerful planning and scheduling tools visualize the project on a timeline, which is broken down by project phases, can allocate resources and track progress. They can also assign specific tasks to team members with deadlines to enhance accountability.
Resource Planning: Effective resource planning ensures that the right resources, such as labor, materials, equipment, etc., are available when needed, which minimizes downtime and waste. There should be a tool to monitor resource utilization and balance workloads to prevent burnout and ensure tasks are completed on schedule. Proper resource planning forecasts resource needs to create more accurate budgets and avoid idle resources.
Team Collaboration: Effective collaboration fosters open lines of communication among team members, which keeps everyone on the same page. They can also quickly address issues and obstacles. Having software that can comment at the task level, share files and notify team members of changes or updates can identify and eliminate redundant processes and improve workflows and productivity. It also leads to better decision-making through collective problem-solving, better quality of work and cross-functional expertise.
Budgeting and Cost Tracking: Construction management software for small contractors needs to create detailed budget estimates based on project requirements, labor, materials and overhead costs. They break down costs by category to identify where funds are allocated and have to update budgets in real time to reflect new costs or scope adjustments. It’s essential to track actual expenditures against the budget and for field workers to have mobile apps to log labor hours on-site that can automatically link to the budget via timesheets to track labor costs. Reports and analytics help keep track of costs and update stakeholders. Alerts and notifications identify cost overruns and timeline variances that can impact the budget.
Document Management: Finally, the software should have a centralized document storage with all project-related documents to make it easy for team members to access the information they need when and where they need it. There should also be version control to track document revision and revert to old versions if needed. Collaborative tools are also important for sharing, editing and commenting on files. Automating workflows streamlines processes and alerts to keep everyone on the same page. A global search is handy to quickly find the file needed among the many stored on the software.

Best Construction Management Software for a Small Business

Now that we understand what to look for in construction management software for small contractors, let’s look at some of the best brands in the market and see how they rate against that feature set, pros and cons, price and more.

1. ProjectManager

ProjectManager is construction project and portfolio management for businesses of any size to help manage projects and field teams with cloud-based software. It’s the most effective alternative to costly construction software or overly complex tools that require a steep learning curve and much training to master. This tool has everything one needs to plan, schedule and execute a construction project from start to finish, accessible in the office or on mobile devices for Android and iOS on the job site. Resource management features help plan, manage and track resource allocation, balancing workload and keeping teams working at capacity.

Robust Cost Estimating Tools

Powerful Gantt charts allow general contractors to create detailed budgets, inputting various costs, such as labor, materials, equipment and overhead. The software allows for a structured breakdown of costs into categories and subcategories, which help manage and track expenses. Resources can be allocated for specific tasks with associated costs to better estimate total project expenses based on resource needs.

Time spent on tasks can be tracked with secure timesheets to estimate and track labor costs in real time, including hourly rates and overtime. Old projects can be archived and used to provide historical data when estimating costs for future projects. The collaborative platform allows team members to contribute their insights based on experience and skills to create accurate cost estimates. Gantt chart features such as linking all four types of task dependencies and filtering for the critical path help keep the project on track and avoid cost overruns.

Real-time Project Cost Tracking Dashboards & Reports

Estimating and planning is only the beginning. This construction management software for small businesses also ensures that the execution of the project aligns with the schedule and budget. Once a baseline is set on the Gantt chart, the plan is captured and can now be compared to actual expenditures in real time. One way to track costs is with the live project and portfolio dashboard, which automatically collects data and displays the budget, actual and planned costs in easy-to-read graphs and charts. There are other key performance indicators (KPIs) such as tasks, workload and more, that impact the budget as well. For more details, customizable status, portfolio, variance, timesheet, workload and more reports can be filtered to fine details for the project team or a more general overview to share with stakeholders, keeping them updated.

Multiple Project Planning Views

Another reason this tool tops our list is the multiple project views. While general contractors live on Gantt charts, field teams don’t need all those features when executing their tasks. The plans on the Gantt chart are reflected across the software, allowing the construction crew and subcontractors to visualize their workflow and manage backlog on kanban boards or use task lists for punch lists and more. There’s also a calendar view that provides a monthly overview of the project that stakeholders will find valuable to keep them informed on progress.

ProjectManager tops this list because it has these features as well as resource management features to balance workload, version control, global search, automated workflows with task approval settings, unlimited file storage, works on Macs and so much more. Construction firms big and small flock to it as an affordable construction management software for small firms. Get started with ProjectManager today for free.

Verdict: Best Construction Management Software for Small Businesses

ProjectManager Pros & Key Features

Multiple project planning views with cost-tracking features
Real-time project and portfolio dashboards
Reports and secure timesheets
Mobile app for Android and iOS

ProjectManager Cons & Limitations

Lacks some construction-specific features such as bid makers
Poor mobile experience unless you have the mobile app
No free plan

ProjectManager Pricing

Team plan: $13/user/month
Business plan: $24/user/month
Enterprise: Contact sales

ProjectManager Reviews

G2 review: 4.4/5
Capterra review: 4.1/5

2. BuilderTrend

BuilderTrend is cloud-based construction project management software for small businesses. It’s designed specifically for home builders, remodelers and specialty contractors. It has a full suite of tools from planning and budgeting to communication and documentation. This is a good tool for those who are making the move from spreadsheets to a tool that can help them prepare bids, material takeoffs, invoices and work-in-progress reports. It has real-time updates and excellent customer support to train and respond to issues.

However, small construction companies will bulk at the price for those features. And it’s a good thing that they have strong customer support because, despite a user-friendly design, there is a steep learning curve to master all the tools offered by the software. Users have also complained about the lack of customization options for specific workflows. The fact that it can’t track individual costs is also a big minus when calculating the value of investing in this project management solution. That and the lack of dashboards or reports to track the budget are the final nails in the coffin.

Verdict: Best Construction Management Software for Small Businesses Seeking Customer Support

BuilderTrend Pros & Key Features

Work in progress reports for estimate tracking
Tracking tools like Gantt charts and to-do lists
Budgeting templates
Mobile app for Android and iOS

BuilderTrend Cons & Limitations

Gantt charts lack cost-tracking features
No timesheets, only a time clock tool
Expensive licensing
No free plan
No free trial

BuilderTrend Pricing

Essential plan: $499 per month
Advanced plan: $799 per month
Complete plan: $1099 per month

BuilderTrend Reviews

G2 review: 4.2/5
Capterra review: 4.5/5

3. Smartsheet

Smartsheet is construction management software for small contractors who are familiar with Excel and prefer a spreadsheet-based tool. While not exclusive to construction, many firms will use this tool as its features can be tailored to meet the needs of small construction businesses. It offers real-time collaboration with a mobile app to stay in touch with teams on the job site. There are cost-tracking and reporting tools to track performance and financial metrics. And it’s a centralized storage for project documents with version control and access permissions.

The pros are also the cons in terms of its spreadsheet interface. This is especially true as users move to more advanced features that have a steep learning curve due to complex formulas. Since this isn’t exclusively construction management software, it’s limited to use in that industry. Even the tools offered often require manually setting up features whereas construction software does that automatically. There are some cost-estimating features, but they’re limited and may not suit the needs of most general contractors.

Verdict: Best Construction Management Software for Small Businesses Who Like Spreadsheets

Smartsheet Pros & Key Features

Preferred by contractors moving from Excel to project management software
Cost tracking and reporting tools
Project tracking features
Free trial
Mobile app for Android and iOS

Smartsheet Cons & Limitations

Most tools are spreadsheet-based
Some tools must be manually set up as opposed to automated
Limited cost-estimating tools

Smartsheet Pricing

Pro plan: $7/user/month, billed annually
Business plan: $25/user/month, billed annually

Smartsheet Reviews

G2 review: 4.4/5
Capterra review: 4.5/5

4. Jobber

Jobber is mostly known as field service management software, which can include construction management software for small businesses. It has scheduling and dispatching tools to manage appointments and invoicing capabilities. A centralized database helps manage client information, communication and project history. There are also multiple task management tools, including kanban boards, task lists and daily logs.

The interface is simple but may be too basic as it creates a poor experience for users. However, the lack of advanced features is more likely to turn users away from this tool. Small construction firms will also find the cost of running the software prohibitively expensive, especially for those who need multiple users or additional features, such as Gantt charts that aren’t part of its feature set. The features available have limited customization, which might not meet the needs of all businesses.

Verdict: Best Construction Management Software for Small Businesses and Independent Contractors

Jobber Pros & Key Features

Unlimited user monthly license fee
Task management tools: kanban boards, task lists and daily logs
Scheduling, dispatching and invoicing tools
Job costing and work order tracking
Mobile app for Android and iOS
Free trial

Jobber Cons & Limitations

Simplistic user interface creates poor user experience
Lightweight construction tools
No Gantt charts
Limited resource planning, scheduling and monitoring features
No free plan

Jobber Pricing

Core: $49/user/month
Connect: $129 per month, up to 5 users
Grow: $249 per month, up to 15 users

Jobber Reviews

G2 review: 4.4/5
Capterra review: 4.5/5

5. InEight

InEight is construction management software for small firms that enhances visibility, collaboration and efficiency. It has change order management features and offers critical path analysis, which is an essential part of scheduling construction projects. It’s especially useful in document control, with centralized document management for plans, specifications and change orders, with version control and access management.

Negatives include costs, which is always the case when they’re not listed and sales must be contacted to find out how much the product will cost. This is a barrier for smaller construction firms. Other issues include the Gantt chart, which is limited to such essential tasks as scheduling. The interface is very old-fashioned, which is just an aesthetic problem, but also hard to use, which makes it more of a practical issue.

Verdict: Best Construction Management Software for Small Businesses and Document Management

InEight Pros & Key Features

Change order management features
Critical path analysis features
Construction document management
Cost estimating and forecasting tools

InEight Cons & Limitations

Outdated and difficult user interface
Limited Gantt chart functionality
No free trial
No free plan

InEight Pricing

Contact sales team for pricing information

InEight Reviews

G2 review: 4.3/5
Capterra review: 4.4/5

6. Contractor Foreman

Contractor Foreman is construction management software for small contractors up to mid-sized construction companies. It manages scheduling, budgeting, document management and communication. It’s especially useful in managing bids, invoicing and payments. There is also a mobile app for field workers. The price isn’t cheap, but tends to be within the range of affordable compared to other construction project management solutions.

The user interface is outdated and not the most user-friendly. The lack of takeoff features is sure to disappoint some construction companies, but maybe not as much as the performance issues that some users have reported, especially with the mobile app. While contractors often seek integrations with other third-party apps they use, this tool is limited in what it works with compared to others on this list.

Verdict: Best Construction Management Software for Small Businesses and Bid Management

Contractor Foreman Pros & Key Features

Document management
Bid management tools
Daily logs, job costing and work order tracking
Free trial

Contractor Foreman Cons & Limitations

Poor user interface
Lacks construction takeoff features
No cost tracking and budget reporting tools
No free plan

Contractor Foreman Pricing

Basic: $49 per month
Standard: $79 per month
Plus: $125 per month
Pro: $166 per month
Unlimited: $249 per month

Contractor Foreman Reviews

G2 review: 4.2/5
Capterra review: 4.5/5

7. CoConstruct

CoConstruct is construction management software for small businesses that specialize in custom home construction and remodeling. It has a range of tools for managing projects, including online billing and purchase order management, to-do lists for task management and communications to streamline and enhance collaboration. It has a user-friendly interface and strong client communication features to keep them informed, which improves trust.

Issues arise with project and cost tracking features, which are limited and their limitations will be felt when managing construction or remodeling projects. The cost can be a hurdle too high to clear from smaller construction firms and the learning curve is steep enough that time will need to be set aside for training. There’s no free trial or free plan to kick the tires on this tool, which might put it out of touch for general contractors who want to take the software out for a test drive.

Verdict: Best Construction Management Software for Small Businesses and Invoice Management

CoConstruct Pros & Key Features

Online billing and purchase order management
To-do lists for task management and job costing
Mobile app for Android and iOS

CoConstruct Cons & Limitations

Limited project and cost-tracking features
No cost management dashboards
Steep learning curve
No free trial
No free plan

CoConstruct Pricing

Standard plan: Starts at $99/month and then increases to $299/month after 2 months
Plus plan: Starts at $200/month and then increases to $299/month after 3 months

CoConstruct Reviews

G2 review: 4/5
Capterra review: 4.7/5

8. Monograph

Monograph is construction management software for small businesses that focus on architecture and engineering. It focuses on project planning, resource management and financial tracing. There is built-in time tracking that helps to create accurate billing and resource management. Real-time collaboration facilitates communication and collaboration. While comprehensive reporting offers valuable insights into project performance and financials, which leads to more insightful decision-making.

Maybe because this is super-specialized software the cost is relatively expensive, especially for small businesses that require multiple licenses or advanced features. Smaller construction firms might also be frustrated with the features that are suited for larger, more complex projects. The features are also limited in terms of customization, which impacts workflows and reporting. All that and the fact that it takes a long time to understand how to use the tool will be one red flag too many.

Verdict: Best Construction Management Software for Small Businesses in Architecture and Engineering

Monograph Pros & Key Features

Specialized for architects and engineers
Resource management features
Built-in time tracking
Real-time collaboration

Monograph Cons & Limitations

Costly
Features better suited for large, complex projects
Limited customization
Steep learning curve

Monograph Pricing

Contact sales

Monograph Reviews

G2 review: 4.3/5
Capterra review: 4.5/5