30 years ago, contractors didn’t need software. In fact, they didn’t even have software. Many contractors and home builders today grew up watching their parents scribble down estimates on a pad of paper to present to clients. In those days, this was the normal way of business. But today, things are much different.
These historically industry standard methods won’t perform in 2024. It’s not because they never worked, it’s because they’ve been lapped by the competition who have transitioned to software. Construction software has not only taken the proverbial piece of the pie, they took the entire thing and ran with it. But this is a good thing.
Outdated marketing and lead generation methods, quoting styles, project management methods and financial strategies all have one thing in common. They take a heck of a lot of time. And as a contractor, the one thing you don’t have is time. This is why every modern contractor needs to have software for every phase of the construction process.
The way contractors run their businesses has evolved fast. Back in the day, a sharp logo on the side of a truck and a referral from a neighbor was enough to keep you busy. Now, clients expect to find you online, compare quotes from multiple contractors, and see reviews—all before they even pick up the phone.
And that’s just the start. Estimates used to be done with pen and paper, maybe a basic spreadsheet. But today, clients want detailed, professional-looking proposals that provide more clarity, and timelines—at the push of a button. The old methods not only look outdated enough to steer a client away, but they also take way too long.
These changes point to one thing: If you want a successful contracting business, you can’t afford to stick with the old ways. To be competitive and win more jobs in 2024, you need software that helps you stay ahead at every stage.
There are a huge number of software options in the construction space. There are specific software to market your business, manage your customers, quote your jobs, and do your finances. With so many options, it can be tough to find the perfect combination.
Many software providers will have integrations between their software, and another that serves as a compliment. This might sound like an ideal situation at the beginning, but what happens when that chain of integrations hits a wall? You’ll be back to manually transferring data, or using multiple programs to run the show.
How about software that does it all? Marketing, lead generation, estimation, project management, financial tracking and banking services, all in one platform. This is Bolster, and it’s changing the game in the construction software space.
Everyone claims their software is a game changer... Bolster truly is! Homebuilders and contractors built the platform from the ground up to give modern construction companies the foundation to scale their business and dominate the competition. Let’s break down the process, covering everything from acquiring and managing leads to sales and estimating, project management, and finally invoicing and collecting payments for a project.
You can’t grow without leads. Bolster makes it easy to not only acquire leads, but manage and follow up with them too. Once you’ve set up your account, you can create a lead generation form that validates your leads, lets them see your previous work, and even begin to create their estimate by themselves.
Self-serve quotes can be set up on your website or Social media posts/ads so potential customers can start creating and editing a budget or firm price estimate for themselves. If they like what they see and submit a quote request they will be brought into your client relationship management pipeline (CRM). Self-serve quotes are a great way to weed out the tire kickers who are not sure of how much things cost and will not waste time with an in-home meeting and more time on a quote that will likely not be accepted.
One of the biggest headaches in the construction is the constant need to follow up. Whether it’s making calls, sending emails, or hunting down clients all day, it becomes a big headache. But don’t worry! Bolster’s CRM keeps all client communication in one easy-to-manage messaging hub. Plus, automated notifications are sent when a job progresses to the next stage so that you can choose to notify, subs, suppliers, in-house employees, and your customer without any effort on your end.
Estimating doesn’t have to be a headache. Bolster’s patented Quoting Engine makes it simple, using your own material and labor pricing, or our AutoCost pricing to build estimates for new home builds, renovations, and landscaping. No matter your experience level, Bolster allows anyone on your team to generate an accurate quote in minutes—just plug in the measurements, and Bolster does the rest.
Gone are the days of spending hours on spreadsheets or writing out quotes by hand. Now, you can produce budget or firm price quotes on the spot. By syncing your vendor pricing, subcontractor costs, and overhead into the system, Bolster creates lightning-fast quotes in minutes, giving you the ability to make a sale during your first meeting.
Bolster turns the traditional style of quote presentation and change order management on its head. Say hello to the future of selling in construction.
With Interactive proposals, you can bring the showroom to your client’s home and showcase all options and upgrades to your clients, so they can visualize their project in real-time. It’s a truly collaborative experience and hasn’t existed in the industry up until now.
This approach not only creates and unforgettable experience for the client, it also significantly reduces change orders on the back end. By allowing homeowners to browse through, and select their preferences during the first meeting, they can plan their budget accordingly, make quicker decisions and get started in a fraction of the time it would normally take.
This leads to higher profit due to upsells and increases closing rates. When clients feel empowered and informed, it’s easier for them to commit to their projects, and you can strike while the iron is hot. Clients are most excited when they first envision their project, so there interactive proposals help you and your team capitalize on that enthusiasm.
Managing scope changes, timelines, and multiple teams has never been easier. As we mentioned before, with the help of interactive estimates, clients make change orders or scope change requests directly within the original quote, and in the comfort of their home.
And let’s say you just booked a big job, but don’t have your schedule on hand. Instead of calling back to the office, or guessing what days might work, you can just use Bolster’s automatic scheduling tool built instantly from the quote inputs. This turns booked estimates into scheduled jobs within seconds, and ensures every project fits into the schedule without overlaps.
Here’s an extra secret of what’s coming soon to! One of the newest features coming to Bolster will be the business dashboard. At a glance, you will have a clear view of your projects, financials, and overall business health. The new customizable charts will help track your profits, expenses, and overall ROI, and provide you with the insights you need to make decisions and stay on course. Stay tuned for this one, and here’s a sneak peak below!
Itemized invoices are automatically generated from your completed quotes, so you don’t have to go back to the office and do all the manual work of invoicing. Once an invoice is sent, clients can make payments directly through the quotes with whatever payment method that fits their needs.
Bolster’s market-leading settlement times offer instant access to a customer's payment. so you don't have to wait days or weeks like you would with a bank. You even have multiple settlement time options. The “Fast”, “Faster”, or “Fastest” options allow you to choose the speed of your payment that fits with your plans and your budget.
And don’t worry, it’s 100% secured. All transactions processed through Bolster are insured by our partner Ayden, a leading global payment provider. This means payments are easy, received faster than ever, and fully protected in every step of the way.
Today’s contractors face incredibly high client expectations and a hugely competitive market that requires efficiency to stay ahead. That’s why every modern contractor needs software for every phase of construction.
With tools like Bolster, you can streamline lead generation, produce lightning-fast estimates, manage projects, automatically create invoices, and even take payments in one platform. The time to leave outdated practices behind was years ago, but better late than never!
Join the future of contracting, book a demo with us today, and you’ll watch your profits soar within days of getting set up! Or... If you just want to learn more check out this blog on "Is Excel Still Relevant for Construction Estimating in 2024?"