Residentialย construction projectsย rarely seem to go precisely as planned.ย Eachย new build orย homeย renovationย hasย a wide rangeย of moving partsย โ€“ and people โ€“ย eachย with dependencies upon another.

It is important to have a plan in place before starting a construction project and have some flexibility built into the construction project schedule to account for the inevitable unforeseen circumstances that might impact when the entire project will be completed.

It is not always easy to hit your projected end date, but there are scheduling tools that make construction management a bit easier to keep your project schedule on track. It especially helps for small businesses who might need to take a resource-oriented scheduling approach.

Detailed coordination is crucial,ย andย when oneย stage ofย aย project experiences a delayย orย unexpectedly shiftsย ahead of schedule,ย itย impactsย each phase that follows.ย Thisย โ€œdomino effectโ€ย caused byย insufficientย schedulingย can be costly.

It is important to create an accurate schedule that will assure a completion date that was agreed upon with the customer. Nailing your construction schedules will go a long way, especially with complex projects, to ensure the completion date matches what was promised.

Unfortunately,ย someย home construction and remodeling professionals have developed a poor reputation. These days, contractors and sub-contractors are telling homeownersย to expect their construction project to take longer, and cost more than originallyย estimated.

This is especially true if it is a complex project. Still, it is important to stay organized and schedule tasks ahead of time to complete critical activities to end sure you finish projects in a timely manner.

Theย scheduling โ€œsituationโ€ย is not only frustrating forย homeowners. Time inefficiencies are costly for construction management professionals and builders too. If you are a general contractor, you are likelyย carrying added costsย from overtime/second shifts onย most ofย yourย construction projects due to project schedule slippage.

Tackling the problem of wasted timeย 

It may beย surprising to learn that only aboutย half of construction businessesย utilizeย digital tools to help them manage tasks like construction scheduling,ย andย less than one-third use softwareย to help themย handleย critical project management functions like trackingย invoices or expenses.

If you areย among thoseย looking for cloud-basedย constructionย scheduling softwareย that willย helpย bring efficiency and visibility to your operations,ย you are in the rightย place.ย It is a tool that will help you tackle numerous activities, even with lean scheduling, with an effective construction plan.

The key features Buildxact provides for construction project management will help your project teams stay on task and on track to meet deadlines. Construction scheduling does not have to be a tedious task. It helps builders keep their project schedule organized and construction projects running smoothly, whether you have many resources or limited resources.

Getting started withย constructionย scheduling software

Start byย using aย construction project scheduling software, likeย Buildxactย andย createย a critical path construction schedule.ย Building this type ofย detailed planย will outlineย allย theย tasks, timelinesย and resourcesย necessary to complete theย project; andย willย specifyย what getsย done,ย when.

An effectiveย construction project scheduleย details:

  • What construction tasksย need to beย completed
  • How long the tasks will take to accomplish, start-to-finish
  • Whatย resources โ€“ materials or personnel โ€“ย areย requiredย to complete the tasks

In other words, create a construction plan, tackle your work with your project teams.

What are the advantages of construction scheduling software?

Every home builder and generalย contractorย wears many hatsย and looksย forย ways to manage their projects more efficiently.

Aย well-defined plan puts you in a position for successful, on-time project completion.ย This is especiallyย crucialย for companies with back-to-back deadlines orย those who are managingย multipleย projects at once, with limited resources.

The benefits ofย project management and construction scheduling softwareย include:

  • Fewer surprises:ย Well-planned construction projectsย usingย construction scheduling softwareย help to eliminate the element of surprise.ย Working through theย fineย detailsย before the startย helps toย preventย eleventh-hourย changesย and gives you moreย control over the outcome of the construction project.
  • More quality control:ย Project quality andย therefore,ย client satisfaction,ย only getsย betterย with aย well-thought-out project schedule. Usingย construction project scheduling softwareย allowsย advance planning toย ensure that the right materialsย areย on-handย when they are needed.
  • Improves planning and productivity:ย Construction scheduling softwareย helpsย to organizeย resources like labor,ย financing,ย andย equipmentย more efficiently, so everyone involved in the construction projectย โ€”ย fromย subcontractorsย andย laborers toย suppliersย โ€”ย can collaborate to better plan their activitiesย andย completeย each phase ofย the project on time.
  • Decreases risks:ย The well-being of everyone on siteย is a major concern in any construction project. Using aย construction project schedulingย softwareย helpsย toย identifyย who should beย onย the premises at any given time andย whenย personalย protectiveย equipmentย likeย hard hats, boots,ย goggles,ย andย earplugsย should be wornย eliminating any unnecessary risks to your business.
  • Quickly adapt to disruptions:ย The unexpected happens in construction, whether it is a dramatic change in the weather directly affecting the job site to sudden changes in staff or subshifts.ย Usingย constructionย project scheduling softwareย will allow you to create a contingency plan,ย respond to unexpected disruptions, and communicate any sudden changesย quickly without relying on a phone tree.

Why construction project scheduling is a must-have

Convinced and ready toย getย startedย creating your project schedulesย using the software?ย Here are the top features to consider when looking for yourย construction project scheduleย software:

Better resource allocation:ย A preview of how your teamย isย trackingย โ€” employees and subs โ€” using scheduling software for construction crews gives you more control to better allocate resources.ย Buildxactย offersย easy-to-useย residential constructionย schedulingย projectย software forย schedulingย andย project management.

Successful project management execution goes a long way in growing your business. It helps keep track of the construction project schedule, from the project planning phase all the way through project completion.

Real-time detail tracking:ย Residentialย construction scheduling softwareย offersย aย birdโ€™sย eye view of each project phaseย andย the opportunity toย prepare aย comprehensiveย schedule, make as-neededย updates,ย and track progressย at a glanceย orย viewย the step-by-step specificsย along the way.

The flexibility ofย Buildxact’sย project schedulingย softwareย makes it possible to connect dependent activities, add new itemsย and maintain a precise plan.ย Color-coded progress tracking makes it easy to seeย how each phase of your project is advancing.

Detailed reporting:ย residential constructionย projectย scheduling software, likeย Buildxact,ย givesย you the power to generate as much or as little data as you need.ย Easy to read Gantt charts of your schedule enable you to view the progress or final project reports, whichย give insight into how well your projects performed on cost, manpower, and profitability.

Efficient project modeling:ย Constructionย estimatingย and scheduling softwareย allows you toย useย repeatableย project templates,ย whichย makes it possible forย you to executeย planning more efficiently.

Once you have saved a project schedule,ย Buildxactย allows you to use that same schedule as the model for future projects of the same type. For instance, once the schedule for a townhouse build is complete, that same timeline can easily be used again to guideย similar projects in the future.

Communication efficiency:ย Collaborating andย communicatingย with subs, suppliers, and your staff is made easier withย construction project scheduling softwareย with automated reminders that can be sent via email or text message.

More control:ย Withย Buildxactย constructionย estimating andย project scheduling software, developing your project planย canย ฬถย ย ย andย doesย ย ฬถย ย start withย theย estimate.ย Whileย creating your estimateย you can select which items should be part of the build schedule; doing so enablesย youย to work more efficientlyย and,ย organize and save all project details in one location.

Buildxact provides a better scheduling solution (and then some!)ย 

Ourย cloud-basedย constructionย project scheduling softwareย helps to bring transparency to every job, optimize resources and create efficiencies that help building professionals avoidย commonย (andย costly)ย scheduling mistakes.

Buildxactย enhances communication andย projectย collaborationย amongย team members, and with partners. Easy-to-access, real-timeย project schedulesย and alertsย allow users toย monitor progress, address hurdles,ย make updates andย connect dependent tasksย toย build each project phase automatically.

โ€œSo,ย across the board, we just become moreย efficient,ย and the transfer of information is a lot easier,โ€ย saidย Jeremy De Paz, project manager at Waterloo City Construction in Austin, Texas. โ€œData and informationย areย not lost in translation or as we are transferring it from one person to another.โ€

More than just a powerful scheduling tool, Buildxact’s comprehensive construction management software enables residential building and remodeling professionals to:

Still have questions?ย 

We have made it easy for you to do a deep dive and get allย details aboutย each of theseย Buildxactย features and functions. Visitย ourย video tutorial pageย to see firsthand how to putย Buildxactย to work and see if it is the best construction scheduling software for your business.

Ready to take control of your project management, instead of your projects running you?ย 

Tryย Buildxactย forย aย 14-day risk-free trial.ย Or perhaps you would prefer to talk with one of our expert team members,ย schedule a no-obligationย one-on-one demonstration.