How to Make Your Construction Data More Meaningful

If you aren’t analyzing your construction data and using it to become more profitable, why are you capturing data in the first place??

12% of general contractors use their data to drive project decisions. Yet, bad data is the overwhelming reason projects go over budget and over deadline. So, if you are collecting project data, why aren’t you using it to predict better outcomes in the areas you are most profitable, increasing efficiencies, and eliminating risk??

It’s probably because you, like many other precon teams, don’t have a single place where your data is captured and stored. Some of the biggest contractors in the country use multiple programs to estimate project costs with no standardized operating procedures to their precon workflows.?

If you could pull all your estimate data into one location and use comparisons dashboards you would be able to compare your actuals to your conceptuals and make better project decisions.?

Jeff Sample, Contech evangelist and host of the ConTechCrew podcast says, “Too often in the industry, we’re looking over our shoulder and we’re walking into the next wall.” Leveraging our construction data allows us to spot risk, predict outcomes, and become more efficient in the way we build.?

Database construction estimating software like DESTINI Estimator allows precon teams to see where they are most cost effective, learn leading indicators, and find where they financially benefit.?

Tracking your cost history throughout the entire lifecycle of a project not only lets you see where and what went wrong but also validates where you went right.?

Use data to ask yourself:?

• Are we estimating and coding in a way we can analyze project scope???

• Are we using the best trade partners???

• Where are the leading indicators that identify risk??

Buildings have become much more complex. And precon’s biggest challenge has always been time. Compounding these two on top of increasing owner demands of sustainability building methods and materials, tighter budgets, and faster turnaround times, you must build better to stay competitive.

The Power of Microsoft Power BI

Power BI pulls your data from a database and presents that data visually in a way that makes sense. Further, you can quickly filter information. For example, filtering your healthcare projects in a certain region. This helps you present an accurate estimate to owners and show them exactly where your cost estimate numbers came from.?

These innovative technologies are allowing teams to collaboratively problem solve and offer the best solutions to projects. This is the key to winning more work.?

Stewart Carroll, Chief Customer Officer at Beck Technology says, “If you’re able to make what is being purposed better than you’re positively making the world a better place.”? You can only do that by leveraging your data and making it more meaningful.?