Inspections, punch lists, reports, defect management, construction documentation and more – there are countless construction apps for android on the market in 2020. All these construction management apps promise to help you manage projects more efficiently, but which app is right or even the best for your field of work? If you’re on the market for a comprehensive software apps solution, we believe that one important feature trumps all others independent from your business and field of work: a simple and user intuitive interface.
Here are five of the best (free) Android apps which not only offer a wide range of productivity-enhancing features, they are also very user-friendly and a great benefit to support your construction project.
1. PlanRadar – Best for construction management
The PlanRadar app, highly useful for documentation and defect management, is one of the best and easiest to use tools available for project managers looking to streamline, monitor and track operations on the construction site. With its intuitive design, first-time users can immediately begin managing processes via their mobile or tablet. Whether working from home or the office via the cloud-based PlanRadar web app, or in the field, managers can create work orders, or tickets, and quickly assign them to the responsible contractors and team members with a great overall view.
Creating a ticket on your mobile is a great time saver tool that every architect and project manager need. Instead of noting down individual defects using pen and paper and communicating them to the concerned party by phone or in person, project managers can add all the relevant information to a ticket linked to their construction plans. To make things even easier, this includes pinpointing the location of the defect on a blueprint and attaching helpful photos, texts and voice memos through the app. Managers also assign tickets directly to team members, and defects can be resolved in a shorter time frame. You can track and check all defects on site for their corrections and save your business heaps of time!
Of course, ease of use doesn’t just mean placing work orders from your mobile while staying at home, it also means having access to all the information and project plans needed to make the best decision possible. One of the construction app’s many benefits is the fact that it allows managers best access to data whether working from home or in the field, free from the constraints of being chained to a desktop. Documentation can be exported with one click, digital plans viewed from any mobile device, and decisions made on the go. Continue working even without reliable internet access from the construction site– data is simply synchronized once the connection is re-established and ready to share whenever you need.
Another time-saving benefit of PlanRadar is that no complicated software installation is needed. Just visit the Google Play store and download the android app straight to your mobile device. Simply by inviting other users, be they team members, contractors or suppliers, project managers can directly communicate with everyone needed to successfully complete a construction project. Even though in 2018 many construction sites are still managed without the use of any software, the potential benefits are undeniable. The PlanRadar app, which can be tried for free, can easily save users one hour per day on average. As a project manager you surely need this hour to support some other pivotal tasks that cannot be handled automatically through a management bundle of apps.
2. Procore
A software platform which tailors its offering to the individual needs of project managers, Procore provides cloud-based applications which help streamline complex operations. Similar to other apps in the prop-tech sector and the construction work field, the company focuses on improving communication in construction projects and understands that ease of use is crucial in a software platform when it comes to efficient project management with the help of apps.
The app allows managers to easily connect with contractors and team members via their mobile devices and helps them plan projects with a comprehensive set of features. Along with greater connectivity among teams, the user-centric app is also of great help in sharing project-related documentation, which can all be easily disseminated via the construction app. Work with Procore on a daily basis to support more capacities by saving time with an optimized communication tool.
3. Raken
Used by general contractors, subcontractors, and owners, Raken is a useful daily reporting app with practical features for your construction site. Not unlike some of the other apps listed here, it enhances productivity and management by letting users input information directly while on site, including images, video, and attachments. Project managers save time by creating and sharing time-intensive reports more quickly, especially when managing multiple construction sites simultaneously.
Raken’s easy-to-generate daily reports not only make reporting less time consuming, but they also help facilitate compliance and ultimately help reduce the risk of costly litigation, a factor which shouldn’t be discounted especially now because the building sector is booming in 20189!. Overall, the Android app is a tool that you need to to stay on top of your construction plans, whether you are working in the office or in the field.
4. iAuditor
SafetyCulture’s app highlights the safety aspect of construction projects and the importance of checklists, inspections, and reports in achieving safer workplaces through an overall view. Their mobile apps let users modernize and simplify their work, instead of relying on inefficient paper checklists. iAuditor users can convert paper checklists to smart digital checklists via a user-friendly interface, as well as conduct inspections and complete construction reports online. All of these are great time savers and productivity enhancers.
In addition to these features, the app’s strength lies in facilitating a standardization of the inspection process and enhancing workplace safety on the construction site. Detailed inspection reports, which managers can use to gain additional insights and see problems as they incur, are also very helpful, and the best way to review team performance and make your business skyrocket.
5. SiteDiary
A recent arrival on the construction app scene, the new SiteDiary prides itself on helping its customers save time and ease management by generating customized construction reports using their convenient android app. All events are recorded in easy-to-complete and detailed event report forms, which over the course of a day helps save significant time in creating daily reports and sharing the progress of ongoing processes with other construction or management colleagues.
Apart from the convenience of customized reports, the Android app aims to enhance productivity with its user-friendly features. Team members can view events in real-time, and construction project managers can make approvals via the app’s back office. Since event report forms can be created, accepted and approved more quickly, this means that claims during construction work are more likely to be resolved on a timely basis. Include SiteDiary into your daily business and generate more free capacities by saving time on reports.
The best Construction Management Apps for 2018
There is a long list of construction apps available on the market in general and android in specific. When talking about the best free apps in 2019 for the construction sector, you should always be aware that these construction apps are specialized features which try to cover or track a certain part of the entire construction process. The main topics are -safety, construction management, construction reports, communication, and documentations. PlanRadar is covering most of them with just one software solution! You can check our app and trial version 30 days for free now!
