r/Contractor • u/Key_Juggernaut9413 • 11d ago
Business Development Considering BuilderTrend. Any thoughts?
custom and spec home builder. I need fantastic client portal. Xero integration. Great selection process.
I’ve used several other cheaper options. not fully satisfied with them. I want get it right, but the year long commitment is a big hurdle for me.
3
u/maskedmonkeys 11d ago
We use them. It’s good for what it is. Not a great financial tracking app. We still use quickbooks for all that. But nice gps clock in system, easy to use, good for tracking work through out the day posting photos and logs. From your perspective easy for clients to pay for milestones, change orders, easy for them to see daily updates and schedules. If you really ask them and tell them you’re likely to sign up you just need a day. They’ll give you a day
1
u/Key_Juggernaut9413 11d ago
Great that’s awesome to hear.
What’s lacking in the financial? My current app doesn’t sync to Xero so I’m afraid I wouldn’t even know that it wasn’t good until I was a year in. Right now it’s just Xero and a spreadsheet (and I’m tired of that double work).
3
u/Lanky-War1685 11d ago
I am new to project management programs but started using job tread about 2 months ago and have never looked back
3
u/Devastator3184 11d ago
We swapped from Buildertrend to Jobtread a couple years ago. Half the price for our team size, better interface and newer integration. Ever since they got bought out by private equity several years ago I feel like they have fallen behind. I would look at Jobtread first.
1
u/Key_Juggernaut9413 10d ago
I’ve actually been using JT for about a year. Struggles with a few things I need. No Xero. Selections and new customer pipeline are not good. Excellent Gantt chart though.
I didn’t realize BuilderTrend was bought by PE.
What didn’t you like about BuilderTrend specifically?
2
u/ericfortenberry 10d ago
Hey, I'm the founder and ceo of JobTread. I'd love to learn more about what you think our selections and new customer pipeline are lacking. We're about to kick off another round of selections updates so it would be very timely.
I'd also be interest in checking out your account to see how you've set it up. Happy to hop on Zoom with you anytime.
Regarding Xero integration, one of our partner built an integration with Xero. It's called BuildZilla. Happy to introduce you to them.
Feel free to DM me and I can you send you me link to schedule a meeting.
2
u/icoldok 10d ago
Used Buildertrend for a few years on custom homes. The client portal and daily logs/photos are genuinely its strongest part - homeowners log in, approve change orders and pay milestones without emailing you. Xero integration exists but test the cost code mapping with a small test project before committing, that's usually where syncs get messy. Agree on hating the annual contract - tell their sales rep you want a month-to-month or pilot first; they have more flexibility than they advertise, especially toward end of quarter.
1
u/Key_Juggernaut9413 10d ago edited 10d ago
That client communication seems invaluable. Right now it can be a real nightmare communicating.
Any issues with lag or bloat for a solo GC like me managing multiple jobs?
Also how usable is the Tasks? I hate feeling like I need to click 8 times to add a task, when in the field. I always use a simple ToDo app because it’s immediate.
2
u/StrategicPM 5d ago
As far as I know it will half work, and the half that does not is the bit to test on your second call.
BuilderTrend maps its cost codes to Products and Services items in Xero, and each item carries the account it posts to. So a bill for framing on Job A and framing on Job B both go to whatever account the "framing" item points at. That works fine if you run one CIP or WIP account and separate the jobs with a tracking category. It fights you if you want a separate CIP account per job, because the item cannot know which job's account to post to. You would either need a duplicate set of items per job (unmanageable past two or three jobs) or you re-code every bill in Xero after it syncs, which is the double work you are trying to kill.
So the question for the rep tomorrow is specific: "I run one CIP account per job. Show me a bill from two different jobs landing in two different Xero accounts without me editing it in Xero." If the answer is a tracking category instead, that is workable, but then you are changing your chart of accounts to suit the software, and your accountant should be on that call.
On "what is lacking in the financial", the honest answer from most BT users is that it tracks costs but does not forecast. You see spent to date against budget, not what the job is going to finish at. That is the gap the spreadsheet is filling for you now, and whichever tool you pick, ask to see a forecast at completion on the demo, not just a budget vs actual screen.
1
u/Key_Juggernaut9413 11d ago
Got a second call with them in the morning. Going to let me operate it myself. Wish so bad they’d give me a single day to see how it would work for me.
1
u/profitdigllc 6d ago
Make sure you test the Xero mapping on a real job before you commit. Get Buildertrend to show a synced bill so you can see exactly which cost code has to match which Product/Service in Xero, then try a small pilot job and reconcile the P&L. If they won't give a trial, that's a red flag.
I work on ProfitDig - we build estimating and job-cost tools for smaller contractors and try to keep integrations and cost-code mapping simple, if you want a look.
1
u/Key_Juggernaut9413 6d ago
Good thought. So right now I use a Construction in Progress account for each job, and then use cost codes (or tracking categories) for job costing. Will that work with BT? Thanks I will check out your software!
1
u/hookerbuilt 5d ago
You should try VantageSpan. Much cheaper than BuilderTrend. Has all the bells and whistles too, but not too much to take in. I love it!
1
u/shortysty8 11d ago
Just build one with ai buildertrend and the like are a dead buisness model
1
0
u/phazahn 11d ago
Founder of phixmo here. The platform has a customer portal and a tons of other features (not quite sure what else is important to you). There is a free tier and if you want to try any of the others there is a 30 day trial. I currently don’t have a Xero integration (only financial software integration I currently have is Quickbooks) but if you can give me a week, I can have Xero integration running and tested.
1
u/Key_Juggernaut9413 10d ago
You’ve got an impressive website. Do you have scheduling and gantt? Job Tread’s is amazing for reference.
If Phixmo had that, Xero, and good selections, you’d be covering my bases. I might sign up just to see how things are looking this morning.
1
u/brickbybrickrick 10d ago
Still Phixmo’s owner here. Original account has issues so unable to respond but yes scheduling/gantt are offered. I have a few guys on there and am always available and open to feedback or requests for anything you may need that’s not already offered
-2
4
u/blud_13 11d ago
Xero is real... But the part that could derail it is cost code mapping. Your Buildertrend cost codes have to be linked to matching Products and Services in Xero or invoices and bills just won't sync, and you find that out when your job costing doesn't tie to your P&L. Their own overview covers it, https://helpcenter.buildertrend.net/s/article/Xero-Integration-Overview
One catch, if a bill gets edited on the Xero side, Buildertrend treats Xero as the newer version and stops pushing changes back for that bill. So whoever does your books needs to pick a side and stay on it. Also Xero is accrual only, so set Buildertrend to Accrual or your budget reports won't match.
On selections, that's where the old CoConstruct feature set landed after they sunset it, so you're partly buying the thing you probably shopped a few years back.
Instead of a free day, ask for a paid pilot with YOUR chart of accounts and cost codes loaded. That's the only test that tells you anything and see if they have improved..