Contractors yearn for streamlined cost management tool

Owners and contractors face a variety of challenges when it comes to project cost management but they believe using one streamlined tool will help facilitate construction projects and cost management more efficiently, according to a new Procore Technologies report in partnership with Dodge Data & Analytics.

Conducted in July, the report explores the industry’s perception of project cost management and how construction professionals across multiple regions leverage technology to effectively manage costs. Participants included construction owners, general contractors, and specialty contractors in the public and private sectors across Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States. 

Key findings include:

• Current State of Cost Management Capabilities When asked to evaluate their organisations current cost management capabilities, only 39% agreed and less than a quarter (24%) strongly agreed that capabilities allowed them to effectively manage costs, indicating room for improvement globally. 
   
• Cost Management Challenges Respondents ranked “Converting a final cost estimate into a project budget compatible with cost accounts” and “Tracking costs for every aspect of the job to determine how they impact overall project cost” as the most difficult cost management challenges to solve. 
   
• Most Important Future Needs for Cost Management Respondents ranked “Forecasting critical costs with real-time data from the field” and “Dynamically tracking every dollar in my budget” as the most important future needs to solve with project cost management.
   
• Satisfaction with Cost Management Solutions General contractors and specialty contractors reported notably different levels of satisfaction with their use of software for cost management. The disparity sends an important message that technology is needed to effectively support the workflows of every team member in order to advance the entire industry. 
   
• Disparity in Real-Time Data Between Field and Office Teams The greatest disparity when it comes to challenges with cost management between project-related staff and office-related staff is with “Understanding in real-time where we are making or losing money.” 

The opportunity to redefine what the industry should expect from a cost management solution has never been greater,” said Tooey Courtemanche, Procore founder and CEO. “Procore consistently works to be at the forefront of innovation, and this report highlights how construction technology gives teams insight into project financial risk and confidence in their connected data.”

The report shows that construction owners and contractors alike are ready and able to participate in a more holistic and integrated cost management approach, added Steve Jones, Senior Director of Industry Insights, Dodge Data. “Focusing on using fewer, more comprehensive technology tools and increasing all stakeholders’ engagement with cost management will ultimately generate better cost-related outcomes for all parties.” 

Procore is a leading provider of construction management software with over 1 million projects and more than US$1 trillion in construction volume running on its platform.