Elevate takeoffs for faster bids and increased project success for FREE. See Details Here.

PlanHub’s Q2 Research Reveals Many Opportunities. Register for the Webinar and Learn More

Construction Market Research Report

planhub webinar

PlanHub's Q2 Report Reveals Strategies for Construction Success

Unlock Contractor Business Opportunities with Q2 Research Findings: Discover the Power of Word
of Mouth, Network Building, and Emerging Civil Construction Trends to Drive Success. In this transformative webinar, we delve into PlanHub’s Q2 Research Report, which aggregates platform activity data from over 340,000 companies on PlanHub and insights from surveys of 700 leading general contractors and subcontractors. Join us as we explore key strategies successful contractors employ, top lead sources driving abundant opportunities, untapped expansion possibilities for subcontractors, contrasting perspectives on market conditions, and the remarkable growth of civil construction projects.

Challenges

  • Lead Generation
  • Networking
  • Reputation Building
  • Technology Adaptation 

Solutions

  • Embracing Technology
  • Networking and Relationship Building 
  • Exploring Civil Construction Projects

Results

  • Key Lead Sources
  • Untapped Expansion Opportunities 
  • Contrasting Perspectives on Market Conditions
  • Optimistic Subcontractors
  • Growth of Civil Construction Projects

 

Challenges

Evan Williams, VP of Operations & Partnerships, brings his extensive experience in the construction industry to provide strategic guidance and shed light on leveraging technology and building strong relationships for sustained success. Eduardo Mazal, Product Marketing Manager, presents the research findings, unveiling trends and offering practical solutions tailored for contractors and subcontractors.

The webinar addressed several challenges contractors and subcontractors face in the construction market, including Lead Generation. Identifying reliable lead sources has always been a concern for contractors. The webinar highlighted the top lead sources for general contractors and subcontractors, such as direct outreach through email or phone and utilizing lead services or bid board websites.

Networking and Reputation: Building a solid network and a positive reputation in the industry were emphasized as crucial factors for success. Word-of-mouth recommendations and establishing an online presence through websites were identified as effective methods to enhance credibility and attract new projects.

“Clearly, what we see is that word of mouth and network strength really remain key. It’s clearly proven time and time again that recommendations from colleagues and friends are generally taken more credible than other forms of advertising,” said Evan Williams.

Technology Adoption: The contrasting perspectives between general contractors and subcontractors regarding technology adoption were discussed. While general contractors showcased optimism and investments in technology, subcontractors expressed concerns about underutilizing technology, relying on outdated communication methods, and lacking real-time information on the field.


 

Solution

Based on market research, current trends, and best practices, Eduardo and Evan provided valuable solutions to overcome the challenges faced by contractors and subcontractors:

“Where it gets interesting in our study is where it shows that websites, lead services, and online platforms are now starting to follow right behind word of mouth. Word of mouth is your primary network, but now everyone is trying to use online platforms to really start expanding that network,” explained Evan Williams.

Embracing Technology: Contractors were encouraged to leverage technology to streamline operations and enhance efficiency. PlanHub’s innovative tools, such as blueprint scanning, allowing for quick information retrieval and automation for reducing labor and cost, were highlighted as effective solutions.

Networking and Relationship Building: Establishing and nurturing relationships within the industry was emphasized as a critical factor in winning projects. Contractors were advised not to hesitate when bidding on projects with general contractors they are not familiar with, as 61% of general contractors are open to working with subcontractors they don’t know.

“PlanHub greatly facilitates introductions and allows for immediate engagement. Ultimately, it is essential to perform our jobs effectively to establish trust and build relationships with others,” said Eduardo Mazal.

Exploring Civil Construction Projects: Subcontractors were encouraged to consider bidding on civil construction projects as they offer growth opportunities. The webinar highlighted the increase in bids for civil projects, particularly on roads and highways. It stressed the importance of showcasing expertise, safety measures, and environmental considerations when entering the civil construction market.


 

Results

After conducting polls through the webinar, answering the attendee’s questions, and going over all the challenges and solutions for the market, Eduardo and Evan provided some insightful results.

Bids on Civil Projects: The live poll revealed a significant increase in subcontractors bidding on civil projects in the last six months. Roads and highway projects, especially in Florida, experienced notable growth. Both specialized and more straightforward projects were identified as entry points into the civil construction portfolio.

Optimistic Subcontractors: A smaller group of subcontractors demonstrated optimism by actively engaging with different tools, simplifying schedule challenges, and leveraging technology to save time and reduce waste. PlanHub’s support in increasing performance and efficiency was acknowledged.

In conclusion, the Q2 PlanHub’s Research Report Webinar shed light on the construction industry’s challenges, providing practical solutions and insights. Contractors were encouraged to embrace technology and strengthen networking. 

Watch the entire webinar here.

Be the first to know

PlanHub insights, resources, and news, sent directly to your inbox.

    planhub
    planhub icon

    Data and Deep Insights

    We make construction smarter by connecting with the right people, at the right time, for the right project.

    With our technology and data intelligence, we empower construction professionals to easily build the right business relationships, streamline pre construction processes, and make efficient decisions.

    From competitive intelligence in each project allowing you to know how many other contractors are downloading or bidding to insights as to contractors’ performance, we provide the data you need to lead your business to success.

    By providing faster, simpler, and unmatched data insights in each step of the pre construction process, PlanHub helps your business lay a strong foundation for the success of the rest of the construction process.

    planhub icon

    Bid Leveler & Proposal builder

    Comparing bids to one another has never been easier. Users can now see bids side by side, compare bid amounts, and review subcontractors’ certifications and qualifications all in one place.

    Bid Leveler’s apples-to-apples approach allows you to easily drill down and see detailed, easy-to-scan cost breakdowns. Indicate bid preference, hide bids that don’t meet your needs, and request needed information from subs.

    planhub icon

    Full Bid Management

    From the initial decision to pursue a project to the final bid submission and follow up, bid management plays a central role in pre construction.

    Effectively managed bids during the preconstruction phase set the stage for a successful project execution and satisfied clients.

    Streamline bid management from project posting to estimating, bidding, and awarding in one place with easy project posting, project-contractor automatic matching based on trades, location, and qualification with PlanHub.

    Use bid planner, bid builder, bid leveler, and award tools to always know what’s going on with each project and bid.

    planhub icon

    Estimation and TakeOff

    Let’s face it—time is money. And the more time it takes to perform takeoffs and submit bids, the more you risk losing out on valuable revenue opportunities. Manual methods and locally installed desktop software slow your takeoff process, and many digital solutions currently on the market can be overly complex and not user-friendly. 

    Build faster takeoffs, get more bids out the door, and win more projects. Forget pen and paper, outdated desktop software, and overly complicated digital takeoff solutions. PlanHub’s easy-to-use Takeoff tool helps you and your team build accurate takeoffs faster, minimize errors and material waste, and win more projects that boost your business growth. Performing your takeoffs with PlanHub allows you to:

    • Streamline and integrate your process: Perform your takeoffs in the same platform you use to manage your network and bids.
    • Avoid costly estimating errors: Get better accuracy with digital tools instead of traditional, mistake-prone pen and paper.
    • Collaborate easily: Share and work with your team, no matter where you—or they—are located.
    • Submit more bids and win more projects: Get quality bids in front of general contractors faster and get ahead of your competition.
    planhub
    planhub icon

    Document Management

    Organize, store, and manage various documents, blueprints, drawings and other information related to projects before the actual construction phase begins.

    This phase is crucial for setting the foundation of a successful construction project, and effective document management plays a significant role in ensuring that all necessary information is accessible, accurate, and up-to-date to all interested parties.

    Access, review, work on, and share large complex documents in one platform with amazing speed. From project definition, drawing management, takeoff, estimation, bid management, and contracts, everything happens in PlanHub.

    planhub crm
    planhub icon

    CRM

    Be part of a construction professionals’ ecosystem that enhances collaboration, streamlines project management, and fosters smart relationships between companies, construction professionals, and projects.

    Enjoy seamless communication, build strong relationships, and streamlines project management. By leveraging the power of connections and collaboration, we enhance efficiency, save time and resources, and drive collective growth in the industry.

    planhub network
    planhub icon

    1M+ pre-qualified network

    PlanHub is the leading platform that connects companies, construction professionals, and projects in the pre-construction industry, focusing on building and developing meaningful relationships to enhance efficiency and productivity.

    We have integrated general contractors, subcontractors, and material suppliers’ workflows in one platform to simplify the complex back and forth usually present in preconstruction. By allowing all interactions to be done through PlanHub, tracking projects and relationships is much easier, saving contractors and material suppliers time and money. Interactions in the platform are tagged and measured to provide insights to users.

    General contractors create bid packages that are shared in PlanHub as projects. They can include templatized lists of all CSI cost items as part of the new Baseline feature. Baseline allows for faster and more accurate bid requests, facilitates homogenization of subcontractors’ bids, and simplifies the comparison of incoming bids.

    Subcontractors are automatically matched with relevant projects based on their profile, preferences, and pre-qualification information saving hours of research to both sides. They can review project details, documentation, and blueprints.

    planhub icon

    High-quality projects

    Your one-stop job for qualified hard-to-find private project leads in varying stages like pre-planning, bidding, etc., and across different geographies, zip codes, or distance to your office.

    Projects include plans, specifications, bid dates, and other relevant project information.

    You can segment project leads by type of project, status, project building use, trades and sub trades, or create your own list of keywords — and be notified when one of them is found in a posted project’s documentation or plans.

    We make it simple to find projects that match your business — and make sure you are notified right away.

    				
    					<script src='https://planhub.com/wp-includes/js/jquery/jquery.min.js' id='jquery-core-js'></script>
    <script charset="utf-8" type="text/javascript" src="//js.hsforms.net/forms/embed/v2.js"></script>
    <script>
      hbspt.forms.create({
        region: "na1",
        portalId: "7063061",
        formId: "ced7254f-5c61-49b9-9ce0-6f870b79a958"
      });
    </script>
    				
    			

    Get the report!

    From the very beginning, PlanHub has been a place where people can do meaningful work and build strong relationships.

    Come grow with us! We’re building innovative technologies that simplify preconstruction for everyone.

    Expand your network and connect with general contractors, subcontractors, owners, architects, and suppliers – not to mention thousands of relevant projects at your fingertips.

    Generate relevant leads, faster and with precision. With access to private, hard-to-find projects, you can connect with architects and owners on projects still in the pre-design and design stages.

    PlanHub’s advanced suite of bid management tools allows you to increase productivity, identify relevant projects using data, build bids with Takeoff, and manage bids through the entire process.

    Create quicker, improved takeoffs effortlessly. PlanHub’s Takeoff Core aids your team in accurate, faster estimates, minimizing errors, and driving business growth.

    Expand your network and connect with general contractors, subcontractors, owners, architects, and suppliers – not to mention thousands of relevant projects at your fingertips.

    Generate relevant leads, faster and with precision. With access to private, hard-to-find projects, you can connect with architects and owners on projects still in the pre-design and design stages.

    PlanHub’s advanced suite of bid management tools allows you to increase productivity, identify relevant projects using data, build bids with Takeoff, and manage bids through the entire process.