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

A Strategy for Growth from $2 to $10 million in 5 years

iron rod image
 

“Through PlanHub, we can automatically see who’s bidding on jobs in our area and connect with them. I’d recommend it to anyone! ”  Roderick Hearn,  Ironrod Steel Co


 

Summary

Challenges

  • Finding new customers in the greater Houston  area
  • Access to the right contacts
  • Managing business growth to reach the rest of Texas and the US

Solution

  • Connect with general contractors and subcontractors to spur growth and create lasting business relationships.
  • Out-of-Network Directory  tool allows access to a network of over 55,000 general contractors and 350,000 subcontractors in 397 key trades.

Results

  • Poised for expansion throughout the US.
  • Virtually unlimited upside with the ability to find the right projects and connect with  the right people.
  • Plan to increase revenue from $2 to $10 million over the next 5 years.

 

Challenges

Roderick Hearn built Ironrod Steel Company, a thriving metal building materials supplier, from the ground up in just 6 years. 

Starting as a welders helper, he soon was taking jobs on his own. The scrap and metal leftover from his jobs began to fill up his garage. Soon, he began to sell the leftover products and invest that money back into buying surplus metal. Word of mouth spread and before he knew it, selling metal had become his full time job. That’s how Ironrod Steel was born.

Roderick says,

“We kept growing steadily, so I started doing some manufacturing to supplement the raw materials we had started with.”

 In just 6 years, the business expanded and grew to $2 million in revenue. Roderick realized that now his business had entered a new phase of growth. He needed to reach farther outside his traditional market in the greater Houston area. 

Hearn explains,

“I wanted to build a good system of making contact with companies and contractors that we didn’t know existed – and they didn’t know we existed!”

That meant finding a smart way to reach a larger network of general contractors and subcontractors to sell his products to support sales efforts in the rest of Texas and even throughout the United States.


 

Solution

“PlanHub gave me a demo. Immediately, I could see that this would be a great channel to find those subcontractors, and those general contractors that are very active in the construction industry. This gives us a way to target them”

After his free trial, Hearn says that he was hooked.

“We focus on providing rebar to concrete companies and structural steel to the subs for the steel work.”

PlanHub lets Hearn use keywords and filters to easily find projects in his targeted area.

“It’s quick to find a list of matching projects, I can immediately make contact with the general contractors and the subs bidding on it. It gives me a headstart with relationship building.”

As an active member of PlanHub, Hearn can access and search for keywords within the plan documents to identify how much of his products are needed, helping him prepare for discussions with contractors and to provide accurate quotes.

 


 

Results

PlanHub has changed the way Hearn manages keeping his new business pipeline filled. Before, he had to use a very indirect route to get a line on new projects. He used the grapevine and worked his connections – talking to general contractors he knew about what might be coming up. Yet, since general contractors weren’t usually the ones who purchased his supplies, this strategy was time-consuming and there was no guarantee it would pay off.

“I had to put in a lot of extra leg work. It was an added step in the process, since we usually sell materials to subcontractors.”

With PlanHub, he says that he can see who posted each project, immediately make contact, and start building a relationship. What’s more, he can view the subcontractors who are bidding on the trades that need his materials.

 Now he says,

“I log into PlanHub every day, it’s part of my strategy to expand my business’s reach. When asked if he would recommend PlanHub to others, he had this to say, “PlanHub is a great platform. I think anybody who tries it will find success.”


 

IRONROD Steel Co,  visit their website for more information.

Learn more about PlanHub for Suppliers and connect with us below

Resources

Be the first to know

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

    A Building

    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.