How can you price building work more accurately, produce quotes faster and analyse your profitability? We run through some things you should be doing plus three things we recommend you DON’T do.

The FMB published the results of its quarterly survey into market conditions for small to medium sized building firms in the UK. We pick out some of the headlines from the State of Trade Survey and discuss what can be done to protect your building firm in a challenging economic climate.

With enquiries for SME building firms dropping in the second half of 2022, it seems likely that the extensions and renovations market will contract in 2023. We discuss how to develop a robust business model for your building firm - and in particular, which types of work to go after.

Do you aspire to win bigger, more profitable building contracts? In this article, we highlight ten steps you can take to increase your chances of winning the most desirable projects.

Businesses in the construction sector are at the blunt end of the UK’s economic crisis. With consumer spending restricted by rising interest rates and the rising cost of living, it's an anxious time for builders. How can they navigate their way through difficult economic times and develop a sustainable business?

No doubt you’re already promoting your business in your locale. But is your approach driving the quality leads that you need for your business to flourish? In this article, we look at ways to get your business noticed by the right kind of customer and how to win the work once you have a foot in the door.

In times of economic uncertainty, many building firm owners are looking for ways to improve their margins and create financial security. Forward-thinking construction firms have moved on from outdated methods of estimating and embraced estimating software. What’s led them to make the change and what are the advantages of using estimating software?

Whether you’re a general builder, a design and build firm or a developer, running a construction business involves a significant amount of time at your desk. See our 3 top tips for saving time on building firm admin.

Are you looking for the best way to estimate building work? There are a number of different solutions on the market and, in this article, we look at four options. If you’re still estimating by hand, or using a spreadsheet, any of these options will speed up your estimating process whilst giving you accurate and professional quotes.

Have you ever wondered if you should be making a better margin on the building work you carry out? If so, you’re not alone. Many small and medium-sized building firms are facing the same challenges. In this article, we look at ways you can ensure you hold onto of every pound of profit on every building project, with very little effort.

Since 15th June 2022, builders in the UK have been working under an updated set of Building Regulations. The regulations affect renovations, extensions and new build projects. In this article, we explore what the latest regulations mean for small to medium-sized builders when it comes to estimating building work.

It probably won’t come as a surprise that inflation is affecting the cost of building projects in the UK. As I write this article, inflation in the UK has hit 9% per annum. You may be shocked to hear, however, that inflation will have a significant impact on future building projects, particularly if your construction business is booked up into next year.

Many builders are quite happy with their spreadsheet-based method of estimating. Unfortunately, they risk being left behind by forward-thinking building firms who are taking a different approach.

Downloading a free trial is one of the best ways of evaluating which construction estimating software is best for your business. All reputable software firms will offer free trials of their software. We talk you through where to get your trial and what to do once you’ve downloaded the software.

You’re a building firm owner considering investing in estimating software. Brilliant - you’re already half-way there! You’ve realised you need to move on from estimating manually or using spreadsheets. But what impact is estimating software going to have on your building firm?

If you’re a UK-based builder looking for software to estimate construction work, these are the top 10 must-have features you should look for in the estimating software you choose.

We all know that, in life, the cheapest option is rarely the best. On the building site, it’s better to have the right tool for the job rather than the cheapest. Buying cheap often leads to additional expense further down the track when you need to upgrade or replace a sub-standard bit of kit. The same can be said for the estimating solution you choose.

Estimating software can make the difference between financial success and failure for a building firm. Let me explain…

The profit you make from a building project hinges on two things:

• An accurate quote

• Project management

Outsourcing your estimating to an estimating service means trusting another business with your reputation - and potentially your profits. You may have looked around at the different estimating services and wondered what sets them apart. In this article, we shine a spotlight on two well-known estimating services– Build Aviator and HBXL Estimating Service.

If you’ve been looking around at construction estimating software, chances are you’ve come across BuilderTrend and EstimatorXpress by HBXL. In this article, we explore the main differences between the software products to help you decide which is most suitable for your building firm.