Here’s my quick roadmap:
- What I look for in a good site
- The sites I open the most (with real wins and pain points)
- Who each one fits best
- A short wrap-up you can act on
Why trust me?
I’m Kayla. I run jobs. I’ve pulled cables in the mud. I’ve sent RFIs from a hot truck. I live in hard hats and spreadsheets. When I call a site “useful,” it’s because I used it on a real project with real deadlines.
What makes a site “best” for me
- Fast on a phone in the field
- Clear tools and clean dashboards
- Saves me time on bids, RFIs, change orders, or safety
- Good support when things go sideways
You know what? Pretty is nice. But time is the real win.
For an even deeper dive into which construction platforms truly deliver on speed and usability, check out the independent reviews at Website Builder Awards. You can also see my candid review of the exact construction sites I lean on day-to-day right here.
Procore — My daily hub (PM, RFIs, punch, photos)
I used Procore on a school build and a mid-rise rehab. It kept the team in one place. RFIs didn’t vanish in email. Punch walks felt less messy.
- What I loved: RFIs with photos, punch lists that get done, and clean submittal tracks.
- What bugged me: Price stings if you’re small. Training takes a bit. Some screens feel heavy on a phone.
Who it fits: GCs and larger subs who live in RFIs, drawings, and daily logs.
A small note: Levelset tools show up here now for lien stuff. That was handy.
Buildertrend — Smooth for custom homes and remodels
I used this on two kitchen jobs and one new build. The client portal saved my sanity. Folks could see schedule, change orders, and pay without long calls.
Thanks to Buildertrend, owners could self-serve instead of flooding my phone.
- What I loved: Change orders with quick sign-off and payments. Simple schedule view for owners.
- What bugged me: If you have lots of commercial-style docs, it can feel basic. Reporting is fine, not deep.
Who it fits: Home builders, remodelers, design-build shops.
If your scope spills into garden or hardscape work, my teardown of three real-world landscaping website builds shows what helps crews in the dirt and what doesn't—take a look.
Fun bit: It absorbed CoConstruct, so you’ll see some of that DNA.
Autodesk Build + Docs — Rock solid drawings and field use
This was my go-to for markups and sheet updates after PlanGrid folded into it. Sheet compare saved me on a concrete pour. Less guesswork, fewer “Oh no” calls.
- What I loved: Sheet compare, quick markups, issue tracking that ties to the plan.
- What bugged me: Permissions can get fussy. Learning curve if you’re new.
Who it fits: Teams that mark up a lot, need clean version control, and pass issues fast.
BuildingConnected — Bid day without the chaos
I used this for bid invites and tracking subs. It felt cleaner than mass email. My favorite part? Who opened the invite and who didn’t, in plain view.
- What I loved: Easy invite, track bidder interest, share files once.
- What bugged me: Some trades still want email anyway. You’ll still need to nudge people.
Who it fits: GCs chasing bids; subs who want to find work and track it.
ConstructConnect (iSqFt roots) — Finding work and tracking plans
On a hospital job, this helped me find addenda fast. It’s a big directory with plan rooms and leads. Not perfect, but better than hunting five places.
- What I loved: Plan access, updates, and a clear list of who’s bidding.
- What bugged me: Pricing tiers feel murky. Interface can feel busy.
Who it fits: Estimators and subs chasing steady bid flow.
Bluebeam Revu + Studio — Markups that people respect
Yes, it’s desktop software, but the site and Studio sessions kept my team connected. I redlined steel shop drawings at 11 p.m. and the detailer fixed them by morning. Clean PDF control.
- What I loved: Snappy markups, measuring tools, Studio sessions for group reviews.
- What bugged me: Windows-focused. Training new folks takes a day.
Who it fits: Anyone who lives in drawings and submittals.
UpCodes — Code lookups without the headache
I used UpCodes to check guardrail height and ADA clearances. It’s way faster than flipping through a big book. The search is the star.
- What I loved: Fast search, notes, state edits baked in.
- What bugged me: Not every city posts all local tweaks. You still confirm with the AHJ.
Who it fits: Supers, PMs, architects, or anyone who has to answer “Is this to code?”
RSMeans Data Online (Gordian) — Estimates that don’t feel like guesses
I’ve built quick estimates here when pricing a change order. It’s not magic, but it keeps you close. Adjust the city factor, and you’re not guessing.
- What I loved: Line items with labor, material, and location factors.
- What bugged me: Costs shift; you must sanity-check with subs. It’s a paid tool.
Who it fits: Estimators, PMs, and owners who need early pricing.
Levelset — Lien rights made less scary
I used Levelset to send waivers and track notices on a warehouse job. Less fear of missing a deadline. I slept better.
- What I loved: Waiver templates, deadline reminders, clear steps by state.
- What bugged me: It’s another system for the team. Some owners want custom waiver forms.
Who it fits: Subs and suppliers who care about getting paid on time.
Electrical contractors in particular can see where web tools shine or flop in my field-tested electrician website roundup—read it here.
Note: It’s part of Procore’s family now, but the site still stands on its own.
Construction Dive — News I actually read
Coffee, boots, headlines. I skim this for labor, materials, and big rule changes. Saved me once on a silica update.
- What I loved: Clear summaries, not fluff.
- What bugged me: It’s news, not how-to. You’ll still need the source docs.
Who it fits: Anyone who runs a crew or a company and needs the big picture.
The Constructor — Simple how-tos for day-to-day
We used an article on rebar laps during a pour plan. It’s basic, but sometimes basic is perfect.
- What I loved: Straight talk on concrete, masonry, and site work.
- What bugged me: Depth varies. Cross-check specs.
Who it fits: New engineers, foremen, and students who like quick reads.
Houzz Pro — Homeowner leads and mood boards that don’t scare clients
I tried this on two bath projects. The boards helped set expectations. Clients could react fast, which kept the work moving.
- What I loved: Leads plus a simple way to show options.
- What bugged me: Lead quality swings. You still pre-qualify.
Who it fits: Remodelers, design-build, and small shops who want steady home jobs.
OSHA 1926 (eCFR) — Safety rules, straight from the source
Not fun, but needed. I’ve pulled fall protection rules right there, on my phone, on-site. No guessing.
- What I loved: The actual rule text, no fluff.
- What bugged me: Dense reading. Bookmark your common parts.
Who it fits: Supers, safety leads, and anyone who signs a JHA.
How I pair them on real jobs
- Commercial core: Procore or Autodesk Build + Bluebeam + BuildingConnected + RSMeans + UpCodes
- Residential core: Buildertrend + Houzz Pro + UpCodes (yes, still handy)
- Payment and risk: Levelset, tied with your PM tool
- Learning and news: The Constructor + Construction Dive
- Safety truth: OSHA 1926 (eCFR), always
Honestly, you don’t need them all. Pick the few that save your crew real hours.
The small stuff that still matters
- Mobile use: I check everything on a phone. If it crawls, I ditch it.
- Support: Live chat beats “We’ll email you.”
- Exports: PDFs and CSVs keep you free. I never lock all my data in one place.
- Training: A one-hour lunch-and-learn beats a week of chaos.
If your crew ever spins up a quick Kik group chat to trade site photos or delivery updates, make sure everyone knows how to keep that space locked down—this straight-shooting guide to spotting and blocking creepy users lays out the red flags and privacy tweaks that shut