A contractor CRM that tracks the bid, the subs, the change orders and every draw until the last lien waiver.
A general contractor juggles more moving parts per job than almost any other trade: the homeowner, the architect, a dozen subs, the building department, the lender and the supplier. Most field software expects one tech per ticket. We build the CRM around how a residential project actually runs, from the first plan set to the warranty walk.
A residential project has a long, expensive middle
Before a GC ever lifts a hammer, there is a long stretch of unpaid work: the site walk, a review of the drawings, takeoffs, invitations to subs, chasing their numbers, assembling the bid and presenting it. Many of those bids do not turn into contracts. A GC who cannot see which bids are pending, which subs never responded and which homeowners went quiet ends up re-estimating from memory or dropping good prospects.
Once a job is sold, the real coordination starts. The permit has to be issued before work begins. Subs have to be scheduled in sequence: excavation, foundation, framing, rough mechanicals, inspections, insulation, drywall, finishes. Every homeowner request that changes scope needs a written, priced and signed change order before the crew does the work. If a lender is involved, each draw request needs the completed work documented, inspected and backed by lien waivers from the subs and suppliers who were paid.
A generic CRM shows a list of contacts and a list of invoices. A GC needs to see the job as a sequence with people attached, and to know at any moment who is waiting on whom.
What a general contractor CRM has to track
Anything kept on a legal pad or in a superintendent's head eventually costs money.
The bid pipeline, by project
Each prospect carries the plan set version, the site walk notes, the bid due date, which trades have priced it and which are missing, and the follow-up date after you present. You see what is out and what is likely to close.
Sub bid coverage and comparisons
For each bid, the subs invited per trade, who responded, their number and their exclusions side by side, so you can tell whether a low framing price left out the sheathing or the stairs.
Change orders that are signed before work starts
A request becomes a priced change order with description, cost, schedule effect and a signature line the homeowner signs on a phone. The contract total and the remaining balance update the moment it is approved.
Draws, payments and lien waivers
The draw schedule from the contract, what is complete at each stage, the request sent to the homeowner or lender, the payment received, and the conditional and final waivers collected from each sub and supplier for that draw.
Selections and allowances
Fixtures, tile, cabinets and appliances the homeowner must choose, each with a due date tied to the schedule and the allowance amount, so a late tile decision shows up before it stalls the tile setter.
Permits, inspections and the punch list
Permit number and status, each inspection with its result and any correction notice, then the punch list from the final walkthrough with photos and an owner sign-off when it is clear.
How we build a CRM for a GC
We built our own field software before we built anyone else's, and we build yours around your contract and your crew.
Your project phases, named your way
Lead, site walk, estimating, bid sent, contract signed, permitted, under construction, substantial completion, final, warranty. The board counts projects and contract value in each phase, and you rename them to match how your office talks.
A sub and supplier directory with paperwork
Each sub carries trade, contact, current insurance certificate with an expiration reminder, signed subcontract, and their bid history with you, so you know who to invite and whose coverage lapsed.
Schedules the superintendent can run from a phone
The job schedule by trade, with texts to subs when their start date moves, daily log entries with photos and weather notes, and an alert when an inspection result comes back.
Job costing against the estimate
Budget by cost code from the bid, committed costs from subcontracts and purchase orders, and actual costs as bills arrive, so you see margin on each project while there is still time to act.
A client portal for the homeowner
The schedule, selections due, approved change orders, draw status and progress photos in one link, which cuts the number of evening calls asking where things stand.
What you own on day one.
Every account is opened in your company's name with you as the owner. If you ever leave, you change a password, not your business.
- Domain, hosting and the site files
- Phone numbers and call recordings
- The CRM and its database
- Email and text lists, with consent records
- Google Business Profile and every listing
- Analytics and Search Console
Custom CRM for general contracting, answered.
How is this different from Buildertrend or CoConstruct?
Those are full products used by many builders, and they cover a lot. A custom build fits the way your company bids and bills, runs in accounts you own, and carries no per-seat fee for every sub or homeowner who needs a login. Read the vendors' own pages and compare them fairly before you decide.
Can the CRM produce draw requests a lender will accept?
It can assemble the documents most lenders ask for: the completed-work summary by line, photos, inspection results and the lien waivers for that period. Each lender has its own forms and rules, so we set the output to match yours.
Will my subs have to learn new software?
Not much. Most subs only need a text with their dates and a link to the plans for their scope. Those who want more get a limited login showing only their work.
Does it handle cost-plus jobs?
Yes. A cost-plus job tracks every bill, the agreed fee or markup, and an owner-facing cost report, so the homeowner sees exactly how the invoice was built. Our job costing guide covers the basics.
Custom CRM for general contracting. Owned by you.
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