Common Challenges We Hear From Construction Businesses
We've been speaking with construction businesses across the UK, and the same challenges keep coming up. Here are four we hear about most, and how the right construction project management software can help.
Many firms run their projects on SharePoint, spreadsheets and a mix of forms. It works well enough today, but it gets harder to keep on top of as you take on more jobs. We bring that information into one system, so your team always knows where to find it.
When several people edit the same files, it's easy to overwrite a change or delete something by mistake. It's also hard to tell which version is the latest. We build in version history and access controls, so the system records every change, and nothing important goes missing.
Many businesses have tried off-the-shelf construction software and found it full of features they don't need. Their teams still work around the tool, and they may be paying for parts nobody uses. We build only the features your business needs.
Your current way of working may be fine for today's workload. As you grow, gaps start to show, and they're harder to fix once they're causing delays. We help you build clear, standard steps into your software now, so every job follows the same process.
Our Construction Software Development Services
Whether you're a main contractor or you need construction project management software for a small business, we build the software your projects need. Here's what we can build for you.
Projects We've Built for Field and Site Teams
See how we've helped other UK businesses replace paper forms and separate tools with one system.
Key Features of Our Construction Software
Our bespoke construction project management software covers each stage of a job, from the first programme to the final invoice. You choose the features you need, and we shape them around how you work.
Project Planning and Scheduling
Job Costing and Budgets
Purchase Orders and Invoicing
Subcontractor Management
Drawings and Documents
Live Project Dashboards
Ready to Move Your Projects Off Spreadsheets?
Book a discovery call. We'll look at how your team works today and show you what bespoke software could change.
Talk to Expert
Lauren Collings
Head of Growth
What Working With chilliapple Looks Like
As a construction software development company, we build software around how construction really works, with changing programmes, several sites, subcontractors, variations and retentions. Every project starts with learning how your teams work on site and in the office.
Built Around How Your Jobs Run - We track your job stages, variations, retentions, and sign-offs. The software then follows your process from tender to handover.
Keep the Tools That Work - You don't need to replace your accounting or payroll software. We connect it to your new system, so job costs and invoices update in both places.
You Own What We Build - The software and its intellectual property (IP) belong to you, so you can keep developing it as your business grows.
Experience With Field and Safety Software - We've built mobile apps for risk assessments and field teams. We know how people on site use software during a working day.
A Fixed Price, Like Your Own Contracts - We agree the scope with you in discovery. Then we give you a fixed price, so you know the cost before the build starts.
One Contact From Start to Finish - A named project manager keeps you updated throughout. You always know who to call with a question.
What our clients say
We're just about to hit our 1 Year anniversary working with Chilli Apple and it seemed like a apt time to give feedback on our experience so far!
After years of struggling to get straight answers, waiting days for replies & solutions it was an absolute breath of fresh air to work with the Chilli-Apple team, specifically Jade & Lauren! [+]
Pentland Wholesale
Chilliapple were fantastic with our project. With me not being the most technically minded, they managed to simplify everything and fully understand what we wanted whilst explaining the process and accurate timelines. Highly recommend.
Steven GentChilliapple accelerates company success Chilliapple have been the fuel in our companies engine for the past year by helping us to develop the signature product and get it launched. Avatar is ready for use thanks to Chilliapples tremendous technical delivery design and delivery process.
Jeff Nogosek Avatar
Their communication skills and ability to complete the project within budget and timescale were impressive.
After the launch of the website, the client received feedback from customers concerning a better UX, and Chilliapple Ltd. was able to update easier than before. They communicated through Campfire and had weekly updates through Zoom meetings. Overall, the team provided a good value for the budget.
Luisa Coates Thermapen
Good Knowledge of Magento: Chilliapple was recommended to us for their Magento knowledge which has proved to be excellent. We worked with Bowo and Vipin to migrate and upgrade our existing Magento shops to a new UK Fast server with additional features and plug ins installed resulting in a faster admin than we previously had. I would recommend Chilliapple for Magento especially multiple shops.
Steve Long Merlin Workwear
Great work with the team at Chilliapple. They undertook our website maintenance from a previous developer and they have managed to accommodate many of our initial needs, including an upgrade to Magento 2.4.
Since then, we have overcome many more requests to improve website and shopping functionality and while I personally will not be overseeing their work anymore, I trust though that Versapak are in safe hands and that they can meet any new challenge that may arise.
Jeremy Graham Versapak
I've worked with many web agencies in the past and ChilliApple certainly shine above the rest. Our account manager Bowo has been extremely attentive and pro-active, without whom we would not have been able to deploy our Magento 2 migration by the end of 2020.
We're very pleased at the hard work and patience that Bowo and the development team have put into this project, especially as we were working long hours towards the end. I look forward to continued work with ChilliApple in 2021!
Laura Lam Phoenix Medical
Our website is built in Prestashop, and finding credible developers to maintain and progress the site was very difficult once we had made the decision to move on from our current developer.
Chilli Apple initially upgraded and re-themed our site to a very high standard with excellent communication throughout. We went live with the update (which was quite a major undertaking as it had not been done for some time and a lot had changed) right at the beginning of the COVID fiasco. [+]
Kieron Miller Skirting4u
We have found the dedicated development service an excellent way to quickly expand our team and give complete flexibility.
Priya has been a great asset to the team and provided valuable knowledge and ability to resolve our development requirements.
Garth Hoggins UBT (EU) Ltd
We received a great customer service from ChilliApple. The team is very friendly and helpful. Highly recommended! Thanks to Nick, Seb, Vipin, Spencer and all the team!
Cedric Cleaningspot
Frequently Asked Questions
FAQ listings
How is construction ERP software different from a standard ERP?
Software companies design a standard ERP for many types of businesses, so it often misses what construction firms need. A construction ERP can handle job costing, retentions, subcontractor payments, and site reports from the start. Every department then works from the same information, without workarounds.
Can you build simple construction project management software for a small team?
Yes. Simple construction project management software is often the right starting point for a small builder. We build a first version that fixes your biggest problem, such as scheduling or site diaries. Then we add more features as your team needs them.
How long does it take to build construction project management software?
A first version (MVP) usually takes 3 to 5 months, and a full system 6 to 12 months. Larger platforms can take 12 months or more. At chilliapple, we start with discovery and agree the timeline before you commit.
How much does bespoke construction project management software cost?
A build for a small contractor usually costs £15,000 to £35,000, and a system for a mid-sized firm £40,000 to £75,000. Larger platforms with several integrations can cost £80,000 to £120,000 or more. The cost depends on how many features you need, which systems we connect, and how many people will use the software.