At the present time, we are in the midst of economic turmoil.

Record job losses.

GM on the brink of bankruptcy.

Housing starts are at a crawl, and forclosure auctioneers have never been busier. 

Some very telling trends are underway as well:

• grocery store "house" brands are in demand (lower prices rule) 
• garage sale advertisements on "Craigs List" are up 100% over this time last year
• more folks are buying frozen dinners in leiu of going out to restaurants
• "free" is in, whether it's clipping coupons, or using complimentary Internet access at public libraries
• Netflix memberships are growing rapidly (cheaper to rent movies than go to the theatre)

In these times, we are compelled to take stock of our "out-go" as our "in-come" is reduced or threatened in some way.

That means cutting back on the things that were nice to have... but not essential.

So what are essential services, when it comes to contracting busineses?

Anything that keeps you IN business, AND, keeps you PROFITABLE - that would be a good place to start.

Construction software systems are the backbone to many solid businesses out there that are weathering the storm. But not all construction software is "essential". Some of it is "bloated", and some is just plain too expensive.

We're getting reports back from the field, customers of brand "X" software, who say they "can't afford it" anymore. They may like some of the features of brand "X" but the monthly, per project, or annual maintenance costs are causing them to hemorrhage financially. 

Of course, these companies admit they still need something to manage their job scheduling, stay organized, and keep their people (employees, subcontractors, clients) in the loop. Some of these folks are seeing savings of $2K or more just by switching over to BuildIT.

We have the right combination of features - the "essential" ones - those that keep you organized and in control. Knowing where you are, what you need to do next, and have your key folks not "miss a beat" on the jobs you have running concurrently - that will keep the ball rolling in the right direction. Fewer mistakes happen. Margins are protected (you're not dipping into them to fix problems caused by the #1 issue in construction - miscommunication). Profits happen.

BuildIT also has a cost structure that can't be beat in the marketplace.

It means these customers get the job done, create income with much less "out-go", and enjoy the profits they worked hard to earn.

This could be your story !

BuildIT - the "essential service" for contractors.

Take it out for a spin, and see what the buzz is all about.

Scott Hutchinson
scott@builditsystems.com
1 866 585 5050 ext 1

My daughter is doing an online course for school. She had to submit her assignment by email.

Problem: she had to email 2 large files - both were over 10 MB (megabytes).

For you non-techies, a MB is big, 10 MB is very big.

Try sending emails with attachments that are 5 MB or higher, and you usually run into problems - your recipient doesn't get your email, or get's the email body, but without the attachment.

So I suggested she use the file sharing system in BuildIT. She did, and it was a piece of cake.

Here's how:

1) She launched a free test drive, then 2) uploaded the files to BuildIT, then 3) sent her teacher a "sharing link" to the files.

The cool thing is, she can even see now IF and WHEN her teacher downloads the file to view the assignment.

(Sometimes, a little BIG BROTHER can work in your favor - like seeing if one of your subcontractors or vendors has viewed the contract drawings you sent them in order for them to provide a price.)

I was amazed at how easy it was for her, not only to create the test drive, but to do the steps to upload the large files, then send the sharing links. Within minutes, the task was done... and I wondered if I should hire her to do customer support for BuildIT full time !!

So if you have any hesitation about launching a BuildIT test drive, and you don't have a teenager handy, give me a call, and I'll walk you through the setup. I'll even help you get your contact details and logo uploaded, and your first job and schedule polished off. You'll have lots of time to "play with the system" later, but for now, let's both get the job done, so you can be on your way.

C'mon, if a 13 year old can do it, you certainly can too !

Cheers!

Scott Hutchinson (a proud father of one clever daughter!)
scott@builditsystems.com
1 866 585 5050 ext 1

Good question.

Years ago, when we first launched BuildIT, we met in an office, threw some numbers up on a whiteboard, and came up with a price.

We've made adjustments since then, up and down.

And after 8 years of building our customer base, and seeing customer after customer succeed with the program, we now have an answer.

Actualy, it's a compilation of answers.

BuildIT's worth is determined by YOU. and here is what YOU are saying:

• "my business is a million times better" (okay, a slight hyperbole there, but we get the idea)
• "the email spam filtering is worth the price of admission"
• "having each key person on my team able to access job and schedule information - pays for itself"
• "BuildIT helped me create a schedule in under an hour, for a fraction of the cost of buying a complicated scheduling software product"
• "We could not be doing the volume of work we are doing without BuildIT"
• "Thanks to BuildIT, we are in the process of having our most profitable year ever"

=========================

OK, we agree, it comes across as bragging, but these are your words, not ours.

Occasionally, we get someone test driving BuildIT who tells us they "can't afford" the program.

Think about it.

What they're really saying is, "I don't see a massive return on investment".

While no one can predict success with any system or product, our track record speaks for itself. And these same folks that are balking due to the subscription price can try BuildIT for free for 15 days. And to eliminate risk altogether, we offer a 30 day money back guarantee on the subscription. So, they've essentially got 45 days to determine if their hunch of "not worth it" is correct, OR if they actually do come out ahead. 

In other words, they really only lose if they don't try the system risk free to see if they get the rewards.

Seems simple to us !!

Let's just hope those that fail to do anything to improve their business, especially in these tough economic times, and who don't see the worth in systems like BuildIT... are YOUR competitors !

Scott Hutchinson (your BuildIT "sherpa")
scott@builditsystems.com
1 866 585 5050 ext 1

It's a tough slug out there right now.

You need to take advantage of all the tools out there, not only to make $$ and improve efficiency, but tools to help YOUR clients buy YOUR product.

Check out the new Federal tax credit - up to $8000 for qualified first time home buyers.

http://www.federalhousingtaxcredit.com/

I've only seen a link to this on one customer's website. I would suggest that homebuilders make this prominent on their home page... today. It just may help you unload some inventory.

$8,000 Home Buyer Tax Credit at a Glance

:: The tax credit is for first-time home buyers only.
:: The tax credit does not have to be repaid.
:: The tax credit is equal to 10 percent of the home’s purchase price up to a maximum of $8,000.
:: The credit is available for homes purchased on or after January 1, 2009 and before December 1, 2009.
:: Single taxpayers with incomes up to $75,000 and married couples with incomes up to $150,000 qualify for the full tax credit.

For more information:

http://www.federalhousingtaxcredit.com/

Not a great time to be a CEO of a major corporation these days:

http://www.welcomebigwigs.com/

(Fine print: this is not an endorsement for JetBlue, just the comic relief. What a great way to advertise!).

Three little words, one powerful statement... and one awesome software product for the small to mid sized contractor.

Yes we can:

:: help you get control of your scheduling

:: organize your business information in a way that makes perfect sense for you team

:: help improve all your contractor communications

:: keep all your job related information in one place, accessible to everyone who needs it, at anytime, from anywhere

Yes we can:

:: configure BuildIT to suit your business

:: be your custom development team for specific functionality that will solve your business problems

:: do all this at a fraction of the cost of starting from scratch, or hiring the guys down the road who don't understand construction businesses

Yes we can:

:: provide great value and rapid return on investment, especially in these shaky economic times

:: help you squeeze more margin out of each and every project, by reducing errors, and improving efficiencies in the way you conduct business

:: give you an tonne of referrals from folks just like you that have found success with BuildIT and continue to win each day using the program

Yes we can:

:: offer a risk free guarantee

:: offer value up front before you pay a dime

:: get you up and running in lightning fast time

Yes we can:

:: work for you, be your "ace up your sleeve"

:: be available 7 days a week to help you on specific business challenges

:: show you and your team how to use BuildIT to get the job done, better and faster than before

Yes we can !!

Join the movement - click the big green "free trial" button in the top right to vote :-)

There are literally 1000's of software options for contractors.

You could spend days if not months researching all the different software packages. In the meantime, you've still got a job to do. So software review is often put on the backburner... and months later, you're still in the same position, still plaqued with the same problems, and without the right tool to help you take your business to the next level. 

Save yourself the pain, and the hours. Check this out:

http://issuu.com/builditsystems/docs/construction_software_buyers_guide

Spend a few minutes here and narrow down your choices. If BuildIT looks like it could solve your problems, then click the big green button in the top right of this page, and take the system out for a free test drive.

Scott Hutchinson
scott@builditsystems.com
1 866 585 5050 ext 1

(This article has been reprinted as a service to BuildIT customers involved in renovations, and to the those in the construction industry who deal in renovations of older structures - for more information on safe asbestos removal, contact the author below.)

Asbestos is a toxic component of many building products used in millions of homes and buildings built prior to 1980. Unfortunately, construction workers are being exposed to asbestos during remodeling and demolition, often without protection, and often without the knowledge of its hazards to health.

Asbestos was used in old fireproofing, roofing, vinyl flooring, pipe and boiler insulation, and some roads and cement pipe and cement sheet products. When high levels of asbestos are inhaled over time, exposure can become a major health concern, causing lung ailments such as malignant mesothelioma.

Mesothelioma takes the lives of thousands of people each year and has limited treatment. It has lead to a variety of mesothelioma lawyers advocating citizen and workers rights throughout the country. Manufacturers of asbestos materials knew about the harmful effects and continued manufacturing the product anyways.

Before you disturb asbestos, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) states that you must have special training. Removal of asbestos in public facilities, homes and workplaces must be performed by licensed abatement contractors as long as the National Emissions Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) are not violated. Once the removal is complete, green insulation options should be given serious consideration, such as: Cellulose, Cotton Fiber and Icynene.

With a steady increase in public awareness and technology, there is now a large list of green insulation alternatives which replace the need for asbestos. The United Nations Environmental Program states that the use of recycled building materials such as cotton fiber insulation can reduce energy use by 25 to 35 percent. The numbers continue to improve as more eco-friendly options become available. These asbestos alternatives will not only reduce energy costs, but allow for a clean, healthy home, free of health damaging materials.

For more information, contact:

Jesse Herman
Mesothelioma Cancer Center
jesse@asbestos.com