The entirety of the 21st century thus far can be summed up as a “Digital Renaissance.” As such, technological innovations continue to become more strongly intertwined in our society. In the construction industry, this fact is no different – technology is constantly adapting in order to meet our industry’s immense project delivery needs. According to research done by Viewpoint – a construction project management software provider – 78% of contractors today incorporate software to automate their scheduling and delivery methods, and that number is only expected to keep growing.
At United Construction Company (UCC), we Build United. What that means is we work with each unique customer to understand their vision and constraints to maximize value and overall satisfaction during preconstruction activities, construction, and with the completed product. Project delivery technologies are vital to this.
As a company, UCC is a firm believer in harnessing technology to leverage the abilities and efficiencies of our team. We proudly embrace state-of-the-art software to help us enhance our performance for all our projects – keeping our jobsites safe, on schedule, and delivered with the highest standards of quality.
Our project management software provides our partners access to view cost and scheduling information in real time from any web browser, helping us all unite for timely project delivery. Maintaining full project transparency with all our clients is of utmost importance, and these project control tools help us achieve that goal on all our jobs.
Here’s an introduction to some of the favorite tools we use every day for optimal project delivery:
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PROCORE – Our Delivery Bread and Butter
We are avid users of Procore, the industry’s leading project management tool. Procore provides a central location to manage, store and access project information. By using Procore, our team is able to efficiently maintain organized and detailed project information that is guarded by Procore’s goal standard security protocols. This system allows us to determine when something is required to keep the project on schedule, assign responsibility for that information, and track its completion. The information is easily accessible to create custom reports as requested by any of our valued customers, helping us keep our promise of total project transparency.
MICROSOFT PROJECT – Scheduling Saviors
The project schedule is arguably one of the most important tools on a project. It is the road map that keeps all the project team members on the same page and continuously communicating with each other. Microsoft Project allows to do exactly that and much more. Our team uses the software to provide a variety of schedule types, including a Master Schedule, Look Ahead Schedule, Submittal Schedule and Key Milestones. We have complete abilities to review client-provided critical path activities and update and re-issue construction schedules on a continual basis, so our clients can be rest assured that individual their road map to job completion is specifically tailored to their project.
BLUEBEAM REVU – Our Dynamic Workflow Solution
Used by 92% of the country’s leading design-build firms, Bluebeam Revu is our digital workflow go-to by helping our team assign projects and designs. We take advantage of Bluebeam’s Session and PDF Viewer options, which allow our stakeholders to make careful edits to documents, renderings, plans, etc. in real time and at the same time. Communication on the edits to each project document and design can be done entirely through Bluebeam, and all contributors can see complete sets of comments throughout the entire editing process, which aids in seamless design and project delivery.
AUTODESK REVIT AND BIM COLLABORATE PRO – Design Tools for the Future
We are proud to have an in-house architectural design team that uses state-of-the-art BIM (virtual construction) technologies for feasibility, planning, concept and working design documents. Our architects perform BIM services with Autodesk REVIT and BIM Collaborate Pro (formerly BIM 360), two design software programs that enable our design team to use three-dimensional modeling to coordinate and analyze building systems and develop virtual mock-ups of complex building systems. This allows the project team to work together to solve issues during the design phase – for example, using x-ray vision to check for structure clashes – rather than in the field during construction.
SAGE ESTIMATING SOFTWARE – Complete Cost Control
As the scope of the project becomes more defined and details are developed, our approach to estimating transitions from a conceptual approach to accurate quantity takeoff and detail. We use Sage Estimating Software to prepare estimates, define scopes of work and track costs associated with each line item. Providing accurate continuous budgets throughout the preconstruction process is critical to allowing our clients to make fully informed, timely decisions. Our team has access to know the financial status of the project at any moment in time. In addition, our management reviews, plans and acts on a full financial forecast for the project every month throughout the construction period.
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These vital software programs are key to our success as a preeminent general contractor in Nevada. We acknowledge and celebrate that construction technology is rapidly changing; United Construction welcomes the challenge and looks forward to continually incorporating these tools in our work, day in and day out.
