ConstructionOnline Blog

Caroline Smith

Caroline Smith

Recent Posts by Caroline Smith:

ConstructionOnline vs. Buildertrend: Which Is Better for Your Team?

You’ve heard a lot about construction management platforms like ConstructionOnline and Buildertrend, but how can you be sure which one is worth the investment for your team?

ConstructionOnline is clearly the better choice for your business when it comes to value for your money, ease of use, customer support, and a robust set of features that make managing teams and projects a breeze.

Don’t believe us just yet? Keep reading!

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Topics: Competitor Comparison

ConstructionOnline vs. Procore: Which Is Better for Your Team?

You’ve heard a lot about both ConstructionOnline and Procore as far as construction management platforms go, but how can you be sure which one is worth the investment for your team?

ConstructionOnline is clearly the better choice for your business when it comes to value for your money, ease of use, customer support, and a robust set of features that make managing teams and projects a breeze.

Don’t believe us just yet? Keep reading!

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9 Construction Project Management Pitfalls (And How to Avoid Them)

Effective project management is the backbone of any successful construction business, but even experienced professionals can fall into bad habits that cost time, money, and client trust. From outdated documentation methods to poor communication and financial mismanagement, these mistakes can snowball into serious setbacks.

The good news? Identifying and correcting these harmful habits can lead to smoother operations, better profitability, and stronger client relationships. In this article, we’ll highlight nine common project management pitfalls:

1. Relying on Outdated Manual Documentation
2. Using Spreadsheets to Manage Project Finances
3. Not Keeping Detailed Daily Logs
4. Poor Change Order Management
5. Failing to Keep Clients Informed
6. Poor Communication with Team Members
7. Exposing Yourself to Costly Legal Disputes
8. Starting Projects without an Accurate Budget
9. Repeating the Same Mistakes Over and Over

But we won't stop there! We'll follow-up by providing practical solutions to help you avoid these pitfalls—so you can keep your projects on track and your business thriving.

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Topics: Business Building Best Practices Project Management

How to Start Construction Projects off on the Right Foot

What happens when you start your construction projects off on the wrong foot? You lose time, money, and credibility! I’m sure you’ve been in a situation where the initial estimate was way off base or all of your legal bases weren’t covered, or maybe you and the client had way different expectations of the results of the project from the beginning; the results were probably not what you wanted.

On the other hand, when you start every project on the right foot, your business will see the benefits in no time, because when you can provide everyone involved with clear expectations upfront, there is less confusion, less chaos, more money, and happier clients.

Keep reading to learn our best tips for how you can start every project off on the right foot.

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How to Deal With Difficult Clients as a Contractor in 2026

We’ve all been there before: stuck dealing with difficult clients who have unreasonable demands, request major changes mid-project without being prepared for the budget changes, threaten to sue you over mishaps that you had little to no control over, and all of the other crazy stories we here at UDA know you are remembering as you’re reading this.

In 2026, it's time to say goodbye to more unreasonable clients and hello to clients who are a better fit. This article will outline how to spot the red flags, communicate expectations clearly upfront, and implement preventative measures that cover your bases from start to finish.

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Why Construction Warranties Matter for Contractors

It’s no secret that establishing trust with clients is one of the best ways to boost and solidify your reputation as a contractor. Warranties are one way you can do that, because they communicate a clear plan of action in case something goes wrong.

In this article, we’ll tell you exactly how warranties can help your construction business improve and solidify your reputation in the industry among other things in 4 essential ways.

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7 Nightmare Chronicles You Should Avoid in Your Construction Business

If you're a contractor who has been in business for a while, chances are you've probably got a few unbelievable stories to share, whether it's about difficult clients with unreasonable demands, lots of money that was needlessly lost due to oversights, or just plain funny stories from your time in the field.

In this article, we've collected some of our craziest, most off-the-wall stories we've heard from our more than 950,000 clients, including some from our CEO who was a contractor for decades before founding ConstructionOnline.

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How Much Is Your Purchase Order Process Really Costing You?

Managing your construction project’s purchasing process is one of the crucial aspects of making sure things are on or under budget, but depending on how you manage expenditure, finances can get out of control pretty quickly.

In this article, we’ll tell you the common ways your construction business may be losing money in the procurement and expenditure stages of a project, and how you can use PO software to prevent these common expense mistakes from hurting your bottom line.

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Change Orders 101: Everything You Need to Know

A lot of unexpected events can happen in a construction project, and change orders are one of those things you can almost never predict. Although you can’t plan for them, you can make sure that you manage them efficiently to reduce legal risks and financial catastrophe.

In this article, you’ll find out how change order management can make or break your project finances.

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Topics: Best Practices Project Communication

5 Ways Purchase Orders Can Improve Construction Financial Management

Creating an accurate estimate and managing finances is one of the most essential parts of completing successful projects and running a profitable construction business, and having a system in place for managing construction purchase orders (POs), billing, and payments is a big part of managing project finances.

In this article, we’ll tell you why POs can make or break the success of your projects in 5 crucial ways, and we’ll explain the single best way you can use technology to streamline your construction PO management.

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Topics: Best Practices Project Communication