News

Can you demonstrate that you follow the HSE’s recommended approach to managing health and safety? Do you always ‘Plan, Do, Check, Act’?

This simple framework is recommended in the HSE’s ‘Managing for Health & Safety’ (HSG65) document, widely recognised as sound guidance on good practice for managing the health and safety of your business and projects.

It identifies the key actions needed in each part of the project cycle and relates them back, where appropriate, to leadership, management, worker involvement and competence.

And Health & Safety Xpert 2017 has all the documents you need to determine your plan, to enable you to implement it, review it and act on the outcome.

So we have created a guide that matches the Health & Safety Xpert documents to the four stages. We hope you find it useful as a checklist for adopting a safe way of working, and ensuring peace of mind.

The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 require employers to put in place arrangements to control health and safety risks. As a minimum, you should have the processes and procedures required to meet specific legal requirements. The HSE’s guidance gives a framework to follow:

PLAN stage – determines your health and safety policy and planning for its implementation on your jobs > Health & Safety Xpert has the policies, plans and checklists to assist you in this process.

You should DO the risk profiling, organising and then actually implementing on site > Which is why the software is all set with the appropriate risk and COSHH assessments, statements, registers and permits to help you get on and do just that.

Next you CHECK how things are going on site through inspections and investigate accidents, incidents and near misses… > That’s where our various records come in.

We can’t say ‘finally’ you ACT because there is no conclusion – it’s an on-going process of checking, planning, doing and acting > and we’re here with your audits, forms and records to enable you to review performance and learn those lessons before getting them implemented into future policy and the way you do things.

The infographic below gives you an ‘at a glance’ view of the approach and just a few of the many documents that come with the software (and are updated as legislation changes). A university in Scotland has already incorporated this chart into their course!

The HSE have some key priorities for 2017 as we explain. We can make sure you’re ready for any surprise visit. In fact Health & Safety Xpert makes it ever so simple to comply by matching the right documents to the job in hand – automatically. You should plan to use it…

For more information talk to the team on 0117 916 7898, book a free online demo or read more. Or if you already have Health & Safety Xpert but want to renew your support or upgrade to the latest version (which we highly recommend as it’s been updated very recently!) then click here.

The SME construction sector is doing well and remains resilient so far to the impact of Brexit. None the less the run up to the snap General Election certainly put a number of planned projects on hold. According to the FMB, in Q1 2017 workloads increased more significantly than any time since Q2 2016 ie the quarter immediately prior to last June’s EU referendum. The Office of National Statistics has reported ‘output in the construction industry grew 3 month on 3 month for the fifth consecutive period, rising by 0.2% in the first quarter of 2017. So there’s plenty to be happy about.

As we enter the second half of 2017 these are the trends the team at HBXL HQ are watching…

1. Workload: private residential new builds on rise

Overall most firms seem positive with many HBXL software users reporting full order books well into 2018. One in two respondents to the FMB’s quarterly state of trade survey predict rising workloads in the coming months, with just 5% predicting a decrease in activity. Private residential new build is looking the most positive of all sectors together with social new build. Social R&M is also on the rise. But it’s important to secure every client with an impressive EstimatorXpress quote and a ContractXpert contract to nail down the start date – even if it is in 12 month’s time – as who knows what the future holds.

We recommend builders use ProjectXpert to ensure they run the most productive construction project possible. And use it to manage multiple, simultaneous jobs and keep track of how the whole year is panning out at any point, not just at the end.

2. Material prices: will continue to increase

In response to rising commodity prices, currency fluctuations and unavoidable operating costs, some material prices are increasing. Whereas at the end of 2016 when 51% of FMB respondents foresaw no changes in prices, 85% of respondents now believe that material prices will rise over the next three months.

Estimating software EstimatorXpress helps keep firms up to date with increasing material price rises – every user is plugged into live pricing from Price Tracker™ which is regularly updated. Plus they can connect their software to HBXL merchant partners so the prices being estimated are the prices actually being paid to suppliers.

3. Skills shortages: set to worsen

The Federation of Master Builders reported in Q4 2016 a significant skills shortages in ALL trades over and above bricklayers and carpenters. In Q1 2017 FMB reported that 58% are struggling to hire carpenters, a post-financial crisis high! This will of course push up construction costs especially if the economy stays as it is.

Scheduling labour in advance and managing subbies will become more critical as will ensuring contracts are in place so that they don’t lose the subbie to a higher competitive bid leaving the building firm high and dry.

4. Cloud computing: will get more traction

Cloud is growing its share of the construction market. For example builders can;

1. subscribe to applications which actually run on the web (e.g. via your internet browser)
2. subscribe to applications which you can access via a secure web log in which actually run on someone else’s server
3. purchase desktop applications which run on your computer but simply allow you to save to the cloud e.g. save your files to Dropbox or Microsoft One Drive.

An example of point 3 is HBXL’s EstimatorXpress. Small building firms will appreciate being able to save their work from one device to say, dropbox, and then continue working on a second device. Medium sized firms may like that more than one employee can access those files. Whilst large firms can take it a step further and synchronise the company ‘settings’ to ensure everyone has the latest prices, specs, templates and so on.

5. Health & Safety: small firms still facing fines

The HSE continues its focus on SMEs as outlined in their 16/17 Health & Safety Plan. Construction remains one of the most hazardous industries, accounting for about a quarter of all GB fatal injuries to workers. The majority of fatal accidents involve small businesses and nearly half of reported injuries occur in refurbishment activities. So not surprisingly this is where the focus is staying as the HSE believe that there is a lack of awareness on obligations.

HBXL’s health and safety advisor Dave Price says “All building firms, no matter how small, have a duty of care to their employees and the general public. That’s the law. Non-compliance can mean massive fines, site shut downs or even prison sentences. If it’s not written down, how can you prove that you are doing it?”

HBXL’s Health & Safety Xpert software makes sure builders have all the right paperwork giving them the peace of mind that they are complying with latest regulations – and keeping everyone safe.”

You may say you’re not in the right frame of mind for thinking about buying estimating software. But if we overlook the personal misgivings for a moment and concentrate on the business argument and the hard facts, you might have to think differently – your staff (and family) will thank you for it!

The bottom line

If you use HBXL EstimatorXpress estimating software, you will have the opportunity to:

• Estimate faster and more easily
• Impress with professional business-winning quotes
• Get your costs spot on every time
• Make the money you deserve (no more absorbing costs)
• Boost your margins with ready-made reports
• Go after bigger, better jobs that pay well.

Surely that’s worth pursuing? Hopefully the information below will put you in a positive frame of mind and ‘a not yet’, ‘definitely next year’ can become ‘let’s do this NOW’!

Can your business afford to buy the software?

We’re pleased to tell you that we’ve just made our software packages even more affordable. EstimatorXpress Standard Edition for example is now down to £899+VAT. In fact, all our software products have been re-priced downwards.

Cash flow an issue?

Last of the awkward questions… You can opt to pay in interest-free instalments. Try out some numbers on the repayment calculator here. (We’ll never know you were there).

You’re busy for the next 12 months thanks all the same? But what kind of busy is that? The profitable kind? Or the break even kind? Or the ‘we’ll make a loss but at least we’ve kept everyone working without any gaps in employment’, kind? You can put the brakes on that style of business with our software, and fast, in a matter of days in fact.

You’re more a take-off from a plan kind of company? No problem. You’d be perfect for the new £1499+VAT Rapid Take-off & Estimate Kit which gives you instant estimates from take-offs. And if you want to go straight into a typical extension estimate you can use the Quick Quote plug-in within the kit, and produce a quote in a matter of minutes. It’s even faster than a take-off.

All the same – your business is different? We’ve thousands of customers, from small building firms and tradespeople to developers, so there aren’t many scenarios we haven’t encountered.

Meet Lee Goodwin, of Oakleafe Property Services, with 60 staff on the books. “Before HBXL I had a system that was quite frankly archaic. I knew I needed to do something that meant I wasn’t working late into the nights and on weekends. Looking back it seems ludicrous the way we used to do our estimating. Using this software has not only made us work smart but has made our life a lot easier and I’d advise others to do the same.” He explains more here.

Meet Dave Stanley, of Union Renovations, jobbing builders but very project based with normally lots of elements to the work. The new Quick Quote plug-in which works with EstimatorXpress has changed his world. As Dave says, “Quick Quote puts everything at your fingertips.” See here.

Meet Charles OKell, of UK Pro Build. Charles first challenged us to produce an estimate ourselves for him. He now has all of our software products. “It’s really changed how we think about doing business, whether we wanted to be ‘busy idiots’; are we making the most effective use of our skills and our team? The software has given us the insight, knowledge and confidence to know that our prices are right.” Charles explains more here.

Meet Kuno Jackson, of Kuno Jackson Builders who produce extensions, loft conversions and new builds. “I have used EstimatorXpress since it first hit the market and have sworn by it ever since to price up everything from small household renovations to £5m building projects.” Read on.

As we did with Lee, Dave, Charles and Kuno, we listen, discuss and advise on the best set-up for your business. In fact we’ve been listening a lot to builders across the UK recently and that’s how the Rapid Take-off & Estimate Kit came about, as we explain here. You see, we get that it’s hugely competitive out there, and it’s the profitable work that’s hard to clinch. Based on the reaction we’ve had to the kit already, we’ve got it spot on.

None the less – how will you know our software is right for you? After the chats we have, it’s unlikely you’ll take on something that’s not suitable. But of course you can have a test drive. We’ll drop the software onto your computer, take you for a spin, before giving you the keys for 14 days! And we’ve got an amazing award-winning support team on hand, however small the query.

At the end of the day what’s the hurry? He or she who hesitates to buy our estimating software loses money on a daily basis … and we can tell you by how much. Go on, fill in our ‘Cost of hesitancy’ calculator – hopefully it won’t be too scary!

So surely there are NO more obstacles to you picking up the phone? We’re ready and waiting on 0117 916 7898. And if there’s still something we haven’t covered here, all the more reason to pick up the phone and challenge us with it! And there’s the ‘Chat’ box that will have popped up – you can message us on this. We look forward to hearing from you – but make it NOW!

Forget what you’ve ever known about estimating software for builders, forget any pre-conceptions about complexity and time-spent doing it…

History has just been rewritten. You see, we know there are times when you just want to be able to pull together an accurate quote LIGHTNING FAST.

The customer’s request is a standard extension but you don’t want to hazard a guess or give them a single A4 sheet. It doesn’t always win you the work. And if it does then it doesn’t always make you good money.

So how about a program that gives you an accurate quote for an extension (in detail – yes detail!) in FOUR MINUTES (and renovation work in less than four minutes)!?

Introducing QUICK QUOTE from HBXL, the producers of award-winning EstimatorXpress. A program that does what it says on the tin.

If you’re already sold then give the guys a call on 0117 916 7898 to have a chat, find out about any special introductory offers and to arrange a free test drive upon launch.

Or read on.

How to use QUICK QUOTE in four easy stages…

1. Choose your project from nearly 60+ project templates with endless permutations of roofs, wall finishes, floors and internal fitting out.
2. Tweak the dimensions
3. Scroll down just ONE PAGE using drop-down listings as you go to select the relevant type of wall, roof etc - clicking here and altering dimensions there.
4. Then press the button to produce the quote. Done.

The speed and simplicity is no exaggeration - as this four-minute video prove.

Note at 4 minutes and 20 seconds in, the amazing quote you can provide your customer with – giving them as much or as little detail as you like.

And here's an even shorter video showing a 2-minute renovation!

What is QUICK QUOTE suitable for?

All your typical jobs – standard new builds, extensions, garages and renovations – such as a double storey hip valley extension, apex house, double storey flat roof extension, single storey lean-to, apex gable roof single garage…

And if you have a particularly complex, one-off, non-standard project then you can use the conventional EstimatorXpress which allows you to put together an estimate from scratch – still drawing on the same clever calculators, making the whole job so much easier and accurate than any other type of estimating software.

We call it two-speed estimating.

What does the software literally do?

You give the software the dimensions and your specification preferences and the software will do the rest. Your own personal quantity surveyor stuffed inside your computer!

Our in-house software developers in consultation with experienced builders and up-to-date intelligence, have created calculators that work out every aspect of a build project. For instance, how many bricks are required in any given size of wall, what other materials will be needed to build the wall and how much will be needed, who will build the wall and how long they will take.

What does the estimate include?

Everything! It calculates the lot - your walls, floors, roof, finish, structural openings, doors, windows, internal cavity walls, plastering, decoration, wiring, plumbing, electrics, fitting out, drainage and services, external works, landscaping and subcontract quotations…

It will automatically work out wastage, inflation... the list goes on. You even get 80+ reports to help you every which way – from material lists for the merchant to schedules for the site manager.

But at the end of the day what price will win you the work?

The final figure from the QUICK QUOTE plug-in for EstimatorXpress consists of proven, accurate timescales, the latest material prices, the industry average rate for labour and so on, with nothing left out. The true cost.

It’s up to you of course what you do next. Will you reduce your price? Will you increase your margin?

In our experience, customers will actually pay more (or rather the accurate price) for a well presented quote that shows the reality in all its detail, and effectively implies that any lower cost might be the result of cutting corners or forgetting something important. Just saying…

We can point you in the direction of building firms who are proud of their prices and win the work on the strength of their accurate, professional-looking HBXL quotes. And have never looked back.

Is the software worth the price?

Well that’s for you to decide. But by our estimation (which we’re good at) if you produced just one quote a week, over a 12-month period your software purchase would cost you around £6 a quote plus however many minutes of your time. Of course, it would be even less if you quote more regularly. Surely it’s worth it to get the job off your desk quickly and in the hands of a customer, with a very real chance of winning the work? You could try out our ROI calculator here.

Then there’s the law of averages… the more you quote the better chance you have of winning the work.

Take it for a spin with our free test drive…

You need to get behind the wheel and experience the speed, the power and quality. First we’ll lend you our very own ‘Stig’. And it goes like this…

1. They’ll have a chat with you over the phone
2. Check that your computer is compatible
3. Remotely install the software onto your computer (clever)
4. Then take you for a spin, demonstrating a typical estimate, answering questions as you go
5. When you’re comfortable you can go solo for 14 wonderful days trying it out on different projects – may be even winning work in that time! (You can test drive EstimatorXpress NOW and Quick Quote from mid-June.)
6. And when you say YES I need this in my life (and why wouldn’t you?) money passes hands and the software becomes yours forever, with 12 months’ fantastic award-winning customer support and updates included.

So there you have it, the best thing we’ve invented since our take-off software… and that’s another story.

The Quick Quote plug-in is anticipated for launch in mid June.

Give the guys a call on 0117 916 7898 to have a chat, find out about any special introductory offers and to arrange your free test drive.

Introductory discount: Buy the Rapid Take Off Kit in June and get it for just £1,199 + VAT (normal price £1,499 + VAT) - saving £300! 

The National Technology Awards HBXL shortlisting for Tech Company of the Year 2017

Up against Seedrs and Codeplay, HBXL Building Software is shortlisted for the Tech Company of the Year 2017 category.

HBXL Building Software provide a range of software solutions to enable building firms to quickly produce professional, transparent and accurate quotations, building plans, health & safety documents and building contracts. Ultimately improving business bottom line through innovation, in an industry not known for embracing technology.

Joanna Mulgrew, Group Operations Director said: “Naturally we’re delighted to be shortlisted and be recognised for the innovations our development team have delivered to help small to medium sized building companies run their businesses. We’re a family run business and we see our customers as an extension of the family. Customer happiness is at the core of everything we do. Every client receives complimentary Remote Access Training and access to top rated telephone support delivered by “Our Support Super Heroes” team”.

The National Technology Awards, hosted by FStech Magazine, are the showcase for the leaders of technology. The National Technology Awards were created to allow the technology sector to shine, celebrating the pioneers of new technology and to help drive standards and encourage excellence.

The winners will be determined by an independent judging panel and announced at The National Technology Awards Gala and Dinner on 17 May 2017 at the Millennium Hotel London Mayfair.

About the Awards:

The National Technology Awards represent the pinnacle of best practice, a fantastic gala dinner, entertainment and the chance to network with the industry’s finest. Bringing our experience together we have created the arena for all technologies, where the very best can be judged.

Find out more: nationaltechnologyawards.co.uk
Follow National Technology Awards on twitter @NTechAwards #NationalTechnologyAwards

Do you trust to luck and take your chances when it comes to health and safety on the building site or do you cover all bases and leave nothing to chance?

Why not try our ‘fun’ quiz (with a serious message) and choose either an a or b answer. Then see what it says about your attitude to health and safety at the bottom!

Cost

a. Well it’s a costly process spending time on paperwork when I could be earning money on site. And the thought of using a Health & Safety advisor – well that’s another overhead I can do without. Then there’s the cost of implementing any recommendations…

b. I dread the financial impact of a fine on the business, or my insurance premiums having to go up, or even say a £700 Fee for Intervention because I’ve got slippery steps up the site cabin, or I’ve not considered the welfare of the guys on site.

Time

a. Every site induction for a new employee, sub-contractor or apprentice just slows the job down. Site Attendance Registers, they’re another waste of time. Risk Assessments, Method Statements, COSHH Assessments… they probably add a day, if not more, to a job that’s only going to take a month.

b. I can’t imagine a ‘man down’, someone I’ve worked with for years being injured or worse. Morally, ethically, there can be nothing like it – having to tell friends and family that an accident happened that could have been prevented if it weren’t for my negligence. Why would I risk cutting corners or ignoring problems?

Importance

a. Health and safety is political correctness gone mad. It’s red tape for the sake of red tape. Some of the things you’re supposed to do are laughable. I’d go so far as to say much of it is b******t. I’ve been in the construction business for more years than I care to remember and nothing’s gone wrong on my watch.

b. I’ve employees who have been working for me for years. I’ve customers who recommend my firm to neighbours, family and friends. And I’ve never had any trouble getting subbies. They trust me to be fair. I sponsor the local kids football team and we take part in the odd charity match. Reputation is everything to me, so stringent health and safety is a given.

Value

a. The responsibility is so onerous I actually don’t want to think about it. To be honest it’s making me reconsider whether I want to be in the construction business at all. It has become a burden and instead of dealing with it, I just cross my fingers and hope for the best.

b. I read online and on the television about corporate manslaughter and the thought of being in that situation is unimaginable. Leaving it to chance is not an option for me. I’ve got too much financially invested in my building business (including my home) to not follow all the rules and abide by all the laws.

If you mainly answered ‘a’…

We hope you carry a good luck charm on you as your luck may run out. Health and safety management needn’t be complicated or expensive. Construction is still one of the top four risks to injury and death alongside mining, quarrying, deep-sea platforms and agriculture. The odds are stacked against you!

If you mainly answered ‘b’…

You have a good attitude and clearly take your responsibilities seriously. We hope you’ve got the right tools in place to make the process as easy as possible. Sleepless nights are not necessary! Health and safety can be very straightforward if you adopt a logical approach. See our piece on the HSE HSG65 four steps to health and safety management as an example.

What next?

There’s a tongue-in-cheek saying ‘the harder I work the luckier I get’. When it comes to health and safety management you could tweak it to say ‘the harder I plan, the luckier I get’. Funny that! Users of HBXL’s Health & Safety Xpert software stand a much greater chance of sailing through HSE inspections with all the right paperwork in place and all the requirements implemented. And be under no illusion – the HSE have upped their visits to small to medium sites this year – it was one of their focuses. So you need to be ready.

Have a chat with one of the team about Health & Safety Xpert and they’ll give you the no-bull low-down on how it can help your firm. It has been produced in association with a health and safety consultant. It follows all the guidelines, covers all the legal requirements and assists in best practice.

Health & Safety Xpert is also great value for money and is simple to use. You only have to answer a few questions before the clever software selects ALL the relevant documents for the job – automatically. Stand back and watch them come out of the printer!

Call us on 0117 916 7898 or find some more information here.

HBXL serve a warning to all UK builders and developers – the HSE have raised their Fees For Intervention (FFI).

Some builders may hear that and deflect believing they are above board on all health and safety requirements. HBXL believe this assumption is ill advised given the HSE‘s aim to increase inspections and enforcement. In addition, the nature of infringements that the HSE deem require intervention may shock some.

What are Fees For Intervention (FFI)?

Not sure what Fees For Intervention (FFI) are? Simply put, they refer to the HSE attaching a monetary value to the time they spend addressing your health and safety issue. This includes identifying the material breach, helping you to put it right, investigating and taking enforcement action. This will comprise of time spent:

■ Carrying out visits (including all the time on site during which the material breach was identified);

■ Writing notifications of contravention, improvement or prohibition notices, and reports;

■ Taking statements; and

■ Getting specialist support for complex issues. This total amount of time will be multiplied by the FFI hourly rate to give you the amount you must pay. For the current FFI hourly rate, visit www.hse.gov.uk/fee-for-intervention/index.htm

Frequent causes for Intervention

Still believe that your building company are not at risk of unwanted HSE attention? Why not read some of the HSE Public Register of Enforcement Notices to see what kind of issues have been flagged, leading to penalties. Below are a selection of the top causes for the HSE to submit a notice.

• Failure to demonstrate Construction Phase Plan has been completed
• Lack of adequate hand washing facilities for either food prep, toilet sanitation or in order to use a cement mixer
• Lack of lighting to avoid trip hazards
• Demonstrating consideration of separation of pedestrians and vehicles
• A clear emergency exit route
• Unsanitary toilets

What is it going to cost me?

This is quite an open-ended question really. The straightforward answer is £129 per hour but it is wise to take note of the potential cumulative cost. Looking at the cases in the HSE Public Register of Enforcement Notices, fees can quickly mount up. This results in a higher total cost or fee. The average Fee For Intervention is £700!

This figure could get even worse when you consider the fact that an inspector is likely to be more vigilant when they realise you have failed in one area. For example, you may have muddy steps to the site cabin – a reason for intervention. This may lead to the investigator to be more thorough perhaps finding your fuse is blown on your hot water boiler in your cabin. Another intervention. Now he’s on a roll and likely to pick up anything that you may have let slip and look. Maybe you have not put a bin in the cabin. Guess what. It’s another intervention.

Three seemingly small, simple things that have built up to cause a hefty fine and your company’s name to feature on the HSE register. Lastly but importantly, featuring on the HSE register will likely mean anyone who searches for your company on the internet will find your notices before they find you! This is because the HSE website is likely to be better ranking than your own website on Google (if you have one). This could have a negative effect on your company image and therefore affect sales!

What can UK builders do to avoid Fees For Intervention (FFI)?

Did you start thinking that HSE fines did not worry you because you know you are safe on site? Now you may be thinking it is impossible to have every little thing covered and avoid a fine. Well HBXL are not just here to scare or worry you. We have a solution. A software solution.

Health & Safety Xpert is the answer to keeping up with health and safety requirements and avoiding HSE fees. Our software is the easiest and fastest way to ensure that you have everything in place to meet your health and safety requirements. Health & Safety Xpert automatically lines up all the paperwork and things UK builders would need to consider based on job specification. Then all you need to do is complete by filling in finer details and print off. It could not be simpler! Give us a call to find out more – 0117 9167898. Alternatively, drop us an email and we will get back to you.

How well do you spend your working day? You know, in a lifetime you spend literally years sleeping, eating and queuing, months and months checking junk emails, sitting at traffic lights, brushing your teeth… So what about making the rest of your precious time really count.

Construction companies are typically fully on. And if you’re the boss you could easily be involved in estimation, delivering quotes, design, planning permission, approvals, health and safety, trips to the merchants… But if you feel like you’re consistently wasting time then take a look at what productive people do well and what undoubtedly contributes to the success of ambitious building firms!

“Time flies but the good news is you’re the pilot” as someone cleverly put it. If you could save even 30 minutes a day, think of the goals you could achieve with a bit more time? Maybe…

• Coming up with new marketing ideas
• Updating your website
• Improving your IT set-up with new software
• Health & Safety training
• Renewing equipment
• Recruiting new staff and appraising current ones
• Searching out new suppliers and merchants
• Talking to sales reps
• Visiting trade shows
• Going to demos
• Watching the odd webinar
• Looking for new land
• Reviewing your quantity surveyor, bank, accountant…

1. Mark Twain said “Eat a live frog first thing in the morning and nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day.” Do the least appetizing job first. You know the one you keep shuffling to the bottom of the pile. Get it done FIRST THING. And then you can go onto the good stuff.

2. ‘Urgent’. Nightmare word. How much time do you spend putting out fires? Do those ‘urgent’ requests actually matter that much? Enough to keep putting off important jobs? Consider ignoring, yes ignoring, those ‘urgent’ cries for help. Or find a quick way of delegating them. In fact delegating is to be recommended full stop.

3. ‘No’ on the other hand is a very effective word. Can you afford to give your time away that freely? Say no now and again. It’s not such a bad thing. It will actually improve your mood and make you more productive. Constantly saying yes can be more destructive.

4. Turn your attention to one task. Multi-tasking is rarely a good thing in business. Focus on one thing and complete it. You’ll do it quicker and better.

5. Group similar tasks and do them one after the other. You know how long it takes to get into the groove, so once you’re in it, stick with it and get it all done. You might find yourself killing two birds with one stone in the process.

6. ‘The two-minute rule’. Obvious but clever. Handle two-minute tasks straight away. If you know it will take that short a time then do it immediately. Bang. In. Out. Done. It’s a waste of time and energy to add it to a list or have it in the back of your mind.

7. Equally, don’t look at something and abandon it a few minutes later. As soon as something has your attention make a decision. And if it’s not a two-minute job, think about what’s required, decide on the next step or quickly delegate it. There’s that delegation word again…

8. Ask more questions. Guessing is a great big fat waste of time. Trial and error won’t get you there faster. Employees, subbies, sales reps and customers will like you for it and you’ll save time. Win-win. And on the same theme – write it down. There’s nothing big, clever or quicker about trying to remember stuff.

9. Pick up the phone – don’t email – there are some tasks that could be sorted in a fraction of the time with one or two phone calls.

10. Stop jumping in and out of the van. Plan better and visit the merchants less. Get a list of all the materials for all your jobs onto paper and think logically about what you need where and when. And if that’s just not going to happen – get software that will do it for you.

11. Stop doing things manually. There could be a number of tasks that you are currently doing by hand, with a calculator, on a note pad… that could become automated/completed by software. Spend a few hours now on your software – or find an entirely new programme such as estimation software, CAD design software or health and safety software – and save days and weeks in the long term. Honest. We should know! You can even synchronise data across programmes so you only input it once – well you can with HBXL Building Software!

12. Shut the door and go into hiding. This will help with point 11. Even if it’s just for an hour. Say no calls, no knocks on the door, no email checking. Head down, undistracted and get the job done.

13. Just do it! Let’s face it, decision-making really doesn’t have to be a long drawn process. Don’t overthink it. Share it with someone else. Say it out loud. Can the business afford it? Is it a worthwhile investment? Would the business benefit? Yes? Go for it.

14. Plan ahead. Take a few minutes at the end of the day to prepare for the next one. It confirms what you’ve done that day and makes sure you have a productive tomorrow. And that includes clearing your desk. How much time do you waste looking for things?

15. And finally – whilst all of the pointers here have been office/admin orientated, there are probably another 15 again for the construction side as well. Just for starters – choose your labourers and trades people well – it will save you time all ways round.

And if you only pick up on one point here, it’s a start. Busy isn’t always a good thing, it could be masking a few short-comings. It’s all about time management, whether you’re a house-builder, doing loft conversions, renovations or extensions.

And if we can offer any advice on using the right software tools to increase your productivity, such as HBXL’s EstimatorXpress 2017 for speedy estimating, take-offs and quoting, then give us a call on 0117 916 7898 or email sales@hbxl.co.uk - we’ve got the time if you have!

It’s very easy to write January off when the weather lets you down, customers too - and the odd subbie. It’s dark, wet and there’s no money around… But all is not lost, far from it – the quieter period presents a great opportunity to review your business and decide how to take it forward. So we’ve listed here 10 goals to construction success in 2017 to set you on your way.

	Review your business direction - Starting with the biggie! What projects do you want and like to take on. Consider the 80/20 rule – could you concentrate on the 20 percent of the work that generates 80 percent of your revenue? And say no to the less profitable work? Do you want to diversify? What about Design & Build ? Walking is a good activity for clearing your mind and thinking afresh. Yes even builders can take an afternoon walk! Then break down your big ideas into daily, weekly or monthly actionable goals that you can measure.
	Improve your bottom line - This usually involves 1) Raising your rates 2) Doing more work 3) Reducing your expenses. Look at the figures for last year and see how you could trim some overheads. Did your profit margins drop unnecessarily? Do you keep reducing your profit margin because of oversights? Find the leaks in your bucket.
	Stop being busy and be more productive - Busy isn’t necessarily productive. ‘What’s the point of spending your days climbing a mountain, only to realise at the end of this new year, you’ve climbed the wrong one?’ (Quote courtesy of Robin Sharma, leadership expert). Do you enter the same data into multiple documents? Put systems in place that will streamline various processes.
	Learn to delegate - Have a good long look at your role. Do you really have to do it all? Perhaps it’s time to stop being pulled in different directions and concentrate on the bigger issues. Make a list identifying the things that someone else could do. Estimating? Speaking to suppliers? Booking subbies?
	Review your approach to health and safety - How confident are you that you have a handle on health and safety? Are your employees and the public properly protected? Do you know what the HSE expect from you – have you properly sussed out CDM 2015? How about putting some time in the diary to gen up on it, do an online health and safety course and get others onto it as well.
	Review your customer service - Remember the customers pay the bills. If you want good reviews, if you want them to recommend you then make sure they stay happy. A single A4 sheet with your expectations of your employees and subbies will make sure everyone knows the policy. What about giving customers the opportunity to feedback at the end of a job – you could come up with a short questionnaire? At least make sure to ask them to give you a review.
	Research cloud computing - If you’re not already using Dropbox, Google Drive, One Drive or another cloud storage application, then consider the benefits they could bring you. Saving and accessing files such as estimates in the cloud are really easy, and using cloud over physical file storage can save money as well. And of course you can be anywhere and still access your files remotely. But possibly most important of all is backing up - a must if you don’t want to lose something important following a systems failure or malfunction.
	Promote your business better - It needn’t be anything grand. What about updating your website (you have got one haven’t you?)? How out of date are the projects on there? What about a Facebook page? Perhaps it’s time for new livery for the vehicles, new polo shirts, some better signs? Sponsor a team or event. Whatever, put together a list, add some time frames and make them happen. And why not book in a bit of marketing training on this – some short courses are available to do from home or office.
	Become a tiny little bit of a geek - You don’t have to know your Bytes from your RAM but technology really will help you work more effectively, which means faster computers and clever software. Make a point of keeping up with new and changing technology that would impact you directly. Don’t just think about power drills and the latest plasterboard. What IT could you invest in to make your business run more smoothly?
	Commit to new learning - Your business has to stay safe and compliant. Put some remote online health and safety training on the calendar. And why not think about learning a new skill. Find out about software for designing your own extensions and loft conversions for instance.

Want more advice on construction success?

We hope our 10 goals to construction success in 2017 proves helpful. If you would like any more advice on streamlining your processes, tightening up on admin and improving your profit margins, give one of the team here at HBXL a call on 0117 916 7898. Our suite of software is aimed exclusively at the builder and developer and was founded by a builder who knows only too well about the pressures of running a successful business. Have a great 2017!

Want to make a higher profit by managing your construction company better? Follow our tips to improve your building company by making your projects work for you. Bringing estimation software on board to help your building firm can provide more benefit than just faster and more accurate estimating. Read on to find out about one of the many hidden advantages of investing in estimating software.

Why estimating software?

It’s written all over our website. EstimatorXpress will save you time, money and effort producing estimates and can guarantee 100% accuracy. But, EstimatorXpress is way more than just an award winning estimation program as it provides trades, builders and developers with a range of reports and charts to help them manage their projects once the job has been won (and EstimatorXpress  users win up to 230% more business!).

Hidden benefits of the best estimation software

Firstly, EstimatorXpress helps protect your profit through calculating likely wastage, inflation and wear and tear costs on your plant. It is often easy to forget to factor in the wear and tear of a shovel, wheelbarrow or perhaps the use of a tube of mastic lying in the van. All these items erode your profit if they aren’t accounted for properly, and EstimatorXpress calculates these for you automatically.

Secondly all the reports and charts EstimatorXpress produces directly (and instantly!) from your estimate are enough reason alone to invest in the software. It automatically produces over 80 plus helpful management reports automatically from your estimate data (no typing required!). These include detailed cost breakdowns so you can see where your money is going exactly, cutting lists, material schedules (Bill of quantities) and labour schedules and tonne more – check them out here. Not to mention profit forecasts, stage payment profiles and cashflow to keep you in the black on your jobs.

Thirdly a really important toolset for business-savvy builders is “My Projects”. ‘My Projects’ is a module found in EstimatorXpress Total Toolkit versions and above that can multiply the benefits of the reports outlined above by allowing trades, builders and developers to manage all their jobs with ease. By linking individual jobs together as a Workload Project you can see total cost reports, complete schedules of materials, build programmes, order schedules, cashflow and profit for your entire company’s workload as a whole. Plus you can see exactly how much money the company is proposed to make over the next X months. This can help you make informed business decisions about expansion, taking on staff, or purchasing new equipment such as a van. Watch the video to see My Projects in action.

What is ‘My Projects’?

As we mentioned above, My Projects allows you to take a combined view of all your projects together in order to enhance the overall management of workload, cashflow, materials, labour and more. Looking at all your work together, whether simultaneous jobs or back-to-back, allows for further time, effort and cost cutting advantages.

Tips to improve your building company

Tip 1)

Use the detailed cost reports of your combined workload together with cashflow reports (instantly produced off the back of your estimates) to show the outflow of money from your business, which highlights when you’ll need to see stage payments from clients or finance/bank lending coming in.

Tip 2)

If you’re looking for development finance the cost and cashflow reports in My Projects will help secure you finance. The software allows you to instantly produce a multi-unit/site cashflow combined with total detailed costs for the bank or lender showing exactly where the money is going.

Tip 3)

Every building firm will find the Gantt chart of all the projects you have underway and forecast useful. See exactly where your jobs or projects are, how they overlap or gaps you have in workload. Plan your projects to perfection!

Tip 4)

Use the labour schedules and Gantt chart together to know what labour you need and when. Avoid over-stretching your company and schedule your preferred subcontractors in advance.

Tip 5)

Improve your bargaining power with builders merchants by supplying them with a more complete, forward view of your material requirements. That way you can increase discounts and avoid endless (expensive!) trips to the merchants. One trip to agree a good deal on the entire job with delivery to suit your build program.

Tip 6)

What about a profit forecast based on all your projects? See how much money you’re making and from which projects – and do more of those!

There are over 80 reports in My Projects to help your business. The above is a shortlist of just 6. The potential money and time saving benefits of properly managing and analysing the way you work is what separates a good building firm from a great building firm.

Combine EstimatorXpress with ProjectXpert and you’ve got super-powers…

How My Projects can help Trades, Builders and Developers

Trades who have many small projects on can benefit by being able to see their continuous workflow.

Small-scale builders can use My Projects to move seamlessly from one project to the next. This avoids costly gaps in workload.

Large-scale builders can use My Projects to manage multiple, simultaneous projects. This prevents companies over extending themselves financially or in terms of labour.

Developers can use My Projects to keep an eye on all work for an entire site or even multiple sites, being able to order materials in bulk, shift labour around for optimal efficiency and stay on top of cash flow.

Didn’t realise EstimatorXpress did all that? Want to know what else it can do?

All that is just one of the many hidden benefits of choosing EstimatorXpress as your estimating software. If you want to know any more about the My Projects module or anything else that EstimatorXpress can do, give us a call on 0117 9167898. We’d love to chat.