Advantage Home Construction Insurance (AHCI) takes a look at the best smartphone apps making waves in the construction sector
Smart technology has well and truly hit the workforce with a boom in the past couple of decades, and it would be nigh-on impossible to imagine a working life without it now. That includes, to some peoples’ surprise, the construction industry – a sector being revolutionised by tech and digital, with everyone from labourers to surveyors feeling the impact.
With this in mind, this article is dedicated to showcasing the best smartphone apps for workers across the industry – helping to boost productivity, manage teams more efficiently and all in all just make your job a little bit easier…
Tape Measure
Simple but brilliant, this fantastic tool means one less thing to carry – as with a swipe of a finger the app can measure up the dimensions of your photographs, save the edited photo with written dimensions, share images with colleagues, and then file all images systematically. In short, you can keep all your projects filed and beautifully organised – a tidy, efficient, miniature workspace.
This nifty device can also get your pictures perfectly straight with a built-in smart level. While these measurements aren’t quite as accurate as the real deal (tape measures and spirit levellers), they’re most definitely the next-best thing.
Plan Grid Construction Manager
This blueprint viewing app is all you’ll really need on your construction site. Builders and project managers alike can upload PDF drawings, plans and any progress photography, with the opportunity to include annotations. Your team can create checklists, compare sheets and sync all data to each worker’s device- keeping the whole team up to date on the status of projects.
British Red Cross
This may not be quite as modern or revolutionary as the rest of the apps on this list, but it’s a necessary addition nonetheless. Working in construction or as a surveyor can be a dangerous job at times, and with construction worker fatalities rising 6% in 2016 it’s always better to be safe than sorry.
“First Aid at your fingertips” is their motto – and it’s a good one to live by, as having access to all the advice and guidance you would need in an accident of any size could be the difference between life and death in some circumstances.
GoBIM
We’ve already written another article on the wonders of BIM, and the GoBIM app lets you have some of the same functionality in your pocket. You can work with 3D BIM objects and related data – naturally, it can’t handle the same number of materials or parameters that BIM software can, but it’s perfect for the more basic functions.
Multivista
Multivista allows you to keep a close eye on your construction site regardless of where in the world you are. Via this smartphone app, you can view photos, floor plans and webcams from your Multivista project, and upload your own photos from your phone or tablet too. Site teams can review and add to documentation which the app provides directly from the site. You can even have a live stream straight to your phone – so you can keep a close eye on progress from a sun lounger if needs be!
So, what do you think?
If you work in construction and fancy making your life a little easier, why not try out these apps and let us know what you think? If there’s something you think we’ve missed off our list let us know by tweeting us @Advantage_LDI.
At AHCI, we pride ourselves at remaining on the cutting-edge of technology, always innovating and keeping up to speed with the latest developments in the industry. Why not speak to one of our expert team today about how they can help you? Call us on 0845 900 3969 to find out more
