Build

Introduction

Project budgeting, project cost control, variance analysis, budget comparison, take offs, tick chart progress, subcontractor payment control, cost/value comparison, purchase order generation, cost forecasting, price control, call off control, delivery and stock on-site reporting, links to financials.

As development projects become more complex, the requirement to control and forecast build costs becomes more critical. Build enables housebuilders to create budgets quickly and accurately and facilitates complete project cost control for all aspects of housebuilding and development. Build enables you to keep a watchful eye on all changes and variances to the budget, allowing cost overruns to be highlighted earlier and with accurate forecasts. The complete process of budget creation, detailed take off, progress recording, ordering and subcontractor payment are all handled with maximum efficiency by Build.

Working from the original development appraisal created in Land, more accurate budgets can be created from detailed take offs, which contain all of the material, labour and subcontractor cost components. Facilities are provided to enable budgets to be refined as more accurate drawings, schedules and prices become available thus providing consistent project monitoring from early feasibility though to completion. Budgets can be created quickly and simply using 'lump sum figures', or at a more detailed component item level, depending on the degree of control you wish to maintain. The take offs are easily created from a library of standard items or components and additional items can be added easily for one-off projects. Historic cost information or standard build components can be re-used, to speed up the budget creation. By utilising Build to maintain current item prices you can compare prices between other suppliers or developments and maintain the most up-to-date estimates and revised forecasts.

Build records build progress using simple build stage ticks, which in turn update the build programme, which is used to generate project cashflows. As the project progresses, then comparison of the budget with actual costs from your finance system can be carried out using an integrated cost/value comparison facility. Any future costs or 'cost to complete' can be revised automatically based on known variances or revised prices. Build records variances as they occur, ensuring that any cost overruns are immediately highlighted and re-forecast at the earliest opportunity in the project.

Build gives extra productivity by utilising the budget and schedules to automatically generate purchase orders for material and subcontract items from a simple tick operation. Details can be refined to automatically include relevant clauses, specifications or delivery instructions. Variation orders or additional items to the budget can be raised with full exception reporting and Build will automatically re-forecast project costs based on all additional known costs to date. Materials deliveries can be monitored and automated though call off routines based on the build program for the project. As deliveries are received these can be fully recorded to enable complete control and visibility of the procurement process. Direct links to financial systems are available and Build is fully e-business enabled to the eBuild-XML standards developed by BASDA in conjunction with the housebuilding industry.

Build monitors the subcontract ordering and payment process based on current progress and order values, as with materials purchases any additional costs or extras are highlighted and automatically recorded to help ensure that costs remain within budget.

Build is the ultimate solution for the housebuilder or developer who wants to keep complete control on the costs of their developments. The system is simple and intuitive to use, and yet can provide the detail when it is required. The system has comprehensive password and audit control so every decision and detailed cost change can be monitored and reported. Build is an intuitive and highly automated system that can give outstanding productivity gains.

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