iSqFt vs. Building Connected vs. Downtobid: Comparing These Top Tools

iSqFt is a veteran in the construction industry, offering tools that streamline preconstruction, procurement, and estimation. However, general contractors’ needs have significantly grown, with the demand for comprehensive scope coverage driving the changes. How does the software compare with heavyweights like Building Connected and newer, innovative platforms like Downtobid? 

This iSqFt, Building Connected, and Downtobid guide examines the three software programs to help you pick the one that ticks all the boxes. We’ll evaluate each program’s key features, pricing plans, and pros and cons. But first, let’s begin with the tool we understand best – our very own Downtobid. 

Downtobid in a Nutshell

Downtobid is the best preconstruction software for general contractors, subcontractors, and suppliers. Unlike other bid-soliciting platforms offering basic and generic features, we’ve centralized communication, enabled the creation of personalized bids, and provided comprehensive scope coverage. We’re far from your basic bid management platforms. We’re the future. 

Key Features

Here are a few reasons why we stand out from the rest. 

AI Copilot

AI is taking over the construction industry, and we’re in the middle of this evolution. Unlike our competitors’ AI programs, which provide basic services, we have invested heavily to make our AI more sophisticated. It can handle complex tasks like reviewing bid documents for accuracy and completeness, which minimizes errors and miscommunication. 

Traditionally, construction teams took weeks to review lengthy plans and documents to detect scope. Our AI does this in minutes, saving you the time and cost of hiring additional help. Its accuracy ensures a comprehensive scope coverage, helping the subcontractors understand the project requirements. 

Our AI helps construction companies easily recruit the right subs by matching the detected scopes with qualified local subcontractors ready for new projects. This recruitment approach helps you quickly assemble a construction team. It also speeds up the bidding process, which helps the team beat the project’s timeline. 

Personalized Bid Invites

Generic bid invites aren’t effective anymore. Subcontractors receive almost identical bid invites, which are easy to miss. This also means there is a higher chance that the most qualified sub will not bid on your project. 

That’s why we opted for personalized bid invite templates. We start with personalized headings to grab their attention, followed by a detailed email highlighting project information. Every bid email includes the subcontractor’s name, address, and why they’re considered a perfect fit. It also includes a scope summary, helping the sub understand the project requirements without reviewing lengthy construction documents. 

This approach increases bid participation by 30%, higher than our competitors. It also helps you quickly form a construction team and stay on schedule. 

Enhanced Collaboration

We understand the importance and effectiveness of teamwork, and that’s why our platform contains all the tools to encourage it. Collaboration starts with open communication and real-time information sharing. 

We have centralized communication to help users send and receive instant messages in one platform. This feature allows the team to share plans, updates, feedback, and corrections without needing more tools. 

The threaded emails allows the users to track specific messages without reviewing the entire inbox.

The sub-centric planroom contains every construction document subs need to submit their bids. We have also labeled and titled every construction document to help subs track specific documents. 

Project owners can assign tasks and track progress to ensure they’re on schedule. They can also review each user’s performance to determine the team’s effectiveness and take corrective measures where necessary. 

Now that we know what Downtobid is, let’s see how the software works. 

How to Use Downtobid

We have made our software straightforward to use, even for new users. 

Click here to get started. 

You must upload your construction project plans in PDF format and not exceeding 1GB. Enter a valid email address to get progress updates. 

Once uploaded, our AI scans the documents to detect potential scope. The process takes between 10 and 30 minutes, depending on the project’s size and complexity. You’ll receive an email alert once the process is completed. 

Log into your dashboard to access the newly created bid packages. The dashboard is neatly arranged, with labels and menus for navigation. 

Every bid package contains the following details:

• A summarized scope description.
• Plan sections with detected scopes. 
• A recommended list of qualified subcontractors matching the scope. 

We have an automated bidding schedule to help you contact qualified subs at the right time. Subcontractors are always busy responding to new invites or searching for opportunities. Our software scans their online activities to determine the best time to send ITBs. Doing this manually is time consuming, but our AI does it within minutes. 

Subcontractors get distracted easily with other tasks and can forget to respond to ITBs. That’s why we have follow-up emails as reminders. Subcontractors respond well to timely-spaced emails without overwhelming them with messages that they probably won’t open, let alone respond. 

We have also taken a more organized approach when designing the planroom. Unlike other platforms, where you must pay first to access the documents, our planroom is free of charge. You also don’t need an account to access it. 

We have labeled all files for easy document tracking. We have also organized the files into four categories:

• Plans
• Specs
• Photos
• Miscs

Subcontractors can use the planroom to identify new opportunities without reviewing all the documents. 

Pricing Plans

We offer free and paid pricing plans. The free plan is ideal for anyone wishing to test the software or work on simple projects. There are two paid plan categories - $150 per user, which contains a bid coordinator, and $300 per month for teams with over 10 users. 

Why Downtobid?

Our software is changing the preconstruction phase using cutting-edge technology and outstanding customer support. Our AI reduces the workload by handling administrative tasks and freeing the team to handle other tasks, such as contract negotiations. Personalized bid invites improve bid participation, ensuring you recruit only the best and most qualified subs. Estimators can use our AI to break down the scope to determine material, labor, and equipment requirements to create accurate estimates. Try our software today and say goodbye to manual data entry.

iSQFT - Best for Project Leads

iSQFT has been operational since 1993, making it one of the oldest construction management software. It has been growing ever since, accommodating many players in the commercial construction sector. 

iSQFT is best known for helping subs identify project leads in the North American market, thanks to its extensive project database. It mostly focuses on commercial construction projects with thousands of active projects. Learn more here.

The construction manager platform entered into a partnership with Construction Market Data, Construction Data, and BidClerk to form ConstructConnect. Although the move improved the platform, it also means the older iSFT platform doesn’t receive any updates. Read more iSQFT substitutes here.

Key Features

Here are a few standout features of iSQFT. 

Extensive Subcontractor Network

General contractors appreciate iSQFT’s huge subcontractor network within the North American market. This approach helps the contractors easily recruit new subcontractors for upcoming projects. The platform has spent years promoting its networking capabilities, resulting in an ever-growing subcontractor database. 

Unfortunately, the platform relies on subs to update their data, such as name, qualification, and availability. Although some users appreciate this freedom, profile updates usually take a back seat, especially when subs are busy with other contracts. 

Most of the subs have outdated information, such as invalid emails or website addresses. Some are no longer active on the platform despite still being listed. Bid participation is very low compared to Downtobid.

Centralized Bid Management

iSQFT has a dedicated bid board where subs can review bid documents and submit proposals. General contractors can create and manage projects. They can share project documents, invite subcontractors, and set project timelines. 

However, iSQFT has a few notable drawbacks. The generic ITBs are boring to read and are identical due to a lack of customization. The platform also doesn’t have an automated bidding schedule, meaning the bid invites are sent randomly, resulting in poor response and bid participation. 

Every bid invite is shallow and lacks crucial project information, which leaves the subcontractor in the dark. They have to figure things out on their own. The platform sends out addenda as separate emails, which can be overwhelming for subs to track. 

Collaborative Tools

iSQFT improves team collaboration thanks to centralized communication management and document management. Users can share updates and feedback, which improves collaboration. Document management allows them to upload and store documents on the platform. They can also edit and share documents, ensuring everyone works on the latest information. Weigh out the pros and cons of the tool before you decide if you should choose iSqFt.

Pros

• Data-driven insights
• Centralized project hub
• Targeted bid opportunities

Cons

• Steep learning curve
• Limited customization
• Poor mobile app functionality
• Costly plans

Pricing Plans

As part of ConstructConnect, general contractors are required to pay an annual fee of $3,600. Subcontractors pay between $129 and $179 monthly. 

Building Connected - All-In-One Construction Solution

Building Connected offers a suite of tools to streamline the bidding and construction process. The software is among the best, with thousands of users. 

Key Features

Building Connected has the following features. 

Branded Bid Invites

Generic bid invites don’t cut it anymore. Building Connected has eliminated this problem by creating branded bid invites to make them stand out. The documents contain your name, company logo, and even a specific color. 

Subcontractors can identify your ITBs and submit proposals. This approach increases bid participation, improving the chances of connecting with the right subcontractors. 

Cloud Storage Integration

Building Connected integrates perfectly with Autodesk Docs, helping you easily move construction documents between the two platforms. You can also use cloud storage as a backup to keep your files safe. 

Since Autodesk Docs integrates with most construction management software, it’s now easier to transfer documents from these platforms into Building Connected. 

Extensive Subcontractor Network

With over 1 million vetted subcontractors on their database, it’s safe to say that Building Connected is one of the best places to recruit subs. 

Unfortunately, some data, including emails and telephone numbers, is outdated. You must verify this information on your own. You can track the subs with Building Connected's bid board.

Pricing Plans

Building Connected offers free and paid plans. The free plan is perfect for simple projects, while the paid one is suitable for complex operations, and is priced per user. The price of Building Connected is not transparent. Unfortunately, you must contact the customer support team for a quote. Learn more at this resource.

Pros

• Unlimited bid invitations
• Unlimited project file storage
• Smart search 
• Procore integration

Cons

• No mobile app
• Generic bid invites
• Outdated contact details
• Limited mobile functionality

Final Thoughts

Bidding platforms gave evolved in the last decade, providing advanced services. However, Downtobid is miles ahead of the competition with tools like AI Copilot that streamlines the bidding process. Our software can support many users at once, making it an ideal choice for larger construction teams. The user-friendly interface and excellent support helps improves navigation, even for new users.