What if your smartphone and/or tablet could help you with your time management? In an ideal world, a contractor spends less time filling out paperwork and more time presenting quotes and doing work.

Fortunately, many applications have been designed to help optimize the management of renovation businesses. In this article, we'll show you some examples of apps that are easy to use and that will make your life easier.

Here are 5 mobile apps designed to help contractors

Hoptimize

Formerly Hoptimize, this first application, available for iPhone and Android, is a highly comprehensive management tool that can help you in the management of your construction/renovation business. Elper, which works for both smartphones and computers, offers a multitude of services, including customer management, employee management and billing.

Here is a more complete list of the main features of the App/Software Hoptimize:

• Manage your potential customers

• Create quotes easily and quickly

• See when the customer has read your quote

• Track your current projects as if you were there

• Use geolocation (GPS) to track your employees' hours worked

• Bill your customers

• Easy to use

• Helps save time

Of the applications featured in this article, this is the most comprehensive tool, which will quickly become an essential tool in your everyday life. No more wasted time doing billing by hand, tracking and calculating your employees' hours. Everything will be done automatically through the software.

You can take advantage of a free 14-day trial period to test the features. Afterwards, prices vary depending on the type of package you choose.

*Elper is available on App Store and Google Play

Odotrack

Do you and your employees use vehicles for work? Odotrack  helps you calculate travel time and produce tax reports related to the use of vehicles for work. This app works with a GPS that automatically notes all the movements you've enabled, so you can tell the difference between a personal trip and a trip for work.

Afterwards, the information is transferred to your account and you can access it at any time. Also, you can find out at any time where the other cars that are part of the same account are located.

*Odotrack is available on App Store and Google Play

Handyman calculator

The smartphone in your pocket can be used for many things. It is used, among other functions, to replace a calculator. Of course, the basic calculator is not suitable for quick and accurate calculations in relation to measurements and elements related to the construction field.

The Handyman Calculator app incorporates a wide range of very specific computational features, including:

• stair calculator, 

• paint calculator, 

• volume calculator for concrete and asphalt, 

• ...

Only flaw: the French version leaves something to be desired by its deficient translation. If you speak English, it is highly recommended to opt for the version in this language. 

*Handyman Calculator is available on Google Play

ExakTime 

Renovation is a field where employees are in constant motion. For this main reason, you will certainly need a reliable and effective tool to determine the time worked by each of your employees. As a general contractor, it will be very easy for you to learn more about the progress of work on all your projects using ExakTime Mobile.

This application is equipped with FaceFront Biometrics software™. Friendly and easy to use, this tool allows each worker to take a photo at the beginning of his job and at the end. The photo will be associated with the geolocation of the employee and proves that the employee was indeed present at the place indicated.

Wherever you are, you can access each employee's timesheets at any time, giving you the ability to gather all the data related to the progress of the work and the various trips. ExakTime Mobile is very useful for sharing information between the office's accounting team and the workers present on the various construction sites. The system is updated on time, with data that is completely secure.

In short, ExakTime Mobile offers:

• Photo ID and verification;

• GPS location tracking;

• Tracking the time worked and the tasks performed;

• Opportunity to take notes;

• Detailed reports on the progress of construction sites;

• Payroll integration.

*ExakTime is available on App Store and Google Play

Green Badger : projets LEED

As a contractor, when you are working on renovations whose purpose is to obtain a LEED certification, nothing should be left to chance. Green Badger will be very useful in creating reports and generating performance indicators to calculate LEED points.

This application reduces the time and effort of LEED documentation by more than 60%. No more stacks of folders, binders of eco-friendly products and obsolete spreadsheets, and a fully digital system that will allow you to manage reports on the contents of VOC materials, erosion control, indoor air quality and other aspects of an eco-friendly home.

*Green Badger is available on App Store and Google Play