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INDUSTRY INSIGHTS
Inside Ediphi: 10 Game-Changing Lessons for Construction Tech

Today we release our deep dive Super Series with Ediphi. 4 hours of interviews with Ediphi’s founders, Dustin Devan & Mike Navarro, diving into:

• The Founders Story (incl Dustin’s previous large-scale exit)

• The Landscape Of Estimating Tools

• Ediphi’s Product

• How To Build Great Construction Tech Companies

In this newsletter, we share 10 things we learnt about pre-construction & estimating, and building preeminent construction tech companies:

1. Pre-Construction is More Than Just a Phase

The traditional view of construction phases (design → pre-construction → construction) is fundamentally flawed. Pre-construction encompasses the entire process from initial concept through design, and it's arguably more important than construction itself. A project with strong pre-construction is far more likely to succeed than one without, regardless of how well it's built.

2. The Problem with Current Estimating Tools

The four major incumbent estimating solutions (Winest, Sage Timberline/300, CostX, and Beck DESTINI) were all founded before 2010, with most dating to the 1990s. They're desktop-based applications often running through Citrix, creating significant accessibility and collaboration challenges. This aging technology stack is holding back innovation in pre-construction.

 3. The Data Challenge in Construction Tech

While AI and machine learning show promise, the construction industry faces a fundamental data quality problem. Most historical project data is trapped in siloed systems, inconsistently formatted, or difficult to access. The focus should be on creating standardized data structures and workflows before attempting to implement AI solutions.

 4. The Evolution of Construction Tech Adoption

The construction technology landscape is maturing, with companies becoming more strategic about their tech investments. Rather than pursuing full-scale implementations immediately, many are starting with focused pilots in specific departments or regions, then expanding based on demonstrated value.

5. The Power of Connected Systems

One of the biggest inefficiencies in pre-construction is the disconnect between different processes and tools. A truly effective platform needs to connect conceptual estimating, cost modeling, detailed estimating, and buyout into a single, seamless workflow. This enables better decision-making and reduces the risk of errors or miscommunications.

 
6. The ROI of Modern Pre-Construction Tools

Forward-thinking contractors are seeing significant productivity gains from modern pre-construction tools. Early adopters report up to 25% more revenue per estimator, demonstrating that the right technology investment can drive substantial business value.

Lessons in Building Construction Tech Companies:

7. Meet the Industry Where It Is

Construction tech founders need to balance innovation with practicality. While the end vision might be revolutionary, successful adoption requires meeting users where they are today and gradually introducing more advanced capabilities. You can't expect users to make dramatic changes to their workflows overnight.

8. Build a Team That Understands the Problem

In construction tech, having team members with direct industry experience is crucial. Almost all of Ediphi’s full-time employees come from either construction or construction technology backgrounds. This deep industry knowledge helps ensure the product truly solves real problems and speaks the language of its users.

9. Focus on Customer Success Early

During the early stages of a construction tech company, founders should be heavily involved in customer implementation and success. This direct engagement helps build trust, provides invaluable product feedback, and creates reference customers for future sales. As one founder noted, "Now is the best time to engage with us because you can get access to everyone."

10. The Importance of Strategic Product Development

Construction tech founders should have a clear vision of what they need to build next, rather than simply responding to customer requests. While customer feedback is valuable, it needs to be filtered through a strategic lens. As Dustin DeVan notes, "If you're that early and don't know what you need to build next, you're going to build a completely non-strategic roadmap."

It’s nearly impossible to distill the insights into 10 key lessons. So, watch the full series to dive into one of the best-founding teams and products in the industry.

Watch the full series here👇👇👇

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