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The 9 Tech Tools Running This $500M Construction Company
Owen Drury
November 27, 2024 • Estimated Reading Time: 6 minutes
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INDUSTRY INSIGHTS
The 9 Tech Tools Running This $500M Construction Company
We recently spoke with John Andres, Director of Technology at ANDRES Construction, to understand how a $500 million revenue construction company approaches innovation and technology.
What we discovered was a refreshingly honest perspective that challenges the conventional wisdom about innovation in construction.
What we found particularly interesting was that unlike some of the other corporates we speak to, Andres does not have an innovation ‘department’. One man, John Andres leads their innovation team and is responsible for their technology strategy. Kudos, John!
The Implementation Mindset
Let's start with a controversial statement: “construction companies aren't innovators - we're implementers”. At least, that's how John Andres sees it. And he should know. As both the technology director of a major construction firm and the founder of a construction tech startup, he has a unique perspective on both sides of the equation
"We're not truly innovative," John tells us. "We're great at being implementers."
This might sound like a limitation, but it's actually a strength. By focusing on being excellent implementers rather than trying to be innovators, ANDRES Construction has built a remarkably effective technology strategy.
Early Adoption as Strategy
This implementation-first mindset doesn't mean being passive. ANDRES Construction has a history of being first movers. In 2009, they were among the earliest adopters of Procore. When the first iPad was released, John immediately saw its potential for construction. The day after showing his father how drawings could be viewed on the device, he walked out of an Apple store with 47 iPads for the company.
The Selection Process
When we asked about how they choose new technology, John's answer was surprisingly straightforward: it starts with the people.
"When it comes down to a tiebreaker between two things that work, it's going to always come down to the people," he explains.
The process begins with identifying real needs. John spends time in job trailers, watching how people work. He looks for spreadsheets - they're often a sign of a process that could be automated or improved. When they find a problem, they search for solutions through their network, including construction tech funds like Zacua where they're a limited partner.
The Enterprise Approach
One of the most interesting aspects of ANDRES Construction's strategy is their commitment to enterprise-wide implementation. They don't do one-off software purchases or project-by-project technology decisions. If they're going to use a tool, everyone gets access to it.
"We want our employees to know that they're going to have those tools on every project," John explains.
This ensures that when people move between projects, they always have access to the same toolset and know exactly what's expected of them.
Current Technology Stack
Transparency is another key part of their strategy. ANDRES Construction publishes their entire technology stack on their website. This includes:
Procore for project management
CM Builder for 4D logistics scheduling
Genda for worker tracking and safety
Document Crunch for contract review
Several other specialized tools for specific functions - view the full list here
This openness helps set expectations with clients and subcontractors while also contributing to industry knowledge sharing.
The Next Frontier: Data
Looking ahead, John sees data as the next major challenge. But not just collecting data - making sense of it in a construction context. The challenge is that every project is unique, with different fee structures, different savings splits, and different contingency arrangements. Finding ways to analyze and compare this data meaningfully is the next big hurdle.
Lessons for Other Contractors
What can other construction companies learn from ANDRES Construction's approach? We'd suggest these key takeaways:
Focus on being an excellent implementer rather than trying to be an innovator
Make enterprise-wide commitments to technology
Look for systematic processes that can be replicated across projects
Stay close to the field to identify real problems
Consider the people behind the technology, not just the features
The Future of Construction Tech
John's perspective on the future is pragmatic but optimistic. He sees a need for new pricing models that better align with construction business models. He envisions marketplaces that could make construction software more accessible and easier to implement. But most importantly, he emphasizes the need for construction companies to work together and share knowledge about what works and what doesn't.
"Unless everyone in construction is talking together," he says, "it's going to be very difficult to move forward with all this tech."
We couldn't agree more. The future of construction technology isn't about individual companies trying to out-innovate each other. It's about the industry as a whole getting better at implementing and using technology effectively. And companies like ANDRES Construction are showing us how to do exactly that.
Check out the full episode with John Andres👇👇👇
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