How Whitman, Requardt & Associates Close Jobs Faster with Construction Data Management

Choosing the Right Document Management System To Improve Collaboration

Specializing in large-scale highway transportation projects, from bridges to railways to water wastewater facilities, WRA needed a cloud-based construction management solution to increase communication and coordination. With so much coordination on these complex builds, it is essential for everyone to be working off the same set of plans and for the client to have visibility into the project. Teams must ensure they have the right plans, and that they’re referencing the right information.

“Before PlanGrid, on several of our projects, we noticed that we may have a set of plans as the inspection team, and the contractor has another set, and then all the while, the designer and the owner has another one.”

– Leonard Coleman, Associate for Construction Management Services

Cloud-based Construction Management Drives New Preconstruction and Inspection Workflows

Before PlanGrid, WRA would receive calls from their clients requesting photos and updates on the contractor or issues. Now clients have access to the same PlanGrid project and can instantaneously access project information. Additionally, contractors can quickly access the issues and begin work right away.

WRA also uses PlanGrid during preconstruction to get the design team on board with each other and the rest of the stakeholders.

“One of the neat things about PlanGrid is how we’ve improved our coordination effort from end to end. We invite the owner into all our PlanGrid projects so the owner has instantaneous access into what we’re seeing in the field.”

– Leonard Coleman, Associate for Construction Management Services

Field Collaboration and Communication Saves Time, Money & Helps WRA Win More Work

Having designers interact more closely with construction managers in the field makes for a better client experience, and saves time and money.

Because everyone’s on the same page, PlanGrid has cut down on negative interactions between all parties, sped up the projects, and assured quality work.

Even in the harsh conditions of highway construction, WRA uses PlanGrid to make inspections easier and jobs safer.

But beyond ease and convenience, there’s one aspect of construction that outweighs everything: Safety. Coleman says his company measures success on the job by making sure everybody goes home safely. PlanGrid helps with that, as well.

Because WRA saves their large government agency clients money, they have developed a reputation for on-time, within-budget projects, which helps them win more work.

“We took one project with over 300 punch list items and closed it out in 30 days. A previous contract without PlanGrid had over 600 items, it took us almost six months. The proof is in the numbers. We’re just able to turn things around very quickly by using PlanGrid.”

– Leonard Coleman, Associate for Construction Management Services