Why Efficiency in Residential Building Should Be Everyone’s goal
Australia’s residential construction industry is at a pivotal moment. With mounting pressure from rising material costs, labour shortages, and increased project complexity, there’s growing consensus that doing things the old way is no longer good enough for efficiency or profitability.
We’ve already seen the benefits of modernising some areas of the industry—whether it’s digital plans replacing paper drawings, or cloud-based payroll systems reducing admin headaches. But one of the last major frontiers still holding back the sector is procurement.
The good news? The next big opportunity for industry-wide efficiency is here—and it’s called Connected Procurement.
In this article, we’ll explore:
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Why industry-wide efficiency matters for everyone—from builders to trades, suppliers to homeowners
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Areas where the industry has already successfully modernised
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Why procurement is the next bottleneck
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What Connected Procurement is, and how it unlocks business growth
Why Efficiency Matters to Everyone in the Industry
Whether you’re a builder, a subbie, a supplier, or even a homeowner building their dream home, the impact of an inefficient industry is hard to ignore. Disconnected systems, manual workflows, inconsistent pricing, and constant scheduling chaos all create:
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Higher costs
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Delayed timelines
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Greater risk of rework
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More admin and stress for everyone involved
These inefficiencies compound across the supply chain, hurting not just individual businesses but the reputation and resilience of the whole industry.
On the flip side, when we improve industry-wide efficiency:
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Builders deliver more predictable, profitable projects
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Trades and suppliers win more of the right work, with less effort
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Homeowners enjoy better experiences, fewer surprises, and higher-quality homes
Everyone wins.
And we’ve already seen what’s possible when the industry embraces smarter ways of working.
Where We’ve Already Made Efficiency Gains
Let’s take a moment to recognise the progress we’ve already made. While the industry still faces challenges, several areas have modernised significantly in recent years, delivering real results.
1. Digital Estimating and Takeoffs
Where builders and estimators once relied on rulers and highlighters, many now use software like Buildxact or Cubit to generate digital takeoffs and quotes. These tools reduce manual effort, minimise errors, and help teams price jobs faster and more accurately.
2. Cloud-Based Job Management
Platforms like Buildertrend and SimPRO have brought scheduling, communication, invoicing, and client management into the cloud. This allows teams to collaborate in real-time, track progress, and reduce double handling.
3. E-Invoicing and Payroll Automation
Admin-heavy back office tasks like payroll and invoicing have been streamlined with tools like Xero and Deputy. Automation here saves hours of admin time each week, improves compliance, and reduces costly human error.
4. Onsite Technology Adoption
Smart tools—from laser levels to mobile apps for defect tracking—have improved onsite accuracy and communication. Fewer mistakes mean fewer call-backs, less rework, and better margins.
These examples prove that efficiency gains are real, measurable, and transformative when the industry embraces better systems.
But there’s one critical area that still lags behind…
Procurement: The Last Major Bottleneck
Despite the progress elsewhere, the procurement process remains largely outdated. For most builders, trades, and suppliers, it still involves:
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Phone calls and texts to check availability
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Spreadsheets to track quotes
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Chasing paperwork across inboxes
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Manual follow-ups on delivery or scheduling
This results in:
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Lost time chasing quotes and clarifications
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Unpredictable pricing across different projects
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Project delays from miscommunications or late supply
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Wasted effort quoting for jobs that don’t eventuate
In an environment where material prices have increased by over 30% since 2021 (CoreLogic, 2024), and skilled labour remains tight, the cost of inefficiency is getting harder to justify.
So where do we go from here?
The Next Frontier: Modern Procurement
Just as we’ve seen gains from digitising other workflows, procurement now presents a major opportunity for improvement—and the potential impact is enormous.
Imagine a procurement process where:
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Builders can issue quote requests and compare responses instantly
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Trades and suppliers can submit and manage quotes in a central platform
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Orders and delivery schedules are confirmed digitally
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All stakeholders can see the project’s procurement progress in real time
This isn’t a future vision—it’s already happening through Connected Procurement.
What Is Connected Procurement?
Connected Procurement is the integration of all procurement activities—quoting, ordering, scheduling, and communication—into a single, shared digital platform. It connects builders, trades, and suppliers so that everyone is working from the same source of truth.
It eliminates scattered communication and gives all parties visibility, control, and transparency throughout the procurement process.
Let’s break down what it looks like in practice.
✅ Centralised Quoting
Builders issue requests to relevant trades or suppliers with just a few clicks. Trades and suppliers submit quotes into a shared system—no need for duplicate emails or phone tag.
✅ Real-Time Collaboration
Everyone involved can track updates in real-time. If specs change or delivery times shift, all parties are notified instantly—reducing errors and confusion.
✅ Smarter Scheduling
Once work is awarded or materials are ordered, scheduling is integrated into the platform—helping everyone coordinate more effectively.
✅ Data-Driven Decisions
With everything tracked digitally, builders can compare suppliers based on past performance, lead times, and pricing history. Trades and suppliers can benchmark quote conversion rates and identify the right opportunities to chase.
Why It Benefits Everyone
For Builders:
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Less time chasing quotes
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More confidence in pricing
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Fewer delays and miscommunications
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Easier to find and evaluate reliable suppliers and trades
For Trades & Suppliers:
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Access to more work opportunities
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Less admin and quoting overhead
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Better communication = fewer surprises
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Easier to build a professional reputation and win repeat work
For Homeowners:
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More predictable timelines
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Fewer budget blowouts
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Higher quality outcomes through coordinated teams
In a word, Connected Procurement means predictability. And in today’s volatile market, that’s gold.
Efficiency That Drives Growth
For trades and suppliers in particular, Connected Procurement does more than just reduce admin—it creates a platform for growth.
As your business becomes more complex, managing quotes, scheduling teams, tracking deliveries, and maintaining relationships gets harder. Connected Procurement:
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Gives you access to better work, not just more work
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Lets you manage that work more efficiently
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Builds your digital reputation so new clients can trust you faster
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Reduces admin so you can focus on the work that drives revenue
It’s no wonder that early adopters of platforms like BuiltGrid report faster quoting, stronger client relationships, and less time wasted on dead-end jobs.
BuiltGrid: The Easiest Way to Get Started
At BuiltGrid, we’ve built Australia’s leading Connected Procurement platform for residential construction.
We connect builders, trades, and suppliers in a single platform where:
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Builders can source, compare, and award work
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Trades can manage quotes and scheduling with less admin
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Suppliers can reach the right projects at the right time
BuiltGrid is designed to grow with your business. Whether you’re just getting off the tools and building a team, or already running dozens of jobs a year, we help streamline procurement so you can scale without the chaos.
Getting Started Is Simple:
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Create a free profile
Set up your business profile and get visible to builders looking for your services or products. -
Start quoting smarter
Get invited to quote on active projects. Submit, manage, and track quotes all in one place. -
Build your reputation
Earn reviews, get rated, and unlock access to bigger projects with the right builders. -
Grow your business with less stress
Spend less time on admin, and more time delivering great work and winning better jobs.
The Time for Change Is Now
The Australian residential building industry has already proven that when we adopt smarter, more connected ways of working, everyone benefits.
We’ve modernised design, admin, and onsite management. Procurement is next—and Connected Procurement is the key.
If you’re a trade or supplier ready to grow, streamline operations, and secure the right work more easily, now is the time to get involved.
Speak to the BuiltGrid team today to learn how Connected Procurement can help your business grow.
Let’s build a smarter, more efficient industry—together.