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BuilderHub User Guide

BuilderHub

BuilderHub

Complete User Guide

Everything you need to know about BuilderHub β€” for Builders, Homeowners, and Subcontractors. One platform that ensures your vision survives the build.

Builders Homeowners Subcontractors

Generated September 29, 2026 β€’ builderhub.app

Builder
  • Project dashboard
  • Phase checklists
  • Budget & invoices
  • Selections workflow
  • Floor plan tools
  • Subcontractor mgmt
  • Change orders
  • Punch list
  • Project reports
Homeowner
  • Project portal
  • Vision board
  • Selections review
  • Phase checklist
  • Build photos
  • Timeline view
  • Documents
  • Change order signing
  • Messaging
Subcontractor
  • My work dashboard
  • Trade tasks
  • Punch list fixes
  • Floor plan view
  • Vision board access
  • Bilingual support
  • Time/materials log
  • Availability calendar

Platform Features at a Glance

Smart Messaging
Build Photos
Budget Tracking
Selections
Floor Plans
Vision Board
Punch List
Documents
Team Mgmt
Change Orders
Reports
Mobile Ready

Project Workflow β€” Start to Finish

A typical BuilderHub project lifecycle across all 7 phases

1

Create Project

Builder

Builder creates project, sets budget, start date, uploads floor plans. Phase checklists auto-populate.

2

Invite Homeowner

Builder + Homeowner

Homeowner accepts invite link. Sets up vision board with inspiration photos and style preferences.

3

Invite Subcontractors

Builder + Subs

Builder invites subs by trade, assigns scope on floor plans, and creates initial task assignments.

4

Phase Execution

All Roles

Builder manages checklist progress. Homeowner makes selections when prompted. Subs submit work completions.

5

Selections & Change Orders

Builder + Homeowner

Materials are proposed, reviewed, approved, and ordered. Any scope changes go through signed change orders.

6

Punch List Walkthrough

All Roles

Issues identified, assigned to subs, fixed with photos, and verified by builder and homeowner.

7

Project Closeout

Builder + Homeowner

Final sign-offs collected. Project history report generated. Warranties and documents archived.

πŸ—οΈ 1. What is BuilderHub?

BuilderHub is an all-in-one construction project management platform designed to connect builders, homeowners, and subcontractors on a single shared workspace. No more lost texts, missed decisions, or miscommunicated visions. BuilderHub was born from a real pain point: a homeowner's interior doors came back dark brown instead of white oak β€” not because there wasn't a vision, but because no one on the build team ever saw it. That moment of frustration became the foundation for a platform that ensures your vision survives the build.

Three Roles, One Platform

Builder (command center), Homeowner (educator + decision-maker), Subcontractor (clear assignments + accountability).

Core Philosophy

Every decision documented. Every vision shared. Every stakeholder accountable. BuilderHub creates a permanent, searchable record of your entire project.

🧱 2. For Builders

Builders are the command center of BuilderHub. You manage projects, coordinate subcontractors, guide homeowner decisions, and maintain a complete documented record of every build.

Project Dashboard

Your command center for all active projects. Create new projects, assign team members, and monitor progress across every build at a glance. Each project card shows status, phase progress, budget utilization, and pending decisions.

Phase Checklists

7 pre-loaded construction phases: Pre-Construction, Foundation, Framing, Mechanical, Finishes, Landscaping, Final Walkthrough. Each phase has customizable checklist items you can assign to homeowners, subs, or yourself. Mark items complete with one tap.

Budget Management

Create a full project budget with CSI division codes. Track budgeted vs. actual amounts per line item. Upload and match invoices automatically. Monitor draw packages and payment milestones. Export financial reports at any time.

Selections Workflow

Propose selections to homeowners with photos, vendor links, SKU numbers, and pricing. Set deadlines and lead times. Track homeowner responses (reviewing β†’ submitted β†’ approved). Both parties sign off digitally. Perfect audit trail for every material decision.

Message Center

Project-specific messaging with threaded replies, @mentions, emoji reactions, and pinned messages. Organize by folder (phase or sub name). Flag messages as alerts or assignments. Bilingual translation built in β€” communicate with Spanish-speaking subs in one tap.

Floor Plan Tools

Upload floor plan PDFs and annotate with pins, comments, arrows, and regions. Assign trade-specific scope per region (electrical, plumbing, HVAC). Save phase snapshots. Export annotated PDFs. Subcontractors see only their scope.

Team & Subcontractors

Invite homeowners and subcontractors by email. Set granular permissions per person (can they see budget? documents? punch list?). Assign trade tasks with due dates, priority levels, and photo submission workflows.

Change Orders

Create change orders with line-item cost breakdowns, schedule impact, and reason codes. Send to homeowners for digital signature. Both parties sign via a pen-on-screen tool. Signed PDFs auto-saved to Documents.

Punch List

Create punch list items by location and category. Assign to specific subs. Track status: Open β†’ In Progress β†’ Fixed β†’ Verified. Require before/after photos. Generate sign-off PDFs for final walkthrough.

Project History Report

Generate a comprehensive PDF of any project's activity β€” all messages, decisions, approvals, and selections β€” filtered by date range or folder. Perfect for stakeholder meetings, lender requirements, or end-of-project documentation.

🏠 3. For Homeowners

Homeowners have a dedicated portal that educates, empowers, and keeps them engaged throughout the build β€” without overwhelming them with construction jargon.

Project Portal

Your home base. See your project's phase roadmap, upcoming deadlines, recent photos, and pending decisions. Everything you need to know, organized by urgency.

Vision Board

Upload inspiration photos from Pinterest, Houzz, magazines, or your camera. Organize by room (Kitchen, Bathrooms, Flooring, Exterior, etc.). Add "What I Love" notes. Rate images as Must-Have, Nice-to-Have, or Inspiration Only. AI analyzes your color palette and style tags. Share with your builder so they see your vision before a single nail is driven.

Selections Review

Your builder proposes materials, fixtures, and finishes. You review photos, vendor links, and pricing. Submit your pick, add notes, or propose an alternative. Both parties sign off digitally. Track every decision from proposed β†’ approved β†’ ordered β†’ delivered β†’ installed.

Phase Checklist

See what's happening at every construction phase. Check off your assigned tasks (like "Select exterior paint color by Week 4"). Add notes and photo attachments. Understand WHY each decision matters before your builder needs the answer.

Build Photos

View the entire photo gallery of your project's progress. Photos are organized by phase and zone. AI captions describe what's happening in each photo. See your home come to life week by week.

Project Timeline

View milestones, inspections, deliveries, and key deadlines on a visual calendar. Know exactly what's coming up and when decisions are due.

Documents

Access all project documents: permits, contracts, plans, inspection reports, and warranties. Organized by phase. Download anytime.

Change Orders

Review any change orders submitted by your builder. See the cost and schedule impact. Sign digitally with your finger or stylus. Your signed copy is automatically saved.

Messaging

Direct messaging with your builder and team. Ask questions, share inspiration photos, flag concerns. All conversations are organized by project and searchable.

πŸ”§ 4. For Subcontractors

Subcontractors get a focused, mobile-friendly dashboard that shows exactly what needs to get done, with clear visual references and bilingual communication support.

My Work Dashboard

See all tasks and punch list items assigned to you across all projects. Filter by Open, In Progress, Fixed, or Verified. Daily standup greeting summarizes what needs attention today.

Trade Tasks

Builders assign you specific tasks with: trade type, phase, location, due date, priority level, and description. You submit completions with notes and photos. Builder approves or requests revision.

Punch List

When an issue is flagged at your trade, you receive a punch list item. Upload a before photo (if needed) and an after photo showing the fix. Builder verifies and closes the item.

Floor Plan Access

View floor plans with your trade's scope region highlighted. See exactly where your work falls within the plan. Add pin comments for questions or notes.

Vision Board Viewing

Before starting finish work, view the homeowner's vision board for that area. See color palettes, style preferences, and specific inspiration photos. No more guessing what the client wants.

Bilingual Support

All messages can be translated to/from Spanish with one tap. Builder-generated briefing documents are available in English and Spanish. Perfect for multilingual job sites.

Time & Materials Logger

Log hours worked and materials used per project. Track your time against payment milestones. View upcoming payment dates.

Availability Calendar

Set your availability for upcoming weeks so builders can schedule work around your calendar. Reduces back-and-forth scheduling.

⚑ 5. Key Features Deep Dive

BuilderHub includes powerful features that work across all roles.

AI Integration

β€’ Vision Board Analysis: AI identifies color palettes, style tags, and design elements from inspiration photos. β€’ Photo Captions: AI auto-captions build progress photos with phase detection and issue flagging. β€’ Smart Summaries: AI generates weekly progress digests summarizing photos and messages. β€’ Punch List Suggestions: AI recommends punch list items based on construction phase. β€’ Subcontractor Briefings: AI generates trade-specific briefing documents in English and Spanish.

Photo System

β€’ Upload from camera or file (mobile-optimized for job sites). β€’ Organized by phase and zone automatically. β€’ AI analyzes each photo for phase, zone, issues, and completion %. β€’ Lightbox viewer with zoom and navigation. β€’ Bulk upload support. β€’ QR code sign for job sites β€” anyone can scan to upload photos directly.

Document Management

β€’ Upload PDFs, images, contracts, permits, warranties. β€’ Organized by category (permit, plan, contract, inspection, invoice, warranty) and phase. β€’ Version control β€” upload a new version of any document. β€’ AI contract analysis β€” extract key clauses and payment terms. β€’ Invoice reconciliation β€” match invoices to budget line items.

Floor Plan Tools

β€’ Upload PDF floor plans and convert to interactive canvas. β€’ Draw, annotate, add text, arrows, circles, rectangles. β€’ Pin-based comments (Figma-style) β€” click anywhere to leave a threaded note. β€’ Trade region assignment β€” highlight which sub owns which area. β€’ Phase snapshots β€” save the floor plan state before each major phase. β€’ Export annotated PDFs with all markup preserved.

Project History Report

β€’ Generate a full PDF report of any project. β€’ Filter by date range or message folder. β€’ Includes: all messages, decisions made, approvals signed, selections confirmed. β€’ Perfect for lender draws, owner reviews, or end-of-project closeout. β€’ Available to all roles from their respective dashboards.

Mobile Experience

β€’ Fully responsive β€” works on any phone, tablet, or desktop. β€’ Touch-optimized for gloved hands on job sites. β€’ Camera integration for instant photo uploads. β€’ Offline-friendly task viewing. β€’ QR codes for quick site access.

πŸ—ΊοΈ 6. Typical Project Workflow

Here is a typical BuilderHub workflow from project creation to final walkthrough.

Step 1 β€” Builder Creates Project

Builder creates project with address, budget, start date, and estimated completion. Phase checklists are auto-populated.

Step 2 β€” Invite Homeowner

Builder sends invite link to homeowner. Homeowner accepts invitation and accesses their portal.

Step 3 β€” Vision Board Setup

Homeowner uploads inspiration images, organizes by room, and adds priority ratings. Builder reviews and comments.

Step 4 β€” Invite Subcontractors

Builder invites subs by trade. Sets permissions and assigns initial tasks. Subs get a focused view of their scope.

Step 5 β€” Phase-by-Phase Execution

As construction progresses, builder marks checklist items complete. Homeowner makes selections when prompted. Subs submit task completions with photos.

Step 6 β€” Selections Loop

Builder proposes selections β†’ Homeowner reviews β†’ Both parties approve β†’ Builder orders β†’ Builder marks delivered β†’ Sub marks installed.

Step 7 β€” Change Orders

Any scope changes go through a formal change order process with cost breakdown and digital signatures from both parties.

Step 8 β€” Punch List

Near completion, builder and homeowner walk the project and create punch list items. Subs fix issues and upload after photos. Builder verifies.

Step 9 β€” Final Walkthrough

Phase 7 checklist is completed. Final sign-offs are collected. Project history report is generated for records.

❓ 7. Frequently Asked Questions

Who can see my project data?

Only people you explicitly invite. Builders see everything. Homeowners see what you grant access to. Subcontractors only see their assigned work and relevant floor plan regions.

Is my data secure?

Yes. All data is encrypted in transit and at rest. Role-based access control ensures each user only sees what they need.

Can I use BuilderHub on my phone?

Absolutely. BuilderHub is mobile-first and works on any device β€” phone, tablet, or desktop. Subs especially find the mobile app invaluable on job sites.

How many projects can I have?

BuilderHub Pro supports unlimited active projects. Each project has its own isolated workspace with separate checklists, budgets, and team members.

What languages are supported?

The interface is in English. Bilingual (English/Spanish) translation is available in the messaging system and for AI-generated briefing documents.

Can homeowners invite their own designer or architect?

Yes. Builders can grant any team member custom permissions, including read-only access to floor plans, vision boards, and selections.

How does the change order signing work?

Both parties sign digitally using a pen-on-screen signature pad. Signed PDFs are auto-generated and stored in the project Documents section.

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