Implementing Process Automation and AI in Construction

3D configurators can facilitate the presentation of products, variants, and technical solutions without the need to manually prepare each configuration individually. Such a tool can operate on a website, in a sales panel, or as part of an e-commerce platform.

A dedicated configurator can, among other things:

• allow for the selection of variants, colors, dimensions, and components,
• generate a product or material summary after configuration is complete,
• create a link to a saved configuration that can be shared,
• integrate with a lead generation system, CRM, or e-commerce,
• include an administrative panel for managing color palettes, files, products, or variants.

Such a solution in construction provides strong support for both sales and technical departments – especially when a company frequently prepares repetitive configurations or project presentations.

Learn more about configurators on our dedicated subpage: https://www.sagiton.pl/en/services/3d-configurators-and-online-visualizations

Wondering how to automate cost estimation in a construction company?

The process of preparing commercial proposals in construction companies often relies on manually copying data into Excel spreadsheets or PDF files. This is time-consuming, prone to errors, and difficult to scale – especially when data comes from multiple sources.

Fortunately, AEC companies are increasingly being helped by dedicated automations that can collect information from forms, CRM, emails, material databases, technical files (e.g., DXF, IFC), and even call transcriptions in one place. Then, based on this, an AI system can automatically perform calculations, complete pre-prepared templates, and generate files in appropriate formats, such as PDF, DOCX, or XLSX.

The process may also include:

• retrieving material prices from an internal database or wholesaler websites,
• analyzing competitor prices and comparing them with your own proposals,
• automatic creation of product and material summaries,
• generation of material lists, i.e., BoM – Bills of Materials,
• preparation of material data sheets and technical documentation,
• automation of material requests.
• other automations for construction documentation.

Thanks to such improvements, the team can reduce manual administrative work, prepare documentation faster, and minimize the risk of errors in calculations. You can read more about automated quoting in AEC here: https://www.sagiton.pl/en/services/bid-automation-in-aec

Many companies waste time manually analyzing PDF designs, technical drawings, CAD, or DXF files. Based on these, it's often necessary to prepare quantity take-offs, cost estimates, material lists, or other documents required for further work.

However, creating an AI-powered solution allows for automatically reading data from project documentation and organizing it within a single system. Such a tool can utilize OCR, data parsers, and rules tailored to the documents used by a specific company.

Automation can support, among other things:

• data extraction from PDF, CAD, DXF, and IFC files,
• reading tables, markings, dimensions, and technical descriptions,
• integrating data with a central material and price database,
• semi-automatic generation of cost estimates and summaries,
• preparing files based on tender materials,
• automatic archiving of project documentation.

Such solutions are particularly useful in construction companies, where manual preparation of quantity take-offs, summaries, or files takes a lot of time, and where errors can even affect the profitability of the entire project.

Handling construction tenders requires regular monitoring of announcements, analysis of requirements, completing paperwork, and keeping track of deadlines. Some of these activities can be streamlined using dedicated AI-powered systems.

AI utilization automates, among other things, the searching and filtering of tenders based on established criteria, such as location, scope of work, order value, industry, deadlines, or required qualifications. The system can also organize information, highlight key requirements, and indicate which announcements best fit the company's profile.

Automation can include, among others:

• monitoring sources for tender announcements,
• filtering procedures according to individual rules,
• analysis of participation conditions,
• generating cost estimates based on company rules and material lists,
• automation of tender documentation,
• communication with subcontractors,
• organizing attachments, deadlines, and statuses,
• support with invoicing or document flow after a successful tender.

With such automation in construction, the employee responsible for tenders can focus on assessing opportunities and the final verification of the submission, instead of manually searching multiple sources and entering the same data into various files.

Off-the-shelf CRM systems often do not meet the specific needs of companies in the construction industry. The sales process, investor communication, document management, technical discussions, and quotation preparation usually require a more tailored environment.

We create dedicated CRM systems that can combine data from multiple sources and support the daily work of sales, project, and technical teams. Such a system can operate using AI and integrate with project management tools, forms, email, material databases, or 3D configurators.

Additionally, creating a custom CRM system allows construction companies to develop dedicated AI solutions within it, which are often missing from typical customer service tools. An AI-powered CRM like this enables, among other things:

• recording and organizing information from phone calls,
• creating notes and summaries based on transcriptions,
• automatic aggregation of offers from subcontractors,
• assigning tasks to the right people,
• aggregating data needed for preparing calculations,
• integration with design tools,
• sending automatic notifications about next steps,
• reporting on the statuses of cases, investments, and inquiries.

This ensures that crucial information isn't scattered across spreadsheets, email inboxes, and notes, but rather consolidated into a single system tailored for the AEC industry.

Additionally, to further boost productivity in construction, we also offer a mobile version of CRMs for sales representatives or engineers working in the field.

The use of AI in construction facilitates the control of schedules, tasks, material orders, and communication among individuals involved in project execution.

If your company already uses systems for managing construction projects, we can extend them with dedicated AI modules or create a new solution tailored to your team's workflow.

AI then assists in intelligent schedule management by analyzing deadlines, inter-stage dependencies, and current task statuses. Thanks to AI algorithms, the system can detect the risk of delays earlier and send notifications when there's a possibility of missing a deadline. After a contract is signed, the solution can automatically assign individual stages to the appropriate people, initiate subsequent steps, and inform the team about required actions or current progress.

Automation in construction also enables cost control by monitoring project budgets and sending notifications when expenses approach a set limit or there's a risk of exceeding financial assumptions. It's also possible to implement material order automation, which, based on the schedule, inventory levels, or team-reported demand, indicates when supplies need to be replenished and prepares the necessary data for placing an order.