PRO CORE VS. PLANGRID VS. COCONSTRUCT VS BLUEBEAM

[Greenboy]

Construction web based programs to track and organize with regards to project management!

I am curious about web based Project management tools! I am currently using Blubeam to collaborate with my team, mark up drawings with canned symbols, produce professional record drawings(As-builts), design mark ups, etc., and most importantly, share realtime updated drawings from the office staff to the field. I have been using for several years, and really like this program.

However, I am learning about different web based programs to help with management of a project. At first, I thought that PlanGrid, or Procore would take the place of Bluebeam. However, after a brief meeting with peers, this is not the case. These web based programs have the capabilities to share documents over the cloud, author and track RFI, Daily logs and SIS, Saftey documents and also some financial aspects of the project. These documents are canned forms in some of these programs, that are organized, and triggers notifications to appropriate project resources.

I believe I am just scratching the surface with this information, as this is new to me. I have also learned that this will be a pretty large investment.

I would like to hear some feedback on these programs from those of you who are using these tools:

Also, if there are comparisons, that would be great.

And if there is a way to quantify the cost of these programs?

 

[luckylerado]

I work for a large GC as a quality manager. I use Procore and Bluebeam on a daily basis and Bluebeam has made me 1000% more productive. I have also used Plangrid and Fieldwire to a lesser degree when I was an electrician in the field.

Procore is a decent tool for larger projects and is more geared towards the GC and contract managers. It is good for keeping drawings current and incorporating redlines but is no replacement for Bluebeam as they are really two different animals. We also use procore for submittal and RFI management and for inspections. It requires a lot of setup to get finely tuned to be efficient but once done it is pretty slick.

Plangrid and field wire are both good for keeping drawings current but I have never used the more sophisticated features of either of them.

 

[gadfly56]

We are using Procore for the LaGuardia Terminal B project. By "we" I mean the entire design and construction team. Since I don't have any PM responsibilities for this project my interaction with it is slim. We also use Bluebeam. A lot. If someone tried to take it off my laptop, they'd have to pry it out of my cold, dead, hands.

 

[Greenboy]

I work for a large GC as a quality manager. I use Procore and Bluebeam on a daily basis and Bluebeam has made me 1000% more productive. I have also used Plangrid and Fieldwire to a lesser degree when I was an electrician in the field.

Procore is a decent tool for larger projects and is more geared towards the GC and contract managers. It is good for keeping drawings current and incorporating redlines but is no replacement for Bluebeam as they are really two different animals. We also use procore for submittal and RFI management and for inspections. It requires a lot of setup to get finely tuned to be efficient but once done it is pretty slick.

Plangrid and field wire are both good for keeping drawings current but I have never used the more sophisticated features of either of them.

Thank you for the feedback. It definitely feels and looks like the platform is driven for General contractor use. I have heard subcontractors use this platform, and really likes it, as you stated above. I are looking for both positve and negative reviews. I really like Bluebeam as well! Cool features, and symbols. I would say I know the program enough to be deadly. There is Studio, which allows document sharing, however, Procore looks more like a project management too. Bluebeam seems to be more of a project management tool.

 

[Greenboy]

We are using Procore for the LaGuardia Terminal B project. By "we" I mean the entire design and construction team. Since I don't have any PM responsibilities for this project my interaction with it is slim. We also use Bluebeam. A lot. If someone tried to take it off my laptop, they'd have to pry it out of my cold, dead, hands.

I would have to agree. The old days of using ADOBE, or printing out documents is the thing of the past. Well, maybe I went a little too far. I struggle trying not to print documents off, and it is a real challenge. I am all about real time updates though.

 

[gadfly56]

Thank you for the feedback. It definitely feels and looks like the platform is driven for General contractor use. I have heard subcontractors use this platform, and really likes it, as you stated above. I are looking for both positve and negative reviews. I really like Bluebeam as well! Cool features, and symbols. I would say I know the program enough to be deadly. There is Studio, which allows document sharing, however, Procore looks more like a project management too. Bluebeam seems to be more of a project management tool.

You didn't mention, but you can create your own symbols for use in marking up in Bluebeam. You can also share these to other Toolchests or enterprise-wide.

Studio is handy for things like submittal reviews where several disciplines, or disciplines from several contractors need to review the same document. Everybody's comments are locked to other participants so you can't accidentally remove or alter someone else's work. Once all the comments are in, whoever is managing that process can flatten the file and publish to the project via Procore. I don't see it as an "either/or" choice.