If you’ve been keeping an eye on the construction technology world, you may have noticed this trend emerging: consolidation. Facing an increasing demand for projects coupled with tighter budgets, business leaders are prioritizing a “right-sizing” of technology tools and exploring all-in-one platforms that bring everything together in one place. If you are a construction technology decision-maker, how can you adapt?
At Groundbreak 2024, we asked some of our leaders to share what they have been hearing about the topic of IT consolidation in the industry. Here’s a quick recap of what we have learned, plus key takeaways to help construction leaders looking to navigate their own IT consolidation journey.
Shifting Toward Interoperability
While the construction industry has a reputation for being less tech-forward, the reality at Groundbreak is that the industry is very much exploring – and investing in – technology to tackle very complex and specific challenges. According to Tim Douglas, General Manager of Construction at Quickbase, "There are hundreds of vendors on the show floor, each one solving a specific problem with some incredible tool … The venture capital community has poured $30 billion into the construction industry."
That’s exciting, but it comes with a catch. When companies rely on many different tools, they often face a new set of challenges, like data silos. Decision-making can be slow and inaccurate when each tool operates independently without integrated data sharing. In 2025, construction technology executives are coming to grips with the “one problem, one tool” habit and looking closer at whether existing and new solutions can fit into the tech stack they’ve already invested in.
Construction industry expert Bob Salaj described the constant tension between new tech adoption and consolidation as an "accordion effect." As market capabilities grow, companies push themselves to buy point solutions with the latest technology to stay ahead. However, this eventually creates a tangled ecosystem of disconnected tools that slow down projects and isolate key information and data, accentuating the need for consolidation.
Tim Douglas framed the shift in construction technology as a move away from simply finding the right tool for each specific challenge. Instead, the focus is on achieving interoperability so that technology, teams, and partners can work together. Tim said, "It’s no longer just about finding the right tool for the job; it’s about making sure those tools can talk to each other.”
But the shift towards interoperability isn’t just about getting the job done; it’s about taking cost (licenses, maintenance, updating, etc.) out of that technology investment. Customizable platforms, like Quickbase, can be less expensive than those disconnected point solutions in place to manage various aspects of a construction company’s operations. That single platform can be scaled for whatever size team or project, and scoped properly for integrations, updates, maintenance, and other costs. Additionally, they can add automation capabilities that eliminate the manual tasks and repetitive Gray Work, saving businesses money by saving employees’ time.
When Conexon, a broadband network construction firm, transitioned from manual spreadsheets to Quickbase’s platform, they reduced software expenses by over $100,000 and saved users an hour per day.
Conexon’s Director of Construction Program Management, Sarah Griffin, says: "Without a unified platform, we’d be crushed. Quickbase ties everything together, eliminating silos and boosting productivity."
In the coming years, work management platforms like Quickbase will be the go-to for businesses looking to stay on budget without sacrificing the flexibility and tools they need.
Considerations for Enterprise vs. Mid-Market
IT consolidation might be a common goal, but it looks different for construction companies at the top and the middle of the market. Quickbase’s CEO, Ed Jennings, pointed out that, for the largest enterprises, the ability to integrate with platforms like Procore is non-negotiable. These companies, Ed said, need "pipeline integration tools to be very seamless, from Quickbase to Procore and back."
Tim Douglas described key systems like Oracle, Sage, and Microsoft Excel as "big, immovable rocks" in a company’s tech stack. Tim says CIOs are looking for ways to consolidate the point solutions, tools, and processes that fill in the gaps around their "big rocks."
But IT consolidation isn’t just a trend for the construction giants. Mid-market firms also use platforms like Quickbase to build custom apps for key processes — no need for multiple tools for bidding, forecasting, or resource management. The result? Smoother workflows and lower costs.
In a world where technology is often seen as a barrier to growth for smaller businesses, Quickbase offers ways for smaller firms to stay competitive, using the same tools and custom solutions at a fraction of the cost and complexity.
IT Consolidation Advice for CIOs
How can construction companies of all sizes navigate IT consolidation in 2025? Our experts shared some advice for CIOs.
First, answer key questions, such as:
- What capabilities overlap?
- Where is the business less efficient?
- What are we not using?
- Is our technology meeting our business and budget goals?
- How do we manage tech changes?
Understanding these dimensions of their tech stack can help CIOs identify what kinds of consolidation can help the business.
See our essential checklist for construction IT leaders looking to streamline their tech stack.
Successful consolidation relies on strong relationships within the business and across your entire ecosystem of customers and partners. Avoid focusing too much on an individual function and think about the bigger picture of business and user needs instead. This approach helps gain support from teams managing change on the ground, building and maintaining good relationships with other leaders, like the CFO, to ensure full visibility into the organization’s tech stack, minimizing the potential for a single team or project lead to contribute to tech sprawl.
Looking Ahead: The Future of ConTech
Our experts agree that the trend of consolidation in construction technology is likely to continue throughout 2025. Businesses are increasingly focused on finding platforms that can deliver more than just a specific solution to a specific problem. They are looking for a system that won’t bottleneck teams or projects, seamlessly fits into the existing tech stack, and scales alongside the business. This, in turn, lets them focus on growing business instead of managing software.
The era of siloed point solutions is coming to an end. As Tim Douglas said, the platform is key and "Quickbase can do everything from bid to closure. It’s not just about managing projects. It’s about managing the whole business operation." Want to learn more about how Quickbase can help your business? Check out Quickbase’s work management platform for construction.
