Austin, Texas, September 13, 2025
News Summary
Buildxact has launched Blu, an AI assistant suite and platform upgrades aimed at helping small and mid-size homebuilders cope with labor shortages and speed routine work. Blu includes automated takeoffs, an estimate generator, an estimate reviewer and an assembly/recipe assistant, with features like automatic plan scaling, perimeter measurements and supplier pricing integration. The company reports over 8,740 takeoffs and 600 estimates created, claiming 13,113 hours saved—roughly $655,650 in labor value at $50/hour. The update also adds digital signatures, onsite timesheets, workorder links and integrated dealer price lists, with unlimited-user plans and training available.
Buildxact rolls out Blu AI suite and platform upgrades to tackle homebuilding labor shortage
A construction software company has launched an upgraded platform and a new AI assistant called Blu aimed at helping small and mid-size builders cope with a severe labor shortage and speed routine work. The release groups several AI-powered tools that the company says reduce the time spent on estimating, takeoffs and admin tasks, allowing teams to complete more work without adding headcount.
Top-line impact and claimed savings
The company reports that its Blu: Takeoff Assistant has been used to complete more than 8,740 takeoffs since its June 2025 release, and users have generated over 600 estimates, with roughly 10% of those estimates submitted to customers as quotes. The firm also reports a cumulative time savings of 13,113 hours—described internally as more than six years—compared with an industry-average takeoff completion rate of 90 minutes. At an assumed takeoff labor rate of $50 per hour, the reported hours saved equate to approximately $655,650 in labor value.
Why the company frames this as a workforce solution
The home construction sector is widely described as experiencing an acute and persistent labor shortage. A workforce study cited in the announcement notes the industry will need to attract an estimated 439,000 net new workers in 2025 to meet demand. In that context, the platform update is presented as a way to maximize the productivity of existing staff by automating repetitive and time-consuming tasks so tradespeople can focus on hands-on work.
How Blu works: the feature set
The Blu assistant delivers multiple AI-assisted functions. Key elements listed in the launch include:
- Blu: Takeoff Assistant — Upload plans that are automatically scaled and named using plan data; hands-free perimeter measurements capture total square footage; new “point add” and “point edit” tools let users adjust individual areas without restarting a takeoff.
- Blu: Estimate Generator — Generates labor and material items with pricing pulled from supplier catalogs and partners, including the ability to build kitchen and bath renovation estimates in the first release, with plans to expand to whole-house and common renovation types.
- Blu: Estimate Reviewer — Audits estimates and suggests missed items or improvements; it can take room details, environmental factors and energy ratings to generate a task checklist spanning areas such as insurance and energy compliance.
- Blu: Recipe / Assembly Assistant — Helps create assemblies and item groupings commonly used in project estimates.
Platform additions and workflow tools
Alongside Blu, the platform update includes non-AI features described as modernizing daily workflows: digital signatures for online acceptance of quotes and change orders; timesheet updates that let crews record time by project and category via an onsite app; automatic workorder generation linking hours to costs; and enhanced client selection tools to speed homeowner decisions. The product also supports integrated dealer price lists and round-the-clock material ordering.
Claims on accessibility, pricing and support
The company says it has introduced a customizable pricing structure that starts with basic tools and allows instant upgrades as businesses grow. Each plan is advertised as including unlimited users and customer training and support. The company further frames the platform as designed to make advanced technology accessible to builders of varying sizes.
Positioning with industry upskilling recommendations
The launch is presented as aligned with a workforce blueprint that highlights communication, technology adoption and strong apprenticeship programs as key pillars for upskilling homebuilding workers. The report that influenced the framing emphasizes that leveraging technology can accelerate and sustain learning. The company positions Blu as a tool to support those aims by reducing manual, error-prone tasks and freeing skilled workers for craft work.
Notes on company background and data points
The company was founded in Australia and operates with a North American headquarters in Austin, Texas. Other material in the announcement includes a valuation figure cited at $125 million following institutional investment and alternate founding-year references; those items appear alongside product claims and are presented as part of the broader context in which the platform update was announced.
Roadmap and availability
The first iteration of Blu focuses on key estimating tasks with planned expansions in the coming months for additional estimate types and capability broadening. The company also offers trial and demo options as ways for potential users to evaluate the tools.
FAQ
What is Blu?
Blu is an AI-powered assistant integrated into a construction management platform. It includes tools for automated takeoffs, estimate generation and estimate review designed to speed estimating and reduce manual work.
How much time has Blu reportedly saved?
The announcement states users have saved a total of 13,113 hours to date compared with industry-average takeoff times. That number was converted to an estimated dollar value using a $50-per-hour assumption.
Which features help crews on site?
Site-focused updates include timesheet recording by project and category through an onsite app, automatic workorder generation to link hours and costs, and enhanced client selection tools for homeowner decisions.
Does Blu use supplier pricing?
The platform pulls pricing from supplier catalogs and integrated dealer price lists to populate estimates, according to the release.
How does this relate to workforce shortages?
The company frames AI tools as a way to increase output from existing staff by automating routine tasks, which it says makes tradeswork more efficient and the profession more attractive by reducing manual, error-prone work.
Is the platform available globally?
The company reports customers across the US, Canada, the UK, Australia and New Zealand and lists North American operations in Austin, Texas.
Key features at a glance
| Feature | Purpose | Reported benefit |
|---|---|---|
| Blu: Takeoff Assistant | Automated plan scaling, page naming, perimeter measurements, and edit points | 8,740+ takeoffs completed; reduced takeoff time vs. industry average |
| Blu: Estimate Generator | Creates labor and material line items using local and supplier pricing | 600+ estimates created; initial focus on kitchen and bath renovations |
| Blu: Estimate Reviewer | Audits estimates and produces improvement task checklists | Identifies missed items and compliance/insurance recommendations |
| Recipe / Assembly Assistant | Builds assemblies and grouped items for estimates | Speeds common assembly creation |
| Digital signatures | Online signing for quotes and change orders | Faster approvals and coordination |
| Timesheets & Onsite app | Record crew hours by project; auto-generate workorders | Improved linking of labor to project costs |
| Integrated dealer price lists | 24/7 material pricing and ordering | Streamlines material cost inputs into estimates |
| Pricing & support | Customizable plans with unlimited users and customer training | Lower per-user barriers to company-wide adoption |
Deeper Dive: News & Info About This Topic
Additional Resources
- LBM Journal: Buildxact launches AI-driven solutions for builders
- Wikipedia: Artificial intelligence
- The Australian Financial Review: Big names back next big hope in property tech
- Google Search: AI in construction
- Buildxact (official site)
- Wikipedia: Construction
- LBM Journal (home)
- Google Scholar: construction estimating software
- The Australian Financial Review (home)
- Encyclopedia Britannica: construction labor shortage
Author: Construction FL News
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