Follow these steps to start your own construction firm:

1. Obtain the proper education, licensing or certification requirements in your state to make you a qualified provider of construction services 
2. Build a solid business plan
3. Determine your business entity and name, then register it
4. Seek legal counsel to advise on any legal documents you may need, like a contract.
5. Get insurance and research tax laws in your state
6. Purchase materials you’ll need to execute the services you plan to provide
7. Pick a construction business software like Houzz Pro that has the features you need today, but that will grow with you as your business grows.
8. Begin promoting your business to find your first client

Find more advice on starting your own residential construction business in our Residential Construction Startup Guide.

Construction software programs are online tools that help construction professionals handle everything from lead management to design, estimating, project management, invoicing, and more. It is an umbrella term used to describe software that helps manage every part of a construction business by streamlining processes and optimizing workflows while preserving the client experience.

When looking for software that suits your needs, be sure to consider the following features:

1. Lead Management: Any construction business software should help you better manage your lead pipeline. It should be easy to see the status of all leads quickly, easy to find and communicate with leads and simple to tap into old leads when business is slow.
2. Project Management: Managing projects requires a ton of work, so your construction online software should come equipped with tools that help you prioritize projects, delegate work, build schedules and more. By investing in a quality construction computer program, you can set yourself up for smoother projects and better client experiences.
3. Financial Tools: From getting paid on time to preparing for tax season, your construction business management software should have robust, yet intuitive financial tools that encourage you to keep your finances organized without taking up too much of your time. Look for software with online payment tools to get paid faster or integrations to save time on double-data entry.

Houzz Pro’s construction app comes complete with all of these features and more. Try a demo to see for yourself. 

When you subscribe to Houzz Pro's residential and commercial construction software, you add a plethora of lead and project management features to your digital tool belt. From client winning tools like our [estimate builder/proposals] and 3D floor planner, to project administration features like our change orders and schedule—Houzz Pro centralizes all your business management needs into one easy-to-use software.

You can find more information about what features are included with each of our plans here.

When you subscribe to Houzz Pro’s construction software, you gain premium access to our support team. That means you get an exclusive phone number that directs you to an onshore team member and you get pushed to the top of the queue.

You also get personalized on-demand onboarding support, showing you how to properly use the specific features you want, when you want, to help get your business up and running with Houzz Pro. We also have a wide variety of help articles available in our Help Center and in-depth how-to videos on our YouTube channel.