FM Harvey Construction

F.M. Harvey Construction Co., based in Hunt Valley, Maryland, has been providing quality construction services since 1961. Since that time the company has constructed familiar landmarks, from highly detailed historic renovations to large warehouse complexes. With a staff of 20 that fluctuates based on project need and seasonality, F.M. Harvey’s range of work includes renovation and new construction of churches, schools, office buildings, gas stations, convenience stores, retail structures, tenant fit-outs, and warehouses.

Since joining the company in 1993, Eileen Patten, Accountant, has experienced all the ups and downs inherent with the construction industry, and in recent years has seen increasing competition. “In the old days, we thought a $200,000 job was big, now we’re doing $4 million jobs. It’s tough work just to put together a competitive bid, and there’s more at stake,” she explains. “Many companies carry a big overhead and so they lower profit margin to be able to just compete on a bid. Plus, now agencies want more documentation like liens and wavers, so paperwork and the effort to cover all bases has increased significantly. Times change and contractors need to change too to keep pace and make profits. We leverage advanced technology to help do that.”

Challenges

Improve cash flow and reporting to better handle volume of projects, as well as better compete on bids with more profit margin.

Solution

F.M. Harvey Construction chose Maxwell Systems American Contractor to streamline processes, track job costs against original bids, improve accountability, and manage workflow

Results

Maxwell Systems American Contractor helps F.M. Harvey Construction manage billing, change orders, accounting job cost reports, as well as improve efficiencies across accounting and project management for maximum productivity and better profitability.

Accounting Couldn't Keep Up

Patten recalls how F.M. Harvey’s old software couldn’t keep up. “With job costing, we were in big trouble because the software didn’t give us what we needed. We had no efficient reporting, and as we grew we couldn’t handle the volume very easily and couldn’t do reports in a timely way,” she recalls. “It was a real challenge. I was a one-woman accounting operation then and had lots to juggle and different hats to wear. I felt like I was drowning in a sea of inefficient and redundant processes.”

F.M. Harvey needed software that was Windows-based, user-friendly, and included powerful job costing capabilities. They wanted the ability to compete on more jobs so they could keep their project pipeline filled, keep employees on staff, and keep money coming in. “We went looking and with a single demo of Maxwell Systems’ American Contractor, we pretty much made up our mind,” says Patten.

Improved Processes and Profits with American Contractor

There’s been a measurable improvement in F.M. Harvey’s business management since using American Contractor. “I can say we’ve had amazing positive change all around, but our project manager has experienced the most improvement,” says Patten. “Maxwell Systems American Contractor is so simple to use and we can quickly find the reports needed, and those reports are very easy to understand. Many aspects of the bid-to-billing process have greatly improved, such as keeping track of change orders, proper billing, and managing accounting job cost reports.”

The most significant cost-savings feature of American Contractor, according to Patten, is definitely job costing. “Accounting does more billing now, where before our project manager had to do much of it. Not only does this improve efficiency, but the PM can spend more time focusing on other profitable areas of the business, like staying on top of change orders, improve time management, finding cost-savings and lucrative opportunities, and track phases of projects to stay on time and on budget … this saves costs andhelps generate revenue.”

Other benefits that F.M. Harvey experiences by using Maxwell Systems American Contractor include improved cash flow and streamlined processes. Patten adds: “Now we have convenient printed forms that allow us to bill in a timely way. Also, American Contractor has many reports to choose from, so we have no need to customize and can work more productively. I also like how I can drill deep within a process and access many areas at the same time. All of these features help our team work easily and quickly.”

Easy Access to Accurate Answers

Not only is F.M. Harvey Construction able to work with speed and efficiency, they have improved accuracy and confidence in their jobs. “We can quickly retrieve information and are confident in our answers. Before using American Contractor, we’d get a question from a customer or a subcontractor, and we wouldn’t be able to answer it right then and there because we’d have to close applications to open other ones to search for details, all a big hassle, which would cause a delay and add to the to-do list. Now, we can answer correctly on the spot. This keeps the process moving and the profit on target,” says Patten.

By using the many various features of Maxwell Systems American Contractor, F.M. Harvey has been able to make improvements across the entire business and anticipate more impact moving forward. With more control and less confusion, the contractor can better handle volume of jobs, improve best practices, and increase profitability.

“We can keep a close eye on over/under billing and have records to go back to and compare for future projects – helping us see what worked and what didn’t the last time we did a similar job,” says Patten. “In addition, we can adjust to economic ups and downs, like gas prices, and we need this knowledge to compete better on bids and improve our profit margin.”

Continued Cash Savings and ROI

F.M. Harvey’s return on investment is even better than they expected. Patten explained, “We wanted to make the most of our software investment and adjusted some of our internal processes to work with the software, which provided a more streamlined way of accomplishing things. It took some time, but well worth it.” Now, F.M. Harvey can better track change orders (whereas before using American Contractor, they were not billing for them); improve cash flow with proper billing, invoicing, etc.; eliminate costly errors with notifications alerting when the contract amount is being exceeded; and have better accountability since costs and changes are attached to a person and entry (versus the old way with uninvestigated costs and expenses).

With no regrets and many rewards, F.M. Harvey shares their recommendation and advice for Maxwell Systems American Contractor. “I would definitely recommend American Contractor to other GCs. The software is smart and powerful, but not intimidating,” Patten explains. “For us, it’s had the right capabilities all along – lots of tools but not overwhelming and is expandable, so as our needs or skills evolve we can use more features and functionality. Having now grown to a $20 million operation, it’s still fitting our needs very well and we continue to see a return on our investment.”

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Jackson & Associates General Contractors, Inc

Jackson & Associates is a full-service general contractor performing work in all aspects of construction. The company uses Maxwell Systems American Contractor as its comprehensive business management software solution to manage job cost accounting, payroll, financials, billings, reporting, and much more. The team at Jackson & Associates can better streamline processes, eliminate redundancies, minimize mistakes and costs, maintain a tight audit trail, and manage all accounting activities with the many capabilities of American Contractor.

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Our Story of Complete Construction Software

Maxwell Systems provides construction software solutions that help contractors to streamline workflow, increase productivity, and improve profitability. Furthermore, we understand that today's contractors must optimize processes across all business areas to gain or maintain an increasingly important competitive edge and ensure a successful business. Critical, to that end, is timely and efficient communication and information access among estimating, job cost accounting, and project management teams.

By using a Maxwell Systems complete construction software solution, you'll be able to better operate your business with increased efficiency and streamlined operations, and confidently increase profitability on every project. You will have the tools you need to accomplish more in less time; taking the guesswork out of reaching true profit potential; and improving financial stability for long-term benefit.

Why Maxwell Systems?

Maxwell Systems is truly unique with its ability to offer contractors a complete, seamless software solution that allows:

A new level of continuity and productivity among estimating, job cost accounting, and project management
Better insight, analysis, and financial oversight for owners to make informed and timely decisions
Improved operational efficiencies, cost reductions, and increased profits

Contractors value having an end-to-end solution from one company:

All applications work together seamlessly
Efficient access to comprehensive support and services
A stable technology partner committed to customer success

How Your Business Benefits

A complete construction software solution from Maxwell Systems provides end-to-end control of your business so you can see a day's profit potential at a glance, identify and prevent potential financial losses, spot discrepancies and errors, and manage projects with accurate information in real-time.

With tailored features designed to fit each member on your team, construction company management software ultimately allows your business to:

Attain end-to-end control and increased visibility
Achieve easy and accurate reporting with real-time data
Optimize project execution for maximum profitability
Streamline operations with seamless workflow

The Bid-to-Cash Cycle Explained

Managing each of the key process areas of a construction business – Estimating, Construction Accounting, and Project Management – requires vastly different talents and areas of expertise. The reality is that each of these functional groups is related and dependent on one another.

For your organization to run in an optimal fashion, the groups much work together in an optimal fashion. Together, these functional areas compromise what we describe as the Bid-to-Cash Cycle. And our goal at Maxwell Systems is to provide software for construction so you can bridge the needs of the functional groups, better manage this cycle, and so maximize profitability.

When construction estimating software, construction accounting software, and construction project management software are working together in a seamless system as a complete construction business management software solution, then a contractor is truly poised for optimal profit and productivity.

How does a complete solution fit your part of the cycle? Here are a few examples:

Owner: It's all about reducing waste, uncovering lost opportunity, exposing shortcomings, and maximizing resources – all which impact profit and the bottom line. With end-to-end visibility of every project, executives can hone business strategy, improve control of cash flow, and keep financials in the black with accurate ROI.
Estimator: Beyond estimating projects, the estimator can access more accurate information in regards to how the project actually performs. This will allow the estimator to improve accuracy on future estimates with actual labor and production rates, updated material prices, and other resource related items.
Accounting: Not only a company's construction accounting system, a complete solution helps to streamline the procurement processes for optimal efficiencies and produces more accurate purchasing processes. Additionally, billing processes, inventory issuances, and many other processes are streamlined. Less data entry, better accuracy, and reliable audit trail allow convenience and peace of mind.
Project Manager: The seamless workflow from Estimating to Project Tracking allows for a streamlined method of creating the job and then tracking performance against the estimate. Within the complete solution, the construction project management programs also provide the detail required for the Project Manager to understand what the Estimator was thinking when the bid was put together. Plus, by accessing real-time information whether in the office or in the field, the project manager can track progress, be more agile, and better handle all aspects of jobs from beginning to end.

Bottom Line

To succeed in today's competitive marketplace, construction business owners must improve productivity and have end-to-end visibility to see how jobs perform (and turn profit) from start to finish. Maxwell Systems knows construction company software and can be your partner by offering truly unique products (as well as support and services) that address the entire construction project lifecycle – from digital takeoff through final cash payment. Our seamless system provides your company with all the capabilities you need for estimating, job cost accounting, and project management, and ultimately for superior insight and analysis of your business.

Imagine the flexibility and insight by having one solution for estimating projects, for construction accounting programs, and for construction project software! All that and more in one system will help your business be more competitive and profitable.

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Industries Served

General Construction

Learn how Maxwell Systems software can help general construction companies improve overall project performance, including bidding process, labor and material allocation, team communication and collaboration (whether in office or at the job site), and managing changes for maximum profitability. It’s general contractor software to run a better business!

Heavy Construction

Maxwell Systems helps thousands of heavy/highway contractors more profitably execute and manage projects. Work can range from construction or repair work for streets, roads, and highways or bridges, dams, and tunnels, or underground utilities, excavation, paving, and much more. Read about the heavy construction software we can provide to help you boost profit.

Concrete & Masonry Construction

It’s critical that you have a keen eye on plans, materials, labor, equipment, budgets, and schedules to ensure your concrete and masonry projects are profitable. That’s why you should learn how our contractor software is tailored to your unique needs.

Electrical Contracting

Whether you do new construction, replacement, or maintenance for the residential, commercial, and/or industrial markets, electrical contracting demands that you can properly review specifications and estimate costs, schedule crews, manage inventory, and schedule equipment to ensure that you fulfill each contract according to schedule. Learn how Maxwell Systems electrical contractor software is tailored to fit the way you work.

HVAC Contracting

From installation of furnaces, air conditioning units, and refrigeration systems to maintenance and repair work to fabricating sheet metal, HVAC construction work is varied and demanding. That’s why it’s wise to invest in HVAC contractor software designed with features that fit so you can acquire and manage projects for best profit. Find out why.

Mechanical Contracting

For many mechanical contractors, work may begin with the underground piping and not end until systems are in operation for occupancy. And many probably also provide expertise about various specialty trades and handle responsibilities spanning engineering, installation, and operation. To estimate, manage, and fulfill each contract accurately and profitably, mechanical contractors rely on Maxwell Systems software for construction. Read how you can too.

Plumbing Contracting

Whether you install fixtures for residential or commercial properties, or even install gas appliances and pipework, and/or perform maintenance and repair work, it’s likely that your profitability depends on volume of work and managing projects efficiently and accurately. Learn how you can use Maxwell Systems construction company software to quickly and accurately bid projects, schedule workforce, track documents, manage complex payroll, control job costs, and more.

Other Specialty Trades

The world of specialty trades and subcontracting is diverse and complex. That’s why Maxwell Systems provides subcontractor software tailored to the needs of contractors in framing, carpentry, siding, roofing, building finishing (drywall, ceilings, painting, flooring), glass and glazing, landscaping, and renovation. Read how you can simplify and streamline your processes.

Property Management

Whether you own real estate and actively manage your own properties or you hire a property manager to operate your buildings, you can leverage Maxwell Systems property management software to track complex lease information, work orders, and preventive maintenance; manage data and gain insight into performance of properties, and control budgeting and forecasting. Find out how you can use property management software for a better bottom line.

Canada and Australia

Maxwell Systems construction management software is specialized for Canada CAN and Australia AUS. The software helps Canadian and Australian contractors improve estimating, accounting, payroll, project management, and more. Our software helps contractors across Australia and Canada save time, cut costs, and improve profitability.

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