HOW TECHNOLOGY IS MAKING THE BUILDER JOURNEY A SEAMLESS END-TO-END EXPERIENCE

A: Absolutely. This industry is one that’s rooted in historical approaches. A lot of homebuilding is still done completely on the job site, out in the weather, and using a lot of paper-based information. We haven’t taken advantage of modern technology in a variety of ways—until now.

A: BFS is known within the industry as the largest supplier of materials for homebuilders. We also provide many value-added products and services for our customers. Now we’re using technology to help solve their problems with our myBLDR platform. By focusing on a 3D digital twin, we are creating a connected process from materials manufacturer all the way to the homebuyer, removing confusion, errors, and waste.

For example, this new solution will allow the builder and the homebuyer to sit across the table from each other and toss around design ideas. What if this beautiful two-story living room had windows at the top? How would that change the feel of the space? We can then quickly create a realistic 3D effect to show the light streaming in from the windows at a certain season or time of day, allowing the homebuyer to make an informed decision early in the design process.

But a robust 3D model is about more than design aesthetics. In addition to making sure the client’s choices are faithfully addressed, this technology allows builders to ensure that no conflicts exist in electrical, HVAC, or plumbing. Digital measurements are extremely precise. You can blow things up to see every switch, every door, every small detail throughout the entire process. If something isn’t optimized, won’t fit, or is just plain missing from the plans, the solution can reveal that and enables that problem to be solved before construction ever begins.

A: The idea is to make the process of moving data from each step of the process to the next as seamless and automated as possible, providing a single source of truth for all stakeholders and using best-in-class construction technologies integrated with proprietary software as a foundation.

AI is embedded into the software at its fundamental level and will take care of the more manual information gathering and sharing processes, but it isn’t intended to replace the years of experience team members already have. AI will simply make it possible for them to focus on the higher-value decisions informed by their experience.

We also understand that to truly optimize this digital construction technology, we need expertise from a variety of partners. For that reason, we’re collaborating with a number of firms to produce the most comprehensive, accurate, and integrated software solution imaginable. This will enable us to unlock incremental value collectively across the entire homebuilding ecosystem.

What’s more, this approach does not require each of the stakeholders to purchase and install software. The information is available to them through a single unified digital experience. They just set up their access on the web, log in, and view the latest plans.

A: Our solution breaks down the end-to-end homebuilding process into several main task areas, or “hubs.” This fully integrated suite of tools will create a truly streamlined, holistic experience.

Right now, the Construction Hub facilitates faster quotes and manages streamlined materials delivery and installation. It also generates precise takeoff information, selects the appropriate materials, and schedules their deliveries.

There are lots of benefits to that. This hub reduces delays and makes sure the pricing matches the plan information. It minimizes job site issues and keeps things running smoothly, on schedule, and on budget. It also relieves the builder of many time-consuming tasks and improves efficiency.

But there’s even more functionality in the works right now that will be launched later this year. Three additional hubs will include:

• Community Hub This hub will help builders align stakeholders during the land readiness and pre-sales processes for community projects. It centralizes community data, specifications, images, and interactive maps to reduce errors and create smoother rollouts.
• Selections Hub This AI-powered feature will create transparency during the buyer selection process by providing visual design options. This will serve to minimize change orders and ensure both buyers and the sales team are on the same page.
• Plans Hub By gathering and combining data from plan libraries, renderings, and buyer-facing tools, this hub will deliver a comprehensive buyer experience with photoreal images, all while reducing errors and speeding up plan dissemination for homebuilders.

These new hubs will broaden the solution’s capabilities to support the launch of an entire residential community, centralizing and syncing plan information and visuals to deliver a consistent experience for both buyer and builder. It’s truly an end-to-end solution.

A: The combination of digital technology, manufacturing, supply chain management, and operational execution makes for much more efficient construction and enhances the homebuyer experience, which in turn improves the sales and marketing process. The initial feedback from customers has been exciting.

For example, Matt Green, President and CEO of Lanthorne Homes, has this to say about a new community in South Carolina: “Things in this industry were done the same way for a long period of time. Olde Eight is a thousand-acre, mixed-use development with great traditions, but we had to redefine that for the future. When you take a solution like the Builders FirstSource platform and integrate it with a building company like ours, we’re really creating a new way to build here.”

And that’s really our goal here at BFS: to create a more connected, more efficient way to build that delights both the homebuilder and the homebuyer.

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