In just two short years operating Tri Vista USA, Michael Sauri went from local contractor to national feature on HGTV's renovation series Curb Appeal. As a UDA customer since 2005, Michael has grown from the ConstructionOffice system in 2005 to the new UDA ConstructionSuite released earlier this year.

When Michael started out in the industry, he was doing renovations and other small projects for himself but quickly gained a great reputation in Arlington, Virginia as the go-to person for home renovations. After getting licensed in the tri-state area, Michael formed Tri Vista USA and has seen his company grow in revenue and fame ever since.

"In the beginning, I was just doing stuff for myself and then I got asked by a lot of people to come do their homes - their kitchens, bathrooms, so forth, and now, we do about 12-15 of renovations, one spec house, and one commercial job each year. Our commercial jobs for the past two years have focused on restaurants - a sleek Italian seafood place called D'Acqua and the year before that, a unique steakhouse called Ray's the Steaks. Most of the projects we take on are in the $200,000-$250,000 range, with the occasional $500,000 project."

"This year, we're actually getting to do our own house. My wife and I are real excited - and we're using UDA for that project as well. It's been very helpful for budgeting and planning - just like it is for a regular job. My wife has the schedule she can look at and see how we're doing - see if we're ahead here or behind there - whether we're on budget, or if we can save money over here, and it's a really great and helpful program."

"We've been doing this for about seven years now, but in terms of where a client could hire Tri Vista USA to do work, we've been doing that for a little over two. The first year, we grew 250%. From the first year to the second year, we grew 450%. We are currently booked out 13 months in advance, and we will probably grow another 200% on top of what we did this year - no questions."

While much of Michael's success stems from his commitment to superior customer service and meticulous work, he attributes part of that success to UDA project management software. "Because we don't have any full-time employees and we don't have a big structure, we rely on UDA to help us track where everything needs to be, to know where it's going, and to stay on top of procurement. We just wouldn't be able to do what we do if it wasn't for the organization that UDA affords us."

The "Whoops" Factor
Before using UDA ConstructionSuite, Michael faced numerous problems with his projects, ranging from leaving important items out of the estimates and construction schedules that would go over by weeks and sometimes months. Plagued by these issues, he knew that his company was not as profitable as it could be.

"When I first started using computers, I used Microsoft Excel, and that was great, but it just didn't have the integration. One of the first things I was looking for in construction software was help in estimating. There's always a list of stuff that I would forget to include in my estimates - the "gotcha" that is the responsibility of the general contractor."

"Especially when I was doing spec homes, I would try to get an idea of what it would cost to do a job and be really excited about how much money I was making, and then whoops - all of a sudden, I wasn't making the money I thought because I didn't count on $20,000 - $30,000 worth of expenditures that should have been included in the job. That's a lot to lose off of expected profits."

Change for the Better
After losing money on projects because he didn't have a comprehensive estimating program, Michael knew he needed a better solution, but he didn't want to spend tens of thousands on software. "Before we originally purchased UDA software, we did a lot of homework to see what we could get. At that time, 2-3 years ago, UDA was the best bang for the buck. I had the previous version - ConstructionOffice - and upgraded to the new ConstructionSuite. Even though the price tag has gone up, it's still a much better deal than anything out there. Other software programs that are not web-based run about 4 times the amount of the money, and the ones that are web-based just have no end to the amount they cost."

By making the smart choice of UDA project management software, Michael was able to see an immediate return on his investment. "With ConstructionSuite, we've not had those "oops" factors costing us $30,000 a piece. We don't forget as much anymore and we can lay out a budget for the homeowner that's realistic."

"The estimating portion keeps me away from the "oops" factor, and the scheduling piece keeps all the ordering and procurement part on schedule so the construction can stay on schedule. If we finish the job on time, that means we're onto the next job on time, so we're making more money."

"If we're on target, and we're hitting our growth, a week can be worth $20,000 - $30,000. So, if we're off by even just two weeks at the end of the project, which used to be highly possible, we could lose anywhere from $40,000-$60,000 of gross revenue. And we're not that big. There are people who use your software who are 10 times larger than us."

"But for a long time in the construction industry, it really didn't pay to have a computer. However, times have changed. In our case, we have clients who want a lot of hand holding, and for those clients, we probably have 400-600 emails by the end of the job, and it's critical to keep that stuff organized. While there are some contractors out there who don't think software is necessary, the great thing about the organization that software affords you is that if you're more organized, you know the right answer and the wrong answer when you're dealing with clients. That means that you can go back to your notes, refer to a specific meeting or email, and know exactly what transpired and what was agreed to - which is critical, especially in relation to project changes."

Since Michael has ConstructionSuite Premier, he has taken advantage of the new Change Order Management system, which enables him to create change orders in his estimate, designate them as pending, accepted, or rejected, and automatically generate documentation, proposals, and contracts for his vendors and clients.

"The Change Order system helps me know the difference between what is and it not an accepted change, and I can print all the change orders out and keep track of them and then I can turn that into a document that I can give to a homeowner. It's been so helpful - I know which ones were signed and that ultimately means that we, as contractors, can charge for the work we're doing and have proof that the client approved those changes."

Communication is Key
Beyond staying organized, Michael knows that providing the highest level of customer service is critical to his business success, and a large part of ensuring that level of service is communicating clearly with his clients.

"Things are pretty expensive here, and while price tag isn't an issue, service definitely is. Customer service for clients in this area really needs to be top notch. We have a high-end clientele that's usually very educated, and there's a lot of client involvement. Our clients typically have a lot of disposable income, and because of the real estate boom in the last few years, they have a lot of value in their houses. They want to see the great parts of their house matched by the not-so-great parts that we're working to bring up to speed. And they really have a very high level of expectations."

"It's great for us to be able to track down every single dollar for our clients - where they are spending it and why. That lends a whole lot to customer satisfaction and confidence. With ConstructionSuite, we're not bumbling around with papers shoved everywhere trying to get them that information, either. We're not the contractors with endless clipboards and McDonald's wrappers shoved up in the front of their pickup truck. That's not us."

"One of the things that we do for every job is that we have a client meeting every week, and after that meeting, I email them an updated version of the schedule. And, when clients get that schedule, they see that it's more than a pretty piece of paper - they see a visual representation of what we need from them. They see their active role and responsibility in their own renovation beyond writing the check. I think they buy into the process faster that way, and I definitely point to ConstructionSuite for giving us the ability to create those printouts for our clients."

From VA to HGTV
The Gantt Chart schedules have done more for Michael and his company than contribute to customer satisfaction - the helped him land a multi-feature run on HGTV's Curb Appeal. "When we were getting ready for our taping of Curb Appeal, I sent HGTV a schedule for the job. The episode was going to be the biggest HGTV home makeover that Curb Appeal had done up to that point. I sent a copy of the schedule to the designers and to the producers as well. The producer, who has probably worked with over 100 contractors throughout her time with the show, was amazed with the schedule I sent. I had the first Gantt Chart schedule that she's ever seen."

"She printed it out and walked it around her office saying "Who does this? Look at this!" And because UDA makes it so easy to email it out, I look like I'm the bee's knees, so they gave me a bunch more shows to do because it's like "Oh my God, Tri Vista USA is so organized!' Usually, the show only uses a particular contractor once, but we got booked for multiple shows since we're so organized and easy to work with. Once we sent that first schedule, we continued to update that schedule every week. The people at HGTV realized that it wasn't just a showpiece - it's actually what we do. They could barely believe it. It definitely made me and UDA look good."

"And because we're able to tweak these reports for our clients and HGTV and make the documents look like their coming from a professionally-run, well-organized company, everyone thinks "Wow - these guys are really organized, they know what they're doing.'"

"Every time we hand them something, it's coming out of UDA - from us to the client, and it instills a certain confidence in our customers. There are so many scary contractors out there, and everyone immediately realizes that we're not one of those. So, it definitely acts as a credibility piece as well."

Professional Image. Superior Service.
"We're doing a job right now for a family who bought a really nice renovation from a completely shyster contractor. He basically took 80% of their money and ran. No inspections were done and that permit was pulled. We just about have to knock it down to get it right. When I looked at the original contract, I could tell this guy spent no time, money energy, effort, or anything on it."

"If you're going to give a high level of service, you need tools to do it. If you show up at the Ritz Carlton and the guy isn't dressed nice, and the place isn't nice looking, and it doesn't feel like the Ritz Carlton, and that's not the level of service you're getting, then you're not at the Ritz Carlton. And like the Ritz Carlton, we take pride in having our stuff together and in the level of service we provide to our customers. We wear uniforms every day. The trucks are always washed. The guys don't swear, don't smoke, and don't throw cigarette butts around."

"Communication is 90% non-verbal, and if you show up with a level of service that starts at a high level, and that level remains consistent as you dive into the job - if the specs look good and contract is well-presented - if everything looks good and is tight and neat - then everything, including your company, looks professional because it is. Obviously, it begins and ends with you doing what you say you're going to do, but ConstructionSuite helps people do that and get stuff to clients on time, stay on budget, and that's the beginning and end to me."

"All the specs and documents I get from UDA are based on national standards. When I look at the numbers and see where I should be, I know that's a national standard I'm comparing myself to. I can make adjustments and changes, but I know that it's coming from somewhere respectable, and I don't have to pull it out of "you know where'."

"To the clients - it looks and feels like something that's real. I do get my attorney to review it, of course. I wouldn't recommend anyone take anything and sticking it straight in front of a customer, but not having to have an attorney write and review it, as opposed to just reviewing it, saves me money."

"Another feature that I love is the ability to track insurances for all my subcontractors. It's just so great. I haven't had any issues with uninsured workers as of yet, but there's legislation afoot that may require contractors to ensure that that everyone who is working at the site be a legal resident. That legislature is scaring the crap out of us because that's a responsibility that's almost unbearable to have to handle. Basically, every person who shows up on the job site will have to be checked out, and if that kind of legislation is coming down the pipe, then the construction industry is going to change. But I know that the ability to track that kind of information in ConstructionSuite is definitely going to benefit us."

Peace of Mind - Every time
Even without that legislation fully in effect, Michael knows how much liability he assumes as a general contractor. "In this industry, there's such a difference between how much money you can make and how much liability you assume. If you're the general contractor, as I am, the liability lands squarely in your lap 9 times out of 10. And that is the chance to go from a really profitable job to a seriously profit-losing year - not just job. You can lose a lot of money in a short amount of time if it's your fault. Just by having the ability to track the insurance and licenses gives me huge peace of mind."

That peace of mind is invaluable in the hectic world of project management, and to ensure that everything runs smoothly, Michael relies on ConstructionSuite each and every time he's on the job. "If I'm working on my business, then ConstructionSuite is open. I take my Panasonic laptop into the field every day, and any time I'm working on my business, I have two things open: my email and my ConstructionSuite. It is absolutely integrated into our day-to-day operations."

When asked what advice he would give to other construction professionals who are considering project management software for their businesses, Michael had this to say:

"If I were talking to my friends, I would say "If you don't know how to use computers, it's time to get yourself a computer and figure it out. It's very easy to spend a lot of money on a computer program and not dive into it, but if you're going to commit to using it, in a very short period of time you're going to do some stuff that you didn't know you could do."

"In probably a 4 - 6 month time period, you won't understand how you ever did business without it. I would liken it to using a cell phone. And everybody in our business uses one. And I would say to them -think about life without a cell phone, and that's how you'll think about life without project management software."

Quick Facts about Tri Vista USA

Location: Arlington, Virginia
Website: www.trivistausa.com
Industry: Remodeling/Renovation, Residential Spec Homes, Commercial
Projects per year: 12-15 Renovations, 1 Spec Home, 1 Commercial Job
Years in the business: 7