Start with a free CRM, then scale with plans from $49/mo. Material estimation, project scheduling, permit tracking, crew management, estimates, and invoicing — all in FieldFuze.
Deck building is a project-based business with long sales cycles and complex material calculations. A homeowner calls for a quote, you visit the property, measure the space, discuss material options — pressure-treated pine, cedar, composite, PVC — talk about railing styles, lighting, stairs, and built-in features. Then you go back to the office, spend an hour building the estimate in a spreadsheet, and email it 2 days later. By then they've already gotten quotes from two other contractors.
The material side alone is a headache. A 400-square-foot composite deck might need 200 deck boards, 35 joists, 12 posts, 6 beams, 50 joist hangers, 15 post brackets, 1,500 screws, 80 linear feet of railing, and 4 yards of concrete for footings. Miss a line item and your margin disappears. Over-order and you're stuck with $800 in materials you can't return.
Most deck builders use spreadsheets and paper estimates. The ones who do invest in software end up on platforms like Buildertrend ($499+/month) or CoConstruct ($499+/month) that are designed for full home builders and are massive overkill for a deck company. FieldFuze gives deck builders a free CRM to get started, with paid plans from $49/mo that include estimates, invoicing, scheduling, material tracking, and crew management for up to 15 users.
Built for deck contractors — material estimation, project staging, permit tracking.
Build detailed material lists — decking, framing, hardware, railings, concrete, stain. Line-item estimates with quantities, unit costs, and waste factors so your quotes are accurate and your margins are protected.
Break deck builds into phases — demolition, footings, framing, decking, railings, finishing. Schedule each phase with its own crew, timeline, and material list. Track progress across all active projects.
Most deck projects require building permits and inspections. Track permit applications, approval status, and inspection dates for every project. Never hold up a job because you forgot to schedule the footing inspection.
Track materials per project and across your warehouse. Know exactly how many composite boards, post caps, and bags of concrete you have in stock. Set low-stock alerts for materials you use on every build.
Before, during, and after photos attached to every project. Document existing conditions, construction progress, and finished work. Build a portfolio for your website and protect yourself against disputes.
Build professional estimates on your phone during the site visit. Show the homeowner material options, pricing, and project timeline. Get a digital signature before you leave the driveway — close the deal in one visit.
Here's what a typical deck project looks like with FieldFuze:
The homeowner wants a 16x20 composite deck with a built-in bench and cable railing. You measure the space, take photos of the existing yard and access points, and build the estimate on your phone — 320 sq ft of Trex Transcend decking, 2x8 pressure-treated joists, 6x6 posts, cable railing system, LED post caps, and concrete for 12 footings. Total estimate: $18,400. The homeowner signs on the spot.
You submit the permit application through the city. While waiting for approval, you order materials based on your FieldFuze material list. Everything is tracked — what's ordered, what's delivered, what's on backorder. The composite decking has a 3-week lead time, so you schedule demo and framing to start once the permit is approved.
Permit approved. Your crew tears out the old deck on Monday, digs and pours footings on Tuesday. You schedule the footing inspection for Thursday morning. Inspector passes it — framing starts Friday. Every phase is tracked in FieldFuze with photos and time logs.
Framing goes up, decking gets installed, and the cable railing system goes in. Your crew logs materials used per day — you can see exactly how your actuals compare to your estimate. The project wraps on Friday. You take final photos, generate the invoice from the project details, and the homeowner pays through FieldFuze before your crew loads up.
Construction platforms charge enterprise prices for features deck builders don't need.
| Platform | Monthly Cost | Annual Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Buildertrend | $499+/mo | $5,988+ |
| CoConstruct | $499+/mo | $5,988+ |
| Jobber | $69+/mo + per-user | $828+ |
| Housecall Pro | $59+/user/mo | $708+ |
| FieldFuze | $49+/mo | $588+ |
FieldFuze offers a free CRM for deck builders — store customer info, project details, and job history at $0/month. Paid plans from $49/mo add project scheduling, material estimation, estimates, invoicing, payment processing, crew management, and photo documentation for up to 15 users.
Yes. FieldFuze tracks materials per project — decking boards, joists, posts, hardware, concrete, railings, and stain or sealer. Build detailed estimates with material and labor line items, track actual usage against estimates, and manage inventory across your warehouse and trucks.
Yes. Attach permit applications, approval documents, and inspection results to each project. Set reminders for inspection dates and track which projects are waiting on permits so you can schedule work around approvals.
Yes. FieldFuze supports multi-stage projects. Break deck builds into phases — demo, framing, decking, railing, finishing — with separate schedules, material lists, and crew assignments for each stage. Track progress across all active projects from one dashboard.
FieldFuze gives deck builders a free CRM to start, with material tracking, project scheduling, and estimates on paid plans from $49/mo.
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