Identify lost time: The biggest efficiency killers on the construction site
The administrative effort on German construction sites is a significant cost driver. A study by McKinsey shows that employees spend nearly 20% of their time searching for internal information or trying to locate responsible colleagues. For a construction manager, this often means 1-2 hours a day wasted on productive activities. Added to this is the inefficient documentation, which according to a PwC study is still not sufficiently digitized in 60% of German construction companies. This gap leads to delays, misunderstandings, and a high manual workload for rework in the office. A thoughtful process optimization through software addresses exactly this. Many companies underestimate that as much as 14 hours per week are lost due to inefficient document management. The introduction of a centralized, digital solution is therefore not a luxury but a business necessity to enhance efficiency. This step lays the foundation for optimizing the entire construction process.
Reduce documentation effort by up to 80% through automation
Creating daily construction reports is a legal necessity, but often a manual nightmare. Manually collating photos, notes, and personnel information can take up to 60 minutes per project each day. With a specialized time-saving construction site app this process is nearly fully automated. Information that your employees send via WhatsApp is directly converted into a legally compliant daily construction report. This reduces the daily effort for reports to under 5 minutes. A paperless construction site is no longer a vision of the future, but a practical reality that brings immediate benefits. Digital construction documentation ensures a seamless and traceable history of construction progress. The following elements are automatically recorded:
- Photos and videos with time and location stamps
- Voice messages converted to text
- Employee attendance
- Weather data from the site
- Used equipment and materials
This automation minimizes not only errors but also creates a watertight basis for all eventualities and significantly speeds up billing processes.
Digital time tracking: Eliminate manual timesheets in 5 minutes
Manual recording of working hours is error-prone and costs valuable time – both on the construction site and in payroll accounting. A digital time tracking app provides relief here and ensures transparency and accuracy. Employees can record their working hours directly via smartphone with just a few clicks, reducing administrative effort by up to 80%. Minute-accurate tracking ensures correct payroll calculation and easily meets legal requirements. Mobile solutions are particularly ideal for decentralized teams in the trades, as they transmit data in real time to the office. This enables better planning and utilization of employees. Transitioning from paper management to a digital solution is a crucial step towards optimizing construction times and improving efficiency throughout the company.
Reduce defect costs by up to 30% with seamless tracking
Construction defects are expensive and, according to estimates, account for around 11.4% of industry revenue, which amounted to about 16.5 billion euros in 2021. Inefficient defect management leads to delays and high rework costs. A digital time-saving construction site app solution allows for structured recording and tracking of defects directly on-site. Through immediate documentation and assignment, the time to remedy defects is reduced by an average of 50%. A comprehensive documentation with photos, notes, and deadlines creates legal certainty and transparency for all parties involved. The process with a task management app is simple and efficient:
- Record defects via photo or voice message using a smartphone.
- Automatic localization on the digital construction plan.
- Direct assignment to the responsible subcontractor with deadline setting.
- Status tracking in real time (open, in progress, completed).
- Proof-secure export of the entire process with one click.
This structured approach not only reduces direct costs but also significantly improves communication and coordination on the construction site.
Increase productivity through real-time translation for international teams
On German construction sites, teams from all over the world work together. The proportion of foreign workers in the construction industry has risen sharply since 2010 and was 23% in 2022. Language barriers are an everyday challenge and a common cause of misunderstandings, errors, and work accidents. An app that provides live translation directly in the familiar communication environment like WhatsApp overcomes these hurdles. Clear instructions in the employees’ mother tongue can reduce the error rate by up to 15%. Valoon integrates an automatic translation function that enables smooth communication in over 20 languages. This not only promotes efficiency in the trades, but also safety and satisfaction within the team. When every employee understands instructions and safety warnings immediately, costly rework and dangerous situations are avoided.
Conclusion: Your advantage with Valoon – More time for what matters
Digitalization offers enormous potential for time savings on the construction site via app. By automating routine tasks such as construction documentation, time tracking, and defect management, you and your employees can reclaim valuable time. Valoon relies on maximum simplicity, building on the proven WhatsApp platform to ensure team acceptance. You benefit from increased efficiency through streamlined processes and gain legal certainty through comprehensive, unchangeable documentation. Focus back on your core business – the successful execution of construction projects. Book your free demo now and find out how to set the course for a more profitable future in just 30 minutes.
More Links
de.digital provides information on the Digitalization Index for Germany and the status of digitalization in various sectors.
Fraunhofer IESE publishes a blog article about a study on digitalization in the construction industry.
German Institute for Structural Engineering (DIBt) provides FAQs on the German regulatory system for construction products and types.
PwC highlights in an article the pressure under which the construction industry operates.
Platform Industry 4.0 presents a case study on the connected construction site in the construction industry.
Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) offers extensive statistics on the subject of construction.
Wikipedia provides an article on project management in construction.
Main Association of the German Construction Industry dedicates its theme page to digitalization.
FAQ
Do my employees need to install and learn a new app?
No, not with Valoon. Your employees on the construction site continue to communicate as usual via WhatsApp. All information is automatically and legally securely processed in the background. Only the project and construction managers in the office use the Valoon web application for control and analysis.
Is documentation via WhatsApp legally secure?
Yes. Valoon ensures that all data (photos, texts, voice messages) sent via WhatsApp are stamped with an unchangeable timestamp and location and stored in compliance with GDPR on German servers. This results in a seamless and legally secure documentation for every process.
How does digital time tracking work with Valoon?
Employees simply log in via WhatsApp with ‘Start’ and log out with ‘Stop’. The app automatically records the times and assigns them to the correct project. Break times can also be recorded. The data is immediately available in the office for payroll accounting and post-calculation.
What does it cost for employees on the construction site to use Valoon?
For employees on the construction site, use is completely free. Costs only apply to users in the office (e.g., site managers, project managers) who manage and analyze the data. This model lowers the entry barrier and promotes acceptance across the entire team.
Can external partners such as subcontractors be included?
Yes, you can easily add subcontractors and other external partners to individual project groups. This allows you to assign defects directly and track the remediation status without the external partner needing a license. All communication is also legally securely documented.
How quickly is Valoon operational?
Valoon is typically fully implemented in your company within a day. Since no training is required for employees on the construction site and setting up projects in the office is very intuitive, you can immediately start increasing efficiency.
