Materials supply chain disruptions and the mass retirement of older workers in the skilled trades—a trend that actually began in the 2010s—have forced preconstruction professionals and estimators to be more resourceful than ever.
Ongoing problems with materials production, transportation logistics and the recruitment of skilled workers have driven contractors and developers to find new ways to track, manage and, in some cases, negotiate prices of the materials and labor they need. Technology is filling a match-making gap for both that was previously dependent on long-term sales agreements and personal relationships.