SA construction runs on documents — tenders, BoQs, drawings, RFIs, change orders, certificates. Most of it gets handled by hand: BoQs prepared in Excel from architect's drawings, tenders compiled from past projects with manual edits, site admin captured in WhatsApp groups and translated to typed reports later. AI compresses the document handling without changing how site work happens.
What we build
BoQ generation assist
From drawings to draft Bill of Quantities. Quantity surveyor reviews and adjusts; AI handles the typing.
Tender prep automation
Tender response drafts pulled from past tenders, with project-specific customisation flagged for QS review.
Site report capture
WhatsApp/voice-note site reports automatically structured into typed daily reports for clients.
RFI & change-order tracking
RFIs from site, change orders, addendums — tracked, routed, escalated automatically.
Supplier comms
Supplier RFQs, follow-ups, delivery confirmations, invoice queries — automated, audit-trail captured.
Project status reporting
Weekly client status from site data, milestone tracking, financial position — auto-compiled, human-edited.
Where SA contractors save the most time
Tender response cycle. Tender preparation that takes 2-3 weeks compresses to 1 week with AI handling first-draft BoQ, technical-section drafting from past projects, and document collation.
Site-to-office paperwork. WhatsApp site updates structured into typed reports automatically, instead of someone re-typing every Friday.
Client status reports. Auto-compiled weekly status with progress photos, milestones, financial position — instead of senior PM time spent on reporting.
What it costs
Implementation. R30,000-R140,000. Single-process pilot: R30,000-R50,000. Multi-process with project-management system integration: R75,000-R140,000.
How to start
30-min call to discuss your construction operation. Email info@faautosolutions.com or use the contact form.
Who it's for
- Mid-sized SA contractors (R10m–R200m turnover) doing public and private work
- Specialist subcontractors managing high RFQ and tender volume
- Building-services companies (mechanical, electrical, plumbing) with project ops
- Quantity surveyors and project managers with document-heavy workflows
Typical SA deployment
Representative implementation: SA Tier-2 building contractor doing roughly R85m annual turnover across 12-18 simultaneous projects. Figures illustrative.
Baseline: tender preparation cycles of 2-3 weeks consuming senior QS and PM time. Site reports submitted via WhatsApp by site agents, retyped into typed weekly client reports by office staff. RFI and change-order tracking lived in mixed Excel spreadsheets and email threads.
What we built: tender response drafting tool pulling from past successful tenders, project-manager AI assistant trained on the firm's project library, structured site-report capture (WhatsApp/voice notes auto-transcribed and structured), RFI and change-order tracking integrated with the firm's existing project software.
Representative results after sixteen weeks: tender response cycle down from 2-3 weeks to ~9 working days; senior QS time freed for the technical sections that genuinely needed expertise; site-to-office paperwork reduced significantly with weekly client status auto-compiled from real site data; RFI response time meaningfully improved.