Buildforce: Cross-Platform Mobile App to Connect Contractors and Workers in the Construction Industry

NIX developed a cross-platform app for Buildforce: a mobile solution connecting contractors and workers in the US.

Business Domain

Construction
Service

Mobile Development
Technologies

React Native, Apollo graphQL, AWS AmplifyJS

Business Overview

Our client, Buildforce, creates digital products for the construction industry. The idea behind the startup was to connect construction workers and contractors through a software solution and thus simplify and secure their interaction.

The client’s positive past collaboration with NIX led them to gladly embrace our professional assistance, including AWS cloud consulting and development. They recognized our expertise and ability to enhance their in-house capabilities, making them confident in entrusting their cloud expansion journey to our team.

Project Scope

We needed to create an application for iOS and Android that would streamline the job searching process for construction workers—electricians at first, since the client decided to start with just one specialization and reach others after receiving a positive response from the chosen audience.

Buildforce planned to make the service free for workers while providing construction companies with paid access to the verified database of trusted and competent electricians.

Solution

Striving to deliver a relevant mobile application, the client actively researched the market and analyzed the target audience’s needs, adjusting the initial plan based on the data collected. This required our team to be flexible and quickly respond to any changes by promptly amending the development roadmap.

We gathered a team to work side-by-side with the client’s tech specialists. And although we focused primarily on front-end tasks, our experts delved into all the project details, including the backend part, at each product implementation stage. This way, NIX remained on the same page with the client throughout the entire development cycle.

Since technical and business requirements allowed for cross-platform development, we chose to create a React Native-based app, thereby additionally accelerating product delivery. To streamline the CI/CD process, we used the Bitrise tool, which is a perfect match for React Native apps due to such features as automatic project type detection, effortless dependency handling, a ready-made environment for cross-platform projects, etc.

We also paid special attention to creating a user-friendly application design, aiming to make the interface simple and convenient for all users.

Buildforce App Features

Buildforce aims to become an effective digital intermediary between workers and contractors and provide a solution that matches electrician jobs based on specific criteria—skillset, professional experience, location, etc. To this end, the app offers the following functionalities:

01
Job offerings

The application collects job positions from leading construction subcontractors and self-performing general contractors on a joint board. US construction companies send their requests for necessary experts to Buildforce managers who post these vacancies after moderation. Job postings include vital information such as pay range, start date and time, project location, etc.
02
Worker qualification check

Buildforce takes its task seriously and checks every new user (worker). This includes an introductory call with Talent Operations, during which their team verifies the electrician’s qualifications.
03
Notifications

App users get notifications about vacancies that fit them most according to the indicated parameters, including location, required qualifications, experience, and more.
04
Personalized User Profile

Electricians can use their profile as a resume (CV) and fill it out with information about their qualifications, work experience, skills, and education, as well as add certificates and licenses, if any.
05
Payment information

Users have access to their paycheck information, including earned balance and earnings history. They can also maintain their payment data, such as direct deposit accounts and social security numbers, in one spot, making it easier to communicate with an employer.
06
Offline mode

The app has an offline mode, implemented through GraphQL technology, which ensures data synchronization when the network appears.
07
Cloud support

By leveraging the capabilities of AWS Amplify for cloud resources, the project databases are deployed on AWS capacities, resulting in enhanced flexibility in management and security and effortless scalability of the application.

Outcome

By joining forces with the client’s team and harnessing the powerful capabilities of AWS cloud features, we collaboratively developed an efficient cross-platform application with an intuitive user interface. This app is now operational and available in Texas, empowering US electricians to discover new job positions effortlessly, quickly, and conveniently.

AWS-powered application’s architecture provides seamless scalability, enabling the client to expand their reach and cover other US states in the future. As AWS provides a robust and flexible cloud environment, the client’s plans for scaling the project align perfectly with AWS’s capabilities, ensuring a smooth and efficient expansion process.

Team:

7 experts (3 React Native developers, 2 QA experts, UI/UX designer, Project Manager)

Tech Stack:

React Native

NIX are great communicators for native English speakers, they work well with our timezone, they are highly organized, and most importantly, they build beautiful software. Our team cast a wide net and was highly selective when we decided to search for a software development partner, and NIX has exceeded our expectations since we chose to work with them. If you are looking for a team that performs world-class development well below the average U.S. cost, NIX is a perfect partner.