In short:
- Contractors everywhere are feeling economic pressure from high costs and tight margins.
- The real challenge isn't finding projects but finding the right work fast.
- AI has shifted from theory to practice, with preconstruction professionals actively testing AI in their everyday workflows.
We had the chance to connect with hundreds of construction professionals this quarter at some of the biggest events in the industry:
- World of Concrete: Las Vegas, NV (January 19–22)
- AHR Expo: Las Vegas, NV (February 2-4)
- Build Expo: Atlanta, GA (February 25-26)
- CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2026: Las Vegas, NV (March 3-7)
- AWCI Build26: New Orleans, LA (March 15-18)
We showed up to demo, connect, and listen. Here’s what we’re hearing on the ground so far in 2026.
The economy is a main topic.
It doesn’t matter if you’re a small trade contractor in the Midwest or a GC managing multi-state projects, the rising cost of doing business came up in nearly every conversation we had this quarter. Materials are expensive. Labor is tight. Margins are thinner than they used to be.
What that means in practice: contractors have to be selective about where their time and money go now more than ever. Inefficiencies are harder to absorb than they were just two or three years ago.
The contractors who seem to be navigating today’s uncertain economy best aren’t necessarily the biggest contractors. Instead, they are the ones who’ve gotten strategic about which opportunities they pursue and how fast they can move on the right ones.
If you’re looking to stay on top of how economic shifts are affecting preconstruction specifically, our Economic Insights Center is a good place to benchmark. We keep it updated with the latest data and insights, so you don’t have to go hunting for it. It’s everything you need in one place.
Finding the right work is harder than it looks.
Something that came up again and again at the booth is that contractors aren’t struggling to find projects. They’re struggling to find the right projects and cut through all of the noise in between.
We had more than a few conversations that started with someone describing hours lost sifting through irrelevant leads. In several cases, we pulled up their ConstructConnect® Project Intelligence searches right there at the booth and made a few quick adjustments. The reaction was almost always the same: genuine surprise at how much the platform could do.
This was one of the most rewarding parts of getting out into the field this quarter. Project Intelligence is a powerful tool. Seeing contractors discover a capability or a search refinement they hadn’t used before, and immediately grasp how much time it could save them, was a good reminder of why these in-person conversations matter. Sometimes, all it takes is one small tweak to unlock a lot of value.
Contractors are using AI in their everyday workflows.
We expected AI to come up in our conversations, but what surprised us most was the level of hands-on experimentation we actually encountered.
Some contractors are still hesitant about using AI, but a large number of individuals we talked to have already started using AI in their everyday workflows. Some are using AI tools that integrate with their software while others are stitching together their own automations and building their own AI workflows.
Our takeaway? The interest in AI isn't theoretical anymore. People are trying things.
The conversation has shifted from "Should I use AI?" to "How do I use AI to win more work?" Specifically, we heard a lot of interest around using AI to move faster in the estimating process. Not to replace judgment, but to eliminate the repetitive work that can oftentimes eat up a lot of hours.
It's a sentiment we've heard from our own customers, too. In a recent conversation with painting contractor, Bill Brady, he put it plainly, "AI is the way the industry is moving forward. I would recommend getting in front of it rather than playing catch-up because most of your competitors are probably using it."
The individuals leaning into it early share one thing in common: they're not waiting for a perfect solution. They're experimenting, learning, and building a competitive edge while others are still on the fence.
Conversation Spotlight: A $500K win hiding in plain sight.
One of our favorite things about attending trade shows is meeting ConstructConnect customers and hearing how the tools we build are helping them.
At a recent event, an excavating contractor from a small Missouri town knows everyone in his local industry. He's well-connected, well-respected, and plugged into his community. He even sits on the local fire board. So when a $500,000 project came to his town, you would think he would've known about it through his connections.
He didn't. Neither did anyone in his networks.
But he found the project on ConstructConnect Project Intelligence before anyone else did. He made the call early, got in front of the right people, and ultimately won the bid. That single project accounted for a third of his revenue for the year.
When we asked what made the difference, his answer wasn't just about the project data. He said the contact information is what is truly valuable because in construction, relationships are everything. Project Intelligence helped him build connections he didn't even know he was missing.
He summed it up better than we could: "You can have the best bulldozer on the market, but if you don't have a project to put it on, it's worthless."
What we’re learning from the ground.
The conversations we had on the ground this quarter reinforced the same thing: preconstruction pros are sharp, adaptable, and looking for an edge in a competitive market. The pressure is real, but so are the opportunities.
Got thoughts on what you’re seeing in the field? We’d love to hear from you. Send us an email to connect with our team.
