What Databuild does

Databuild is an Australian software company that provides integrated estimating, accounting, payroll integration, and job cost reporting software purpose-built for the building and construction industry. Founded in 1975 by Don Norton and David Kelly while working for a roof truss supplier, the company has continuously served Australian and New Zealand builders for fifty years and was acquired by Illinois Tool Works (ITW) in September 2008 as part of its residential construction products division. The product is built as a Windows-based VB Microsoft application running on Windows 10 and Server 2016/2019 with Microsoft SQL Server (Express and Standard editions 2012 through 2022) as the primary data layer, with deployment options including Remote Desktop and Citrix. The platform combines an Estimating Module (featuring a proprietary rapid estimating process regarded as the industry benchmark) and an Accounting Module that share a single underlying data model, eliminating the data transfers that plague point solutions. The stack is integrated with KeyPay for Single Touch Payroll (STP) compliance and OnSite Companion from Companion Systems for site workflow tracking.

Name

Databuild

Legal name

Databuild

Website

https://databuild.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1975

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Databuild provides integrated estimating, accounting, and job cost reporting software purpose-built for Australian and New Zealand building and construction businesses of all sizes, from solo builders to HIA Top 100 home builders, distributed as a Windows-based perpetual license with mandatory annual maintenance.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Clayton

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Software Licensing: Core software licensing with perpetual licenses plus annual software maintenance subscriptions required for access to support, updates, and new version downloads.
2. Software Maintenance Subscription: Annual maintenance subscription required for access to software support, remote assistance via TeamViewer, online training workshops, and latest version downloads. Training courses included free for maintenance customers.
3. Additional User Licenses: Additional user licenses can be purchased as businesses grow, with user controls and permissions scalable to business size.
4. Training Courses: Online training courses through the Databuild Learning Portal. Introductory courses included free for one year with software purchase or free for maintenance customers. Intermediate and workshop courses available for separate purchase.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Databuild is an integrated building business software suite built specifically for the Australian and New Zealand construction industry, combining estimating, accounting, job costing, purchase orders, invoicing and payroll integration on a unified Windows-based database. The platform serves builders of all sizes from small residential operators through to large volume home builders, with a proprietary rapid estimating system considered the industry benchmark. It is sold via perpetual software licenses plus mandatory annual maintenance subscriptions, with optional consulting and online training services.

Product overview

Databuild is a single, unified software platform designed specifically for the Australian building and construction industry. The product consists of two primary integrated modules: the Estimating Module (with rapid estimating capabilities considered the industry benchmark) and the Accounting Module (with job cost reporting, purchase orders, and automatic invoice checking). Both modules share the same base data, eliminating data transfer errors. The platform integrates with KeyPay for cloud payroll/STP compliance and OnSite Companion for workflow management. Databuild offers supplementary services including the Databuild Learning Portal (online training), Industry Consultant Services (onsite implementation support), and a Software Maintenance Subscription (mandatory for version updates and support access). The software is Windows-based (VB Microsoft) and supports SQL Server databases, with typical 3 main releases per year.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Databuild software Integrated Windows-based estimating and accounting software for the building and construction industry in Australia and New Zealand, combining a rapid estimating module with a job-cost accounting module on a unified database. Designed for builders of all sizes from small residential operators through to large volume home builders in the HIA Top 100.
• Databuild Learning Portal Online learning portal providing introductory, intermediate and workshop-level training courses for Databuild software, available to both prospective customers and active maintenance subscribers. Introductory courses are included free for one year with software purchase or free for active maintenance customers.
• Industry Consultant Services Onsite or remote professional services delivered by approved industry consultants to assess, implement, configure and train customer staff on the Databuild platform. Used by builders transitioning to the software or scaling their Databuild deployment.

Quantifiable outcome

• Automatic report generation that would normally take hours or days to produce manually

Named customers3 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• Companion Systems (OnSite Companion)coreTechnology or Integration · 1 December 2012Workflow Management System designed specifically for the Building and Construction industry. OnSite Companion tracks progress, communicates with trades, and manages business operations. Since joining forces in late 2012, Databuild and OnSite Companion development teams have enabled more information to be transferred between the two systems, minimizing duplicate data entry. Contact: 02 9635 0000 or [email protected].
• KeyPay Cloud Payroll SoftwarecoreTechnology or Integration · 1 July 2012KeyPay was one of the first cloud-based payroll packages on the market, released July 1, 2012. Fully STP (Single Touch Payroll) compliant. Databuild 2.60+ seamlessly integrates with KeyPay pay run data for bank reconciliation, GL, and job cost reporting. Databuild developed a migration tool to assist existing payroll customers merge their payroll data into KeyPay.
• Illinois Tool Works (ITW)flagshipOthersUSA-based Fortune 200 diversified manufacturing company operating globally for over 90 years. Acquired Databuild business operations in September 2008 as part of its residential construction products division. Sister companies in APAC include Pryda, Paslode, ITW Buildex, ITW Proline, Ramset, and Reid Construction Systems.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Procore: Leading global cloud construction management platform covering project management, estimating, and accounting. Procore competes with Databuild in the Australian construction software market and is the dominant broad incumbent in the broader construction tech category.
• Sage Construction Suite: Sage's construction-focused ERP (Sage 100 Contractor, Sage 300 CRE) serves contractors with accounting, payroll, and job costing. Broad incumbent alternative to Databuild's accounting module in the SMB/mid-market construction segment.

Direct peers

• Buildertrend: Cloud-based construction project management software for residential builders and remodelers. Direct competitor to Databuild's estimating, job costing, and customer management workflow, primarily serving the US residential market.
• CoConstruct: Web-based construction management platform for custom home builders and remodelers. Comparable to Databuild in combining estimating, project management, and client communication features for the residential vertical.
• Buildsoft: Construction estimating software provider for residential builders. Direct peer to Databuild's estimating module with comparable rapid takeoff and quotation workflows tailored to the building industry.
• CostX: Specialized construction cost estimating software with 2D/3D/BIM takeoff capabilities. Direct comparator to Databuild's estimating capabilities for builders, quantity surveyors, and cost consultants.
• Foundation Software: US-based construction accounting and project management software for commercial and residential contractors. Strong functional overlap with Databuild's accounting and job cost reporting modules.

Regional players

• Jobpac: Australian construction ERP software for building, civil, and subcontractor businesses. Most direct regional competitor to Databuild in the ANZ market, with overlapping estimating, job costing, and accounting functionality.
• MYOB: Leading Australian accounting platform serving SMBs including builders. Comparable to Databuild's accounting/payroll functionality for small construction businesses in the ANZ market.

Emerging players

• PlanSwift/Trimble: Trimble's PlanSwift and related estimating takeoff tools serve construction estimators with digital measurement and quote workflows. Competes with Databuild's estimating module on the rapid-quantity takeoff use case.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCZnMxK1AbYA49U5QrrS5bVg
• Xx.com/databuild

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Databuild