The Builders Exchange

What The Builders Exchange does

The Builders Exchange, Inc. is a private membership-based organization founded in 1881 that operates as a construction industry information exchange serving the Ohio market. The organization maintains three physical planroom locations in Cleveland (Valley View, headquarters), Dayton, and Toledo, complemented by a 24/7 cloud-based construction reporting platform accessible to members. The core service provides online access to project information including specifications, addenda, drawings, bidder lists, and apparent low bidder data, with the company reporting 763 projects currently bidding and 19,478 projects added in the trailing year.

The company's product portfolio centers on the Construction Reporting Service and BXBid electronic bid delivery system, which enable general contractors, subcontractors, suppliers, architects, and owners to coordinate the pre-bid and bidding process. The BXBid system manages invitations to bid, bidder lists, and bid acceptance via fax, email, or online channels, while a cloud-based Toolbox plan viewer supports digital take-offs for subcontractors. The organization also offers twelve-plus affiliate programs spanning health benefits (BXBenefits), workers compensation (Sedgwick, CorVel), surety bonds (RLI Surety), energy procurement (Ampica), supplies (Independence Business Supply), shipping (Unishippers), payment processing (EVO), and telecom discounts (Verizon), creating a bundled value proposition beyond core reporting.

The Builders Exchange operates a subscription membership model with two tiers: Standard at $825 annually ($100 application fee plus $725 dues) covering online news reporting without plans/specs/addenda, and an Upgrade tier at $1,600 annually that adds $775 for full plans, specs, and addenda access. Membership runs July 1 to June 30. Revenue is supplemented by affiliate referral commissions. The organization employs approximately 35 staff across three offices and serves over 2,500 member companies. Ownership is held through a Board of Directors structure with no external private equity or venture capital backing disclosed.

Name

The Builders Exchange

Legal name

The Builders Exchange, Inc.

Website

https://home.bxohio.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1881

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Builders Exchange is an Ohio-based, member-owned construction industry information exchange founded in 1881 that provides online project reporting, BXBid bid management, three physical planrooms, and affiliate benefit programs to over 2,500 member companies including contractors, subcontractors, suppliers, owners, and architects.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Construction Information Services

akta.pro primary industry

Construction, Home Improvement & Building Materials Marketplaces (CRAFABAO)

akta.pro secondary industry

New Construction & Builder Sales (BPAJAAAB)

Keywords

• Construction reporting services
• Planroom services
• Bid management software
• Construction project information
• Construction industry membership

Headquarters

HQ city

Maple Heights

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Standard Membership Dues: Annual company membership dues of $725 covering online construction reporting service (news portion: current projects out for bid, bidders lists, apparent low bidders, projects in pre-bid stage). Plus $100 one-time application fee.
2. Online Upgrade for Plans/Specs/Addenda: Additional $775 per year upgrade allowing access to scanned addenda, specs, and drawings. Added on top of standard membership fees.
3. Affiliate Program Commissions: The company offers various affiliate programs (health benefits, energy, workers comp, bonds, supplies, etc.) where partner companies provide services to members. These generate referral/commission revenue.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Builders Exchange operates a membership-based construction reporting service providing 24/7 online access to project information including specs, addenda, and drawings. It offers a BXBid electronic bid delivery system for managing invitations to bid, and operates physical planroom facilities in Cleveland, Dayton, and Toledo serving 2,500+ member companies across Ohio.

Product overview

The Builders Exchange operates as a construction industry information service providing a core construction reporting platform combined with planroom facilities in Cleveland, Dayton, and Toledo. The primary product is the Construction Reporting Service, an online platform offering 24/7 access to project bidding information, specifications, addenda, and drawings. BXBid® serves as an add-on electronic bid management system for members to distribute invitations to bid and collect responses. The company also offers a suite of affiliate benefit programs including BXBenefits (health insurance), the Energy Program (utility management), Workers Comp Program, BXBonds, CorVel claims management, Independence Business Supply, Member Legal Services, EVO Payment Processing, Verizon discounts, Unishippers shipping, R&K Technologies equipment discounts, and the Drug Free Safety Program. Membership tiers include Standard ($825/year) for basic online reporting and an Upgrade membership ($1,600/year) adding full plans, specs, and addenda access.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• BXBid: A time-saving bid delivery system for managing Invitations to Bid, allowing companies to communicate by fax, email, or both, and accept bids online.
• BXBonds

Products and services

• Construction Reporting Service Online construction reporting platform providing 24/7 access to project information including specs, addenda, and drawings for member companies across Ohio. Includes current projects out for bid, bidders lists, apparent low bidders, and projects in pre-bid stage.
• BXBid Electronic bid delivery system enabling general contractors to manage invitations to bid, communicate with bidders via fax or email, accept bids online, and track bid responses. Includes complimentary set-up and expert customer service.
• Toolbox Plan Viewer Cloud-based online take-off tool for subcontractors to perform digital take-offs and view plans for construction projects.
• Planroom Services Physical planroom facilities located in Cleveland, Dayton, and Toledo providing access to construction documents and project information for members unable to access digital tools.

Named customers1 record

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• BXBenefits (Builders Exchange Benefits)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPreferred broker for health benefits for Builders Exchange members. Provides discounted group medical, dental, and optical coverage, discounted group life and disability plans, Medicare, Profit Sharing and 401(K) Plans. Contact: Scott Tovissi at 412-586-0300.
• Ampica Energy SolutionscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEnergy management partnership providing full suite of energy services to BX Members. Utilizes competitive bid process for best rates. Also provides efficiency and infrastructure upgrades through capital-free project structures for lighting, HVAC, power quality systems. Contact: Ashley Grandetti at 216-393-6300.
• SedgwickcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorProgram administrator for workers' compensation, representing employers across industry classifications. Manages group rating programs and other BWC discount programs. Contact: Ashley Grandetti at 216-393-6300.
• R&K TechnologiesminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorProvides 30% discount on HP wide-format equipment and 25% discount on inks, toners and paper for wide-format equipment. Also offers all ink and paper at no charge with HP wide-format device acquisition. Contact: Tim Rollins at 440-327-1530.
• RLI Surety (MyBondApp)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorProvides quick access to Contractor's and License Permit Bonds through BXBonds program. MyBondApp allows purchasing bonds directly from project reports. Apply, pay and receive bond documents in few steps. Contact: Ashley Grandetti at 216-393-6300.
• CorVelcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorManaged healthcare and disability management services for workers' compensation. Partnered with Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation (BWC) through Health Partnership Program (HPP). Contact: Ashley Grandetti at 216-393-6300.
• Independence Business SupplyminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOver 50,000 items available with specially negotiated pricing for BX Members. Includes plotter paper discounts and free shipping. Contact: Lennie Brown at 440-525-0784.
• EVO Payment ProcessingminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorProvides specialized B2B payment processing technology with cost savings and concierge service for members. Contact: Ashley Grandetti at 216-393-6300.
• NPP (National Provider Portal) / VerizonminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEligible businesses receive 22% off monthly access fees and up to 35% off select accessories through Verizon partnership. Contact: Ashley Grandetti at 216-393-6300.
• UnishippersminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPlatinum Shipping Program providing savings on UPS and heavy freight. Leverages combined shipping volume for best rates. Access to over 30 freight carriers for LTL and FTL shipping. Contact: Jeff Williams at 800-998-6335.
• Working PartnersminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDrug-free workplace compliance assistance. Helps qualify for workers' compensation and insurance discounts, grants, and special funding. Provides policy development, employee education, supervisor training, and ongoing consultation. Contact: (614) 337-8200.
• SOCA (Southern Ohio Chamber Alliance) / Anthem Blue Cross and Blue ShieldcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSOCA Benefit Plan offering small group employers participation in a large, self-funded pool backed by Anthem. Health plan option through BXBenefits broker. Contact: Scott Tovissi at 412-586-0300.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• BuildingConnected (Autodesk): BuildingConnected, now part of Autodesk Construction Cloud, is a digital bid management platform connecting general contractors with subcontractors for invitation-to-bid workflows. It is directly comparable to BXBid and the Builders Exchange's reporting platform, offering similar functionality (bid invitations, bid lists, document distribution) but at national scale and with deeper integration into Autodesk's preconstruction stack.
• ConstructConnect: ConstructConnect is a leading national construction bidding platform providing project leads, bid management, and prequalification tools to GCs and subcontractors. It is directly comparable to The Builders Exchange because both monetize construction project information and bidding workflows through subscription models serving overlapping customer segments (GCs, subs, suppliers).
• BidClerk: BidClerk is an online construction project lead service providing commercial construction project data, plans, and specifications to subcontractors and suppliers. It is comparable to The Builders Exchange's online reporting service as both monetize subscription access to project leads and construction documents for the subcontractor and supplier audience.
• SmartBid (ConstructConnect): SmartBid is a web-based invitation-to-bid and bid management platform used by general contractors to distribute bid invitations and manage subcontractor responses. It is directly comparable to BXBid for bid delivery functionality, though SmartBid focuses exclusively on this workflow rather than the broader construction reporting and planroom services the Builders Exchange offers.
• PlanHub: PlanHub is a construction bidding and project management platform that helps subcontractors find projects, perform digital take-offs, and submit bids. It is directly comparable to The Builders Exchange's online reporting and BXBid offerings, serving the same subcontractor customer base with similar subscription-based access to project leads.
• iSqFt (ConstructConnect): iSqFt is a construction bid management platform (now part of ConstructConnect) that provides take-off, project leads, and bid invitation tools to commercial subcontractors and general contractors. It is comparable to The Builders Exchange in serving subs and GCs through subscription-based access to project information and bidding tools, but operates nationally.

Emerging players

• Bluebeam (Nemetschek): Bluebeam (part of Nemetschek) provides digital markup, take-off, and collaboration tools widely used in construction preconstruction and project document review. It is comparable to The Builders Exchange at the workflow level (digital take-offs, plan review), serving overlapping subcontractor and GC customers, though Bluebeam focuses on document collaboration software rather than project reporting.

Regional players

• AGC of Ohio (Associated General Contractors): AGC of Ohio is the Ohio chapter of the national Associated General Contractors association, serving general contractors in Ohio with advocacy, education, and member services. It is comparable to The Builders Exchange as a regional Ohio construction membership organization serving overlapping GC and subcontractor audiences, though AGC's focus is advocacy and education rather than project reporting and bidding.

Broad incumbents

• Reed Construction Data / CMD Group: Reed Construction Data (now part of CMD Group/Hubexo/Byggfakta) historically provided national construction project leads, bidding data, and analytics to commercial construction firms. It is comparable to The Builders Exchange as a historical peer in construction information services, though it operated at national/international scale with broader analytics and data products.
• Dodge Construction (Dodge Data & Analytics): Dodge Construction is a national construction project information and analytics platform serving general contractors, subcontractors, and owners across the U.S. It is directly comparable to The Builders Exchange as both provide construction reporting, project leads, and bidding intelligence, but Dodge operates nationally and at significantly greater scale with broader data and analytics offerings.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/BXOHINC
• Facebookfacebook.com/BXOHINC

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

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 The Builders Exchange