Managing Subcontractors and Vendors
Your subcontractors and vendors are the backbone of every project. BuilderMate gives you a centralized place to store contact info, track credentials, manage documents, and keep financial records for every trade partner and supplier you work with.
Who Can Access This
- Admin and Team Member — Full access to manage subcontractors and vendors.
- Field Users — Cannot see subcontractors or vendors.
Subcontractors vs. Vendors
BuilderMate uses the same system for both but categorizes them separately:
- Subcontractors — Trade partners who perform work on your projects (electricians, plumbers, framers, roofers, etc.).
- Vendors — Material and equipment suppliers.
Navigate to Subcontractors or Vendors from the sidebar to access each list.
Adding a Subcontractor or Vendor
- Click "Add" from the Subcontractors or Vendors page.
- Fill in the details:
- Name — Company name.
- Contact Name — Primary contact person.
- Email and Phone — Contact information.
- Address — Street, City, State, and ZIP.
- Specialty/Role — Select from the list: Electrical, Plumbing, HVAC, Framing, Roofing, Drywall, Painting, Concrete, Landscaping, and more.
- License Number — Their contractor license, if applicable.
- Rate — Hourly or project-based rate for reference.
- Notes — Any additional details worth tracking.
- Supplier Type — Categorize as Subcontractor, Supplier, or Both.
- Liability Insurance Expiration — Date their insurance expires.
- Bond Expiration — Date their bond expires.
- Save the record.
The Subcontractor/Vendor List
The list page shows a table of all your records with search and filtering by role or specialty. This makes it easy to quickly find, say, all your plumbing subs or all your lumber suppliers.
The Detail Page
Click any subcontractor or vendor to open their full profile. The detail page includes several tabs:
Summary
Contact information and a financial summary showing total invoiced by them, total paid, and outstanding balance.
Documents
Upload and store important files — insurance certificates, W-9 forms, license copies, and any other documentation. This is your go-to spot when you need to verify credentials or pull records for a compliance check.
Bid History
A complete list of all bids this subcontractor has submitted across your projects. Helpful for evaluating their pricing over time.
Contracts
All contracts you've created with this subcontractor, with status and links to each one.
Payment Stages
Billing milestones set up for this subcontractor on specific projects. This lets you track staged payments and see what's been invoiced and paid at each milestone.
Import and Export
- CSV Import — Bulk-add subcontractors or vendors using a downloadable template. Fill in your data and upload.
- CSV Export — Download your full list as a CSV file for reporting or sharing.
The Subcontractor Portal
Each subcontractor and vendor gets access to their own portal link where they can:
- View bid requests you've sent them.
- Submit bids with pricing and documentation.
- View and sign contracts.
- View and sign purchase orders.
Pro Tip: When onboarding a new subcontractor, fill in their insurance and bond expiration dates right away. BuilderMate will automatically alert you before these expire, so you never accidentally put an uninsured sub on a job site.