The Cape Group wins $60M project because of Procore

The Challenge

The Cape Group wanted to grow beyond its point solution for construction management. They were looking for something that could support all of their projects, enable them to run more efficiently, and provide a comprehensive view––with a vision for the future of construction.

The Solution

The team carefully considered the features they needed, and selected Procore’s construction management platform. Procore not only greatly expanded on the functionality of the solution Cape Group had been using––which was limited to accounting––but integrated with it. Almost five years later, the company uses Procore to manage projects from Vancouver while local teams work on the ground across Canada, and eventually the United States.

Choosing a Long-Term Solution

Founded in 1956, The Cape Group is a vertically integrated real estate and development company. They develop high-quality residential and commercial buildings.

When Cape Group started using Procore five years ago, they were already an early adopter of construction software. "The industry wasn’t where it is today," says Zack Ross, Chief Operating Officer, Cape Group. "There was much less digital adoption than you see now."

The software they used prior to Procore was sold as a construction management solution, but in reality it only handled accounting well. Cape Group needed real-time budgeting and cost control, and visibility into the status of projects throughout the company. "Procore was the only solution that provided everything we were looking for," says Ross. "It was also looking like Procore was going to grow in the future which would also benefit us."

Maintaining Quality Standards On Every Project

Since adopting Procore, Cape Group has been able to identify aspects of projects that need more attention. With Procore Analytics, Ross can see how long it takes someone to respond to an RFI. "You get a vibe on who on the job needs guidance. That kind of transparency wasn’t possible with our old methods."

Cape Group is now implementing Action Plans in an effort to standardize their processes. Action Plans lets the team create templates for sequential work such as concrete pours, safety plans and quality assurance. Critical milestones are established, with Cape Group determining the criteria for completion. Company-assigned approvers control when a plan can advance to the next step. Everything, including proof of completion such as photos, is tracked in one place.

"Our goal is to standardize how we work wherever a project is––Toronto, Vancouver, Winnipeg, Ottawa. We can build our team locally, train them on Procore, and show them how we work as a company. We know that our standards of quality are being met."

Winning More Revenue by Working a Better Way

Being able to show potential clients how the company works has helped Cape Group win business. In one case, a client was initially skeptical that Cape Group could take on a $60 million project that was not in Cape’s immediate market. "They said, 'How are you going to do this, there’s no way you can do this,'" says Ross. "When we showed them how we utilize Procore, they understood how organized and efficient we are. They could see it. We won a 160,000 square-foot project because of Procore."

The company has made big strides in the last few years, from exploring how to work digitally, to integrating with Procore, and now further formalizing their processes with the Action Plans tool. Next, the development side of the business has started to use the platform, too.

"You get visibility into your entire project portfolio and where things are at, so you don’t have to take up your team’s time," says Ross.Those time savings and efficiencies have helped Cape Group work faster, win more projects and hire more workers while remaining a close-knit family business.