Apps to Build a Home #BetterMoments

This post is part of my partnership with the
US Cellular Blogger Brigade Ambassador Program.

If your child wants a cellphone you need this.

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Two years ago when my husband and I began house hunting, we chatted briefly about building a house.

It would be nice to create a home specifically to our tastes, needs and wants. I began daydreaming of a custom kitchen with double ovens, a french door refrigerator and enough room to hold the whole family. My own office, decorated just the way I wanted, and a master bedroom with a walk-in closet large enough to hold my shoe collection.

It was the sound of two boys bickering the backseat that snapped me back to reality.

There was no possible way we could build a house with two small children, two full-time jobs and two people with completely different tastes and poor decision-making skills.

Instead, we opted to buy something.

However, for those of you brave enough to embark on the home-building journey today’s devices provide access to a wide variety of apps and services that can help streamline projects and improve efficiency. And with U.S. Cellular’s high-quality network and national coverage, you can stay on top of your projects in big and small cities and rural communities.

With most construction pros using their devices, such as an iPhone for work on a daily basis, there are now mobile solutions for everything from fleet management to jobsite security monitoring.

U.S. Cellular identified five of the most useful apps construction pros should know of:

 

Handyman Calculator US Cellular

 

Handyman Calculator (free): This app available for Android phones combines a multitude of construction calculators and converters that are useful to any construction or trade worker. This free app also allows users to track their time while on the go and save directly onto their notepad.

 

 

 

iHandyCarpenter US Cellular

iHandy Carpenter ($1.99): iHandy Carpenter, available for iOS and Android, combines five valuable carpentry tools into one app. Included in the app is a plumb bob level, surface level, bubble level bar, ruler and protractor. From measuring to leveling, iHandy Carpenter has all the tools you’ll need for your next carpentry project.

 

 

PlanGrid US CellularPlanGrid (free): PlanGrid for iOS is a powerful collaboration tool for construction managers and contractors that can help you make sure the job gets done on time and under budget. Contractors and architects can collaborate on project plans, specifications and photos in real time. Files that are uploaded to the app are also automatically synced across all devices. These collaboration tools can improve the quality, safety and profitability of projects.

 

 

Screen Shot 2015-09-30 at 6.59.09 PM

 

AutoCAD 360 (free): AutoCAD 360 is drawing and drafting app available for iOS and Android that allows you to view, edit and share AutoCAD drawings. You can store your blueprints on your phone and pull them up anywhere, even on the jobsite. It also allows seamless sharing with others across desktop and mobile platforms, speeding up collaboration and in turn, productivity.

 

 

Screen Shot 2015-09-30 at 6.59.33 PM

 

Contractor Estimate & Invoice (free): Available for both iOS and Android, Contractor Estimate & Invoice instantly creates invoices on the jobsite. This app streamlines estimating and invoicing saving valuable time and money that usually spent catching up on paperwork. You can also save key customer information, convert estimates directly to invoices and track invoice fulfillment all in one place.

 

 

When using your device on a job site or renovating at home, it’s important to make sure it’s properly protected. Rugged cases such as the OtterBox Defender help protect phones from debris and moisture. Additionally, a large, clear screen and fast, 4G LTE service, are key to conveniently accessing plans and collaborating across job sites.

Mobile apps are a great tool for reducing backlogs and communication gaps, two of the biggest culprits in construction project delays.

So tell me are you brave enough to build a house?

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Disclosure: Through the rest of the year I’ll be sharing some more of My BETTER MOMENTS as a US Cellular Better Moments Blogger Brigade Ambassador. All opinions are my own and an honest view of my story as a US Cellular customer. 

 

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