The verdict in three sentences
For a 35-person construction SME in Toronto, the real cost of a progress-tracking platform is not the sticker price but the 36-month TCO, licenses, integration and training included. A vertical SaaS at USD 25-55/user/month starts fast but scales with seats; a custom build at USD 40,000-80,000 costs more upfront but removes the per-user fee. The decision hinges on one number: cutting jobsite budget overruns from 9% to 4% frees far more than the software bill ever costs.
What a progress-tracking platform actually covers
A site manager still spends 5 to 8 hours a week consolidating time sheets, jobsite photos and estimates across scattered spreadsheets. The useful 2026 core combines estimating, progress tracking, mobile field time capture, geotagged photos, and real-time budget variance reporting.
| Item | Vertical SaaS | Custom build | Target gain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Estimates & schedules of values | Included | USD 10,000-18,000 | 2x faster estimates |
| Progress tracking | Included | USD 12,000-20,000 | Variances seen at D+1 |
| Mobile time + photos | +USD 5-12/user/mo | USD 6,000-12,000 | 5 hrs/wk/manager |
| Margin dashboard | Plan-based | USD 8,000-15,000 | Margin per job |
| Accounting/payroll link | USD 3,000-8,000 setup | USD 6,000-14,000 | Zero double entry |
36-month TCO: the real 2026 numbers
Assumption: 12 licenses (site managers, owner, estimating, back office). 2026 order of magnitude, before volume discounts.
| Scenario | Yr 1 | Yr 2 | Yr 3 | 36-month TCO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SaaS USD 30/user/mo | 8,320 | 4,320 | 4,320 | 16,960 |
| SaaS USD 45/user/mo | 11,480 | 6,480 | 6,480 | 24,440 |
| Custom USD 55,000 | 61,000 | 4,000 | 4,000 | 69,000 |
| Custom USD 75,000 | 81,000 | 5,000 | 5,000 | 91,000 |
SaaS stays lighter under 15 users. Beyond 25-30 seats, or the moment you want owned margin analytics with no per-seat fee, custom retakes the lead over 3 to 4 years.
Mini case study
Eric, owner of a structural-works SME in Toronto, runs 7 concurrent jobsites for CAD 6.5M of annual output. His average overrun sits at 9%, about CAD 585,000/year of eroded margin. Moving to 4% through real-time tracking recovers roughly CAD 325,000. Against a 3-year custom TCO of USD 69,000, payback lands in under 4 months of saved margin — before counting 5 hrs/week/manager (4 managers) reclaimed, nearly CAD 55,000/year in admin time.
FAQ
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Is a vertical SaaS enough for a 35-person firm?
Often yes to start, especially under 15 licenses. The tipping point is per-seat cost and the need for owned margin analytics: at 30 seats, a USD 45/month SaaS exceeds USD 16,000/year in recurring fees.
How much is the mobile time-and-photo module?
Budget USD 5-12/user/month in SaaS, or USD 6,000-12,000 as a custom build. It carries the best ROI: it kills re-entry and hardens your schedules of values.
How long does a custom project take?
Between 3 and 5 months for a tracking + estimating + mobile scope. An MVP (estimates then progress billing) can ship in 8 to 10 weeks to validate field use before extending.
What overrun reduction is realistic?
Moving from 9% to 4% is credible with D+1 variance tracking. On CAD 6-7M of output, that is CAD 250,000-350,000 of annual margin recovered.
Can accounting and payroll be connected?
Yes. An accounting/ERP connector costs USD 3,000-14,000 depending on the approach and removes double entry of progress, hours and supplier invoices.
Let's scope your project. Tell us your concurrent jobsite count, target licenses and indicative budget, and we'll cost SaaS vs custom over 36 months. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
