The verdict in three sentences
A custom construction site tracking platform runs in 2026 between 45 000 and 130 000 EUR, field mobile app and offline mode included. The real challenge is not a pretty interface but the offline mode: on a site with no network, a tool that does not work is a tool that gets abandoned. The return comes from eliminated administrative data entry and handover disputes avoided thanks to time-stamped photo reports.
What the budget covers
Site tracking assembles several bricks: crew time tracking, visual reports, progress and progress-billing.
| Module | Scope | 2026 order of magnitude (EUR) |
|---|---|---|
| Field mobile app + offline | Entry without network, deferred sync | 15 000 - 36 000 |
| Time tracking & hours | Geolocation, timesheets | 7 000 - 18 000 |
| Time-stamped photo reports | Evidence, annotations, client PDF | 8 000 - 20 000 |
| Reports & snag lists | Snag clearing, signatures | 7 000 - 17 000 |
| Progress billing | Progress, invoicing, final account | 9 000 - 25 000 |
| Multi-site dashboard | Margin, schedule, alerts | 6 000 - 16 000 |
A minimal field tool (offline app + time tracking + photos) starts around 45 000 EUR. Full multi-site management with progress billing reaches 110 000 to 130 000 EUR.
The administrative time gain, quantified
The hidden cost in construction is re-entry: field notes retyped in the evening, photos sorted by hand, progress statements built in spreadsheets.
| Task | Without software | With dedicated software |
|---|---|---|
| Site report | 45 - 90 min/day | 10 - 20 min/day |
| Building a progress statement | 4 - 8 h | 1 - 2 h |
| Finding a photo proof | 15 - 40 min | < 2 min |
| Monthly timesheets | 1 day | 1 - 2 h |
| Documented handover dispute | Random | Time-stamped proof |
| Estimated admin gain | — | 30 to 50 % |
For a site manager running 5 projects, that is easily 8 to 12 hours per week returned to the field.
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Mini case study
Marc, site manager at a 60-employee structural works firm in Bordeaux, runs 6 projects in parallel. He invests 72 000 EUR in an offline tool with time tracking, photo reports and progress billing. His three managers each save 9 h/week of admin, roughly 1 100 hours/year at a loaded cost of 45 EUR, nearly 50 000 EUR/year of recovered capacity. On handover disputes, two cases avoided thanks to time-stamped photos cover the rest of the budget.
FAQ
Is offline mode really essential? On most sites under construction, the network is unstable or absent. Without deferred sync, crews stop using the tool by the second week.
Can we connect our accounting/payroll software? Yes, tracked hours and progress statements export to your ERP or payroll system. Budget 6 000 to 14 000 EUR per interface.
How long to deploy? Between 3 and 6 months depending on module count, plus 2 to 4 weeks of field-crew training.
Will field workers adopt the app? Yes if the interface is simple: a few buttons, large icons, one-tap photo. Field adoption is the true success condition, not feature richness.
What maintenance budget should we plan? Between 12 and 18 % of the initial cost per year, i.e. 6 000 to 23 000 EUR, fixes and evolutions included.
Let's scope your project. Tell us your simultaneous project count, your time-tracking and progress-billing needs: we frame the scope and a budget between 45 000 and 130 000 EUR. 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.
