The verdict in three sentences
A custom construction field-scheduling platform costs between 25,000 and 70,000 EUR excl. VAT in 2026, depending on modules and mobile users. The main gain is measurable: -25 % unproductive time (waiting, empty trips, re-keying) within the first 6 months. For a firm with 30 to 80 field workers, payback lands in 8 to 14 months.
What a field-scheduling platform covers
The core need: see at a glance who is where, with which machine, on which job site, and reschedule live when something goes wrong. A custom platform replaces the whiteboard, the WhatsApp groups and the three spreadsheets that never talk to each other.
| Module | Key function | 2026 range (EUR excl. VAT) |
|---|---|---|
| Drag-and-drop scheduling | Assign crews/equipment per site | 6,000 - 12,000 |
| Field mobile app | Clock-in, photos, reports from site | 7,000 - 15,000 |
| Geolocation | Real-time equipment and vehicle tracking | 4,000 - 9,000 |
| Resource management | Equipment availability, conflict alerts | 3,500 - 8,000 |
| Timesheets | Approval, payroll export | 3,000 - 6,500 |
| Executive dashboard | Utilization rate, margin per site | 4,000 - 9,000 |
| Accounting/ERP integration | Sage, EBP, Batigest | 4,500 - 11,000 |
Timelines and price drivers
The standard timeline is 4 to 6 months for a production-ready V1. Three factors move the budget: the number of concurrent mobile users, offline requirements (sites rarely have 4G everywhere), and the number of integrations with existing systems.
| Company profile | Workers | Scope | 2026 budget (EUR excl. VAT) | Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Multi-crew tradesperson | 10-25 | Scheduling + mobile app | 25,000 - 35,000 | 4 months |
| Regional construction SME | 30-80 | + geoloc + timesheets | 40,000 - 55,000 | 5 months |
| Group / multi-branch | 80-200 | + ERP + BI + multi-site | 55,000 - 70,000 | 6 months |
Mini case study
Marc runs a structural-works firm in Nantes with 55 field workers and 12 concurrent job sites. Before, his site managers lost about 1 hour a day on phone coordination and empty trips. At a loaded hourly cost of 45 EUR excl. VAT, that is 55 x 1 h x 45 EUR x 220 days = 544,500 EUR excl. VAT of annual time, part of it unproductive.
By recovering just 25 % of that time, he saves roughly 136,000 EUR excl. VAT per year. His platform, priced at 48,000 EUR excl. VAT, is paid back in a little over 4 months of recovered time. He reinvests the gain into one extra job site per quarter.
FAQ
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Do I really need custom rather than an off-the-shelf tool?
If your processes are standard, a SaaS at 15-40 EUR/user/month is enough. Custom is justified when you have specific business rules (co-activity, equipment rental, subcontracting) that no tool handles cleanly: beyond 40 users, the math often tips toward custom.
Is offline mode essential?
Yes for construction. Many sites lack reliable coverage. An app that syncs clock-ins and photos as soon as the signal returns prevents 100 % of field data loss, versus daily re-keying without it.
How much is annual maintenance?
Budget 15 to 20 % of the development cost per year for hosting, updates and support, i.e. roughly 7,000 to 14,000 EUR excl. VAT/year for a 50,000 EUR platform.
How fast do teams adopt the tool?
With a simple app and a half-day of training, field adoption reaches 80 % in 3 to 4 weeks. The key: never ask a worker for more than 3 actions (clock in, take a photo, confirm).
Can we start small?
Yes. A scheduling + mobile app V1 at 25,000-30,000 EUR validates usage before adding geoloc and BI. That is the recommended approach to limit risk.
Let's scope your project. Tell us your number of field workers, concurrent sites and integrations (Sage, Batigest): we will scope a V1 between 25,000 and 70,000 EUR excl. VAT. 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.
