Why General Contractors Should Own and Control Their Subcontractor Database

Why General Contractors Should Own and Control Their Subcontractor Database

Access to reliable and up-to-date subcontractor information is critical to staying competitive. Yet many general contractors rely on third-party bidding platforms that pool their subcontractor contacts into a shared network. While this might seem convenient at first, it comes with major drawbacks from privacy concerns, inaccuracies and a loss of competitive edge.

Here’s why owning and controlling your subcontractor database is not just smart, it’s essential.

1. Protect Your Competitive Advantage

Your subcontractor relationships are a strategic asset. You've built them through years of work, trust, and successful projects. When you use a shared bidding network, your contacts can be exposed to competitors. In some cases, your best subs may start receiving bid invitations from other general contractors; potentially even bidding against you on future projects.

Owning your database means your contacts remain private, and your competitive edge stays intact.

2. Real-Time Updates, No Bottlenecks

Projects move quickly. Contact info, licenses, capabilities, and availability can change at any time. When you're locked into a system that relies on a shared network or slow support channels, making quick updates to your subcontractor list can be frustrating or even impossible.

When you own and CONTROL your own database, you can edit, add, or remove subcontractors on the fly, without waiting for third-party approvals or being limited by platform restrictions. This helps you stay up-to-date and responsive. Ultimately, receiving a higher bid response rate because your bid invitations are getting into the subs’ inbox.

A large database does not necessarily indicate accuracy. In fact, it can become complete chaos if not kept up-to-date. In some cases, general contractors who are unable to wait a couple of weeks for an email update will create yet another “new” contact in order to instantly enter the updated data into the system so they can get their bid invitations out. This so called workaround often creates multiple duplicates and makes for a very messy, inaccurate database!

3. Improve Bid Accuracy and Quality

A controlled database allows you to categorize, and prequalify your subcontractors the way you need. Want to see who has worked with you before? Filter by trade, group, insurance status, or performance rating? When you own your data, you can structure it around your processes, not someone else’s.

This level of control helps ensure that only the right subcontractors are invited to the right projects, leading to more accurate bids and better project outcomes.

4. Avoid Data Cross-Contamination

In shared networks, there’s always the risk of conflicting subcontractor information. It's possible for one general contractor to request an improper record update, and all of a sudden you're depending on inaccurate information. Worse, you might be using contact info that no longer belongs to that company or sending to a contact different from who you would normally send to. A request for a contact change from another general contractor does not necessarily indicate that the new contact is the one you usually work with. A perfectly good email for you might be updated to another contact by them.

Maintaining your own database ensures your subcontractor information is clean, accurate, and consistent, giving your team confidence during the bid process.

5. Strengthen Your Subcontractor Relationships

Subs value strong relationships with general contractors who communicate clearly. When you own your communication pipeline you can maintain professional, personalized outreach without having to compete with noise from other contractors.

It shows your subs that they’re part of your team, not just another name in a giant network.

If you lack coverage or trades, PreconSuite does have a directory of subcontractors. A contact that you download from the PreconDirectory gets added to your database. You can alter it at any moment, and it won't impact the PreconDirecotory or other general contractors. Why? Because, like all the other subcontractors in your database, it becomes your data. After that, you control and own it.

In Summary

If you’re relying on a shared network to manage your subs, it’s time to reconsider. The ability to own and manage your own subcontractor database gives you control, flexibility, and privacy all of which translate into better bids, stronger relationships, and a long-term competitive advantage.

At PreconSuite, we believe your subcontractor data belongs to you and our software is built to give you complete control over it.

Want to see how easy it is to build and maintain your own subcontractor database within PreconSuite? Schedule a demo or a FREE trial today and start taking ownership of your bidding destiny.