Help Center

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Find guides, tutorials, and answers to help you get the most out of BuildStep.

Getting Started

What is BuildStep?

BuildStep is the home building management app for builders and superintendents. Track construction progress, manage schedules, and keep your projects organized across all your Apple devices with iCloud sync.

Quick Setup Checklist

1

Create a Process Template

Define your build steps with durations. Go to Admin > Manage Processes > + to create your master template.

2

Set Up Subdivisions

Organize houses by subdivision. Go to Admin > Manage Subdivisions to group your projects.

3

Configure Scheduling

Set your working days preferences in Settings > Scheduling Defaults. Include or exclude weekends and holidays.

4

Add Your First House

From the Dashboard, tap + to add a house. Assign your process template and set a start date.

App Navigation

BuildStep uses four tabs: Dashboard (your houses), Calendar (weekly schedule), Admin (processes, subdivisions, contacts), and Settings (preferences & account).

Core Features

Dashboard

View and manage all your houses in one place. Filter by status, organize with favorites, and track progress at a glance.

  • View houses organized by subdivision
  • Filter by Active, Sold, or Complete status
  • Star favorites for quick access
  • See progress indicators and next steps

Build Steps & Status

Track construction progress with clear status indicators. Update steps as work progresses through your build.

  • Status types: Not Started, Scheduled, Confirmed, In Progress, Completed, Skipped
  • Quick update via long-press or swipe actions
  • Assign contacts to each step
  • Add notes and record actual dates

Calendar View

See your week at a glance. Plan ahead and coordinate work across all your active houses.

  • Weekly overview of all scheduled steps
  • Navigate between weeks easily
  • Tap entries to view details or update status
  • Only active steps appear (completed steps hidden)

Scheduling Engine

Understand how BuildStep calculates estimated completion dates based on step durations and your settings.

  • Dates calculated from start date + step durations
  • Respects weekend and holiday settings
  • Steps chain sequentially
  • Recalculate anytime after changes

Setup & Configuration

Settings & Preferences

Customize scheduling defaults, manage holidays, and configure how BuildStep works for you.

  • Include/exclude weekends
  • Include/exclude holidays
  • Display completion estimates
  • Manage your holiday calendar

Managing Contacts

Keep your contractor and vendor directory organized. Assign contacts to build steps for easy tracking.

  • Add contractors and vendors
  • Assign contacts to build steps
  • Store phone and email info
  • Quick access from step details

Process Templates

Create reusable templates for consistent builds. Define steps once, apply to every new house.

  • Define step names and durations
  • Set the build sequence order
  • Edit templates anytime
  • Changes apply to new houses only

Admin Features

Manage processes, subdivisions, contacts, and view archived houses all in one place.

  • View status legend
  • Manage subdivisions
  • Access archived houses
  • Organize your workspace

Frequently Asked Questions

General

What devices does BuildStep support?

BuildStep runs on iPhone (iOS 17+) and iPad (iPadOS 17+). Your data syncs between all devices via iCloud.

Do I need an internet connection?

You can work completely offline. Changes sync automatically when you reconnect to the internet.

Is my data secure?

Yes. BuildStep uses Sign in with Apple for authentication and iCloud for encrypted storage. Your data is private.

Houses & Build Steps

Why don't I see build steps for my house?

Make sure you assigned a process template when creating the house. Build steps are generated from the process.

Can I add steps to an existing house?

Build steps come from the process template assigned at creation. To add different steps, create a new house with a different process or mark unneeded steps as Skipped.

How do I archive a completed house?

Open the house, tap Edit, change status to "Complete" or "Sold", and save. Find archived houses in Admin > Archived Houses.

Scheduling

Why don't I see estimated dates?

Go to Settings and enable "Display Completion Estimates". Also ensure your house has a start date set, then tap "Recalculate Schedule".

How are dates calculated?

BuildStep adds up step durations from your start date, skipping non-working days (weekends/holidays based on your settings).

Why did my schedule change?

Check if you changed the start date, modified scheduling settings, added/removed holidays, or recalculated the schedule.

Subscription

What's the difference between Free and Pro?

Free includes limited houses and processes. Pro offers unlimited houses, unlimited processes, and priority support.

How do I upgrade to Pro?

Go to Settings > Upgrade to Pro and complete the purchase through the App Store.

What happens if I cancel Pro?

Pro access continues until your billing period ends. After that, you revert to Free tier limits, but your existing data is preserved.

Account & Subscription

Free Tier

  • Limited number of houses
  • Limited process templates
  • All core features included
  • iCloud sync across devices

Pro Tier

  • Unlimited houses
  • Unlimited process templates
  • Priority support
  • All future Pro features
View Pricing

Data Sync

Your data syncs automatically via iCloud across all your Apple devices. Work offline and changes sync when you reconnect. Sign out and back in without losing data—it's all safely stored in your private iCloud container.

Still need help?

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Contact Support

Pro subscribers receive priority support