Construction AI launches AI-native project management platform for UK construction SMEs
Most small and mid-sized contractors still run projects on spreadsheets, messaging apps, and paper. Construction AI has entered production to change that, aiming at the 98% of UK firms priced out of enterprise software.
The company says it has built a full project management platform with artificial intelligence at the core - not as a bolt-on. The goal: give specialists, subcontractors, and small main contractors enterprise-grade capability at an SME price.
The gap management cares about
UK construction is a £170bn+ market where the majority of firms employ fewer than 20 people. Enterprise project tools often start at £10,000-£50,000 per year, leaving smaller firms on manual processes while larger competitors extend their lead.
That gap is well documented in official data on sector scale and productivity. See the ONS construction statistics for context.
What makes it different: AI at the core
This isn't a traditional app with an AI button. Intelligence is embedded in every workflow and every data layer, operating only on each contractor's own isolated data.
- Semantic search across everything: documents, drawings, specifications, and app records are embedded and indexed per tenant for context-aware results - not keyword matching.
- Structured AI workflows: generate compliant RAMS and construction programmes in minutes, aligned to UK standards, CDM, and common practice.
- OCR-powered drawing management: read, extract, and auto-catalogue drawings and specifications.
- Intelligent tender analysis, cost control, contract administration, and programme tracking - spanning 22 modules and 60+ AI-powered tools.
The AI is trained on UK construction language, contract structures, building element classifications, building regulations, and how contractors actually operate day to day. For reference, see the UK's CDM Regulations.
Built by a contractor, for contractors - with AI collaboration
Steve McKenna, MCIOB and Director of a Chartered Building Company, led the build without prior coding experience. Working iteratively with AI tools, he produced a production-grade, multi-tenant SaaS platform: 700,000+ lines of code, 186 database tables, 596 API routes, and a full suite of construction-specific modules.
It's not a wrapper or a demo. It's live software configured for real projects.
Architecture leaders can trust
- True tenant isolation: each organisation has a dedicated database and file storage, preventing cross-tenant data exposure.
- Security by design: encryption at rest, BYOK (Bring Your Own Key) API management, and fine-grained controls within each tenant database.
- AI reliability: circuit breakers for model fallbacks and non-blocking embedding pipelines to keep projects moving.
- Performance at scale: progressive rendering for large datasets and fast search over large document sets.
Practically, this means your teams work faster without handing sensitive project data to a shared pool.
Pricing that matches SME reality
Limited-time founding member offer: lifetime license for two seats at £2,000. That pricing is viable because the product was created through AI collaboration instead of a long, costly development cycle.
What this means for your team
- Produce RAMS and programmes in hours, not days. Free up planners, PMs, and QSs for higher-value tasks.
- One place for drawings, specifications, and correspondence - with search that understands construction context.
- Consistent processes across projects: tender analysis, cost control, and contract admin in a single system.
- Faster onboarding: institutional knowledge surfaces through semantic search and structured workflows.
- Data stays yours: per-tenant isolation avoids cross-organisation noise and leakage.
90-day rollout plan (practical and low risk)
- Weeks 1-2: Pick one live project. Define success metrics (RFI turnaround, programme updates, RAMS cycle time, cost variance visibility).
- Weeks 2-4: Ingest drawings, specs, and contracts. Set permissions. Map your current RAMS/programme templates to the platform.
- Weeks 4-8: Run RAMS and programme generation in parallel with your current process. Compare outputs and cycle times.
- Weeks 8-12: Expand to tender analysis and document search. Report wins to leadership with time saved and rework avoided.
Buyer checklist for AI-native construction software
- Data isolation: dedicated database and storage per tenant - not just row filters.
- UK context: trained on CDM, building regs, and common contract structures.
- Explainability: can the AI show its sources in your documents?
- Security: encryption at rest, BYOK options, and clear audit trails.
- Operational resilience: circuit breakers, rate limiting, and offline fallbacks.
- Time to value: can you pilot on one project and measure results within a quarter?
Skills for managers leading AI projects
If you're planning an AI-enabled PMO or need a structured upskilling path for your team, see the AI Learning Path for Project Managers.
"First to market" claim
Construction AI believes it is the first full project management platform in UK construction to be built fully AI-native - with intelligence embedded from the start, rather than added later. The combination of deep practitioner expertise and AI-first architecture sets a new category for SME contractors.
About Construction AI
Construction AI is an AI-native project management platform for UK construction SMEs. It delivers semantic document search, AI-generated RAMS and programmes, intelligent tender analysis, and a sector-specific knowledge base at a price point accessible to firms with fewer than 20 employees. Built by a contractor, for contractors.
Press inquiries
Stephen Mckenna
stephen [at] constructionai.io
07590044441
https://constructionai.io
49-51 Bancroft Hitchin Hertfordshire SG5 1LL
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