Design-Build Software
By Phazahn Odom | Founder of Phixmo | Former bookkeeper for residential GCs | Former NFL tight end, Pittsburgh Steelers
Design-build firms carry a project from concept through construction. That's a competitive advantage for homeowners (one team, one point of accountability) but it means you're managing more: the design phase, the estimate, the contract, the build, the cost tracking, and the client relationship throughout.
Phixmo gives you one platform to run the construction side of design-build: accurate estimates from plans, real-time job costing, contracts and change orders, and a customer portal that keeps clients informed from design through completion.
Design-build carries unique demands that fragmented tools don't serve well.
From design through construction, you're accountable for everything. That means you need cost tracking and project management that spans the full project, not just the build phase.
Since you do the design, you have plans early. Turning those plans into accurate estimates quickly is central to your workflow. AI takeoffs make this fast.
Design-build clients work with you for months, from initial design through final walkthrough. The relationship matters, and a professional experience throughout drives referrals.
Design-build projects are typically larger and longer. Tracking costs against budget in real time across a multi-month project is essential to protecting margin.
Six capabilities that carry a project from your plans through final invoice.
Since you produce the plans, you can upload them to Phixmo and get measurements extracted automatically, then generate an estimate. This turns your design output directly into an accurate construction estimate in minutes.
Design-build projects are larger and run longer, which means more opportunity for costs to drift. Job costing tracks every category against budget in real time so you protect margin across the full build.
Branded contracts, estimates, invoices, and change orders that match the professionalism of your design work. Consistent branding from the first proposal through the final invoice.
Design-build projects evolve. When the client wants to modify the design mid-build, document it, get approval, and bill it. The approval workflow keeps scope changes documented and profitable.
Clients track progress, review documents, approve changes, and communicate through a branded portal across the entire project. For long design-build relationships, this transparency builds trust.
Your construction crew participates at no per-seat cost.
Four ways, from your design output through the client relationship.
Because you have plans from your design phase, AI takeoffs turn them into accurate construction estimates in minutes. Your design output feeds directly into your construction pricing.
Design-build projects run months. Real-time job costing across that timeline catches cost drift early, protecting margin on larger, longer jobs.
From the branded proposal through the customer portal to the final invoice, the client experiences a consistent, professional operation that matches the quality of your design work.
Design-build projects change as clients see the work take shape. The change order workflow keeps every modification documented, approved, and billed.
See the AI takeoff and job costing in detail, or compare against Houzz Pro.
Phixmo Pro is $169/mo with 5 AI takeoffs a month and the full platform. Growth at $299/mo includes unlimited AI takeoffs, useful for design-build firms processing plans regularly. Field workers are always free.
Free
$0/mo
Free forever. Unlimited projects, field workers free.
2 office seats
+ unlimited free field workers
Pro
$169/mo
5 AI takeoffs/mo + full platform.
5 office seats
+ unlimited free field workers
Growth
$299/mo
Unlimited AI takeoffs.
10 office seats + $25/extra
+ unlimited free field workers
No. Phixmo manages the construction side: estimating, job costing, contracts, invoicing, change orders, and client communication. It doesn't include CAD or 3D design tools. You use your design software for design, then bring the plans into Phixmo for estimating and construction management.
Yes. Upload your blueprint PDF, calibrate the scale in 2 clicks, and the AI extracts measurements with a badge on each showing how it was derived. You review, then generate an estimate. Since you produce the plans, this is a fast path from design to construction pricing.
Phixmo tracks costs against budget in real time across the full project timeline, however long. Design-build projects running several months are well supported.
Yes. The job costing, milestone billing, and change order workflow are built to handle larger, longer projects where margin discipline across phases matters.
No. The rate you subscribe at stays your rate.