The sprawling and complex world of construction procurement has long been a tangled web of phone calls, text messages, fragmented emails, and on-site visits, creating a system ripe with inefficiencies and a distinct lack of real-time visibility. For project managers and site superintendents, sourcing materials and equipment rentals often means juggling dozens of disparate communication threads, making it nearly impossible to track spending accurately or ensure the most competitive prices are being secured. This disjointed process not only consumes valuable time that could be spent on core construction tasks but also directly impacts a project’s bottom line through missed savings and potential delays. In an industry where margins are often tight and timelines are critical, the need for a centralized, transparent, and streamlined procurement solution has become increasingly urgent, paving the way for technological innovation to rebuild the process from the ground up.
From Industry Insight to Innovative Solution
The catalyst for change often comes from those with firsthand experience of an industry’s deepest frustrations, a truth embodied by the journey of John Chabluk, founder and CEO of QuoteToMe. Having grown up during the pivotal transition from an analog to a digital world, Chabluk developed a unique perspective on how technology could solve practical problems. His formative professional years as a sales representative at United Rentals placed him directly at the epicenter of construction procurement’s chaos. Day after day, he witnessed contractors struggling to manage the disjointed flow of information, an experience that sparked the vision for a unified platform. He imagined a system that could centralize all communications and provide a single source of truth for every stakeholder involved in sourcing, from the initial request for a quote to the final invoice payment, thereby transforming a fragmented process into a cohesive and transparent workflow.
With this clear vision, QuoteToMe was founded in 2017 and officially launched its platform in November 2019, introducing a procurement automation software built specifically for the unique demands of contractors. The software’s core purpose is to digitize and simplify the entire buying cycle. Its primary functions allow users to seamlessly collect and compare quotes from various suppliers, providing a clear and immediate understanding of the most competitive options available. Furthermore, the platform offers real-time tracking of all project spending, eliminating the guesswork and manual reconciliation that plagues traditional methods. A key feature is its ability to automatically match invoices with their corresponding purchase orders, drastically reducing administrative burdens and minimizing errors. The company’s business model is based on a small percentage fee charged on each transaction, a structure that aligns its success with the value it delivers to its users, who report significant cost savings ranging from 10% to 30%.
Gaining Traction and Proving Value
Since its launch, the company has demonstrated impressive growth and secured a significant foothold in the North American market, validating the urgent need for its solution. While maintaining a head office in its founding city of Edmonton, the firm operates with a lean and agile 15-person team that is largely remote, reflecting a modern approach to business operations. This structure has not hindered its ability to attract substantial investment, having successfully raised approximately $8 million through multiple rounds of financing. The platform’s impact is quantifiable and substantial; it has already been used to manage over $500 million in construction procurement activities. This volume is spread across more than 10,000 distinct projects throughout North America, showcasing the software’s scalability and its appeal to a wide range of construction companies, from small contractors to large-scale developers, all seeking to enhance their operational efficiency.
The most compelling evidence of the software’s effectiveness comes from the industry leaders who have integrated it into their daily operations. Nick Bockstael, the COO of Winnipeg-based Bockstael Construction, was one of the platform’s earliest adopters. He recalls being immediately struck by Chabluk’s passion and the undeniable logic of the concept even before the company was formally established. Since implementing the software, Bockstael has confirmed that the promised benefits have materialized in tangible ways. He reports that the platform has saved his site superintendents a significant amount of time, freeing them from tedious administrative tasks to focus on project management. Moreover, the entire procurement process has been accelerated, contributing to better project timelines, while the centralized quote comparison tool has consistently yielded more competitive pricing from suppliers, directly improving the financial performance of their projects.
The Power of Authentic Expertise
This positive sentiment is shared by other major players in the industry, including Dwayne Dubois, CFO of CANA Construction. As a prominent Calgary-based firm managing a project backlog valued at over $1 billion, CANA’s endorsement carries significant weight. Dubois describes the platform as “very beneficial” and a “one-stop-shop” that has effectively streamlined their complex procurement needs into a single, manageable system. For a company of CANA’s scale, the ability to centralize purchasing, track expenditures across numerous large-scale projects, and ensure financial accountability is not just a convenience but a critical operational advantage. The platform provides a level of oversight and control that was previously unattainable through traditional methods, allowing the firm to make more informed purchasing decisions and maintain tighter control over project budgets, a crucial factor in its continued success and profitability.
Dubois also highlighted a critical element that he believes sets the company apart and underpins its success: the founder’s authentic and deep-seated industry knowledge. He emphasized that Chabluk is not merely a “software guy” attempting to disrupt a sector he doesn’t fully comprehend. Instead, he is a construction insider who genuinely understands the nuances, pressures, and day-to-day challenges of the business. This shared language and experience have fostered a highly effective and collaborative partnership. This credibility extends to the entire QuoteToMe team, which has been praised for its responsiveness and adept problem-solving capabilities. This fusion of cutting-edge technology with credible, hands-on industry expertise has cultivated a strong sense of trust among clients, assuring them that the platform was designed by people who have walked in their shoes.
A New Blueprint for Construction Procurement
Ultimately, the successful adoption of this procurement platform served as a powerful testament to the construction industry’s growing readiness to embrace digital transformation. By identifying a persistent and costly inefficiency, the company developed a practical, targeted solution that delivered clear and measurable results. The software effectively enhanced operational efficiency and drove down costs for construction firms by bringing much-needed centralization and transparency to the procurement process. The narrative of its growth underscored a critical lesson for technological innovation in traditional sectors: a robust and well-designed product was only part of the equation. The founder’s credible industry expertise and genuine passion were the essential catalysts that built trust, fostered strong client relationships, and turned a promising idea into an indispensable industry tool.
