Winning work, 29 October 2026
Client portals for builders: what clients want to see
A client portal is a private online page where a homeowner can see their build's progress, photos, upcoming decisions, payments and paperwork without phoning you. Clients most want four things: what's happening this week, what it looks like, what they need to decide and by when, and what they owe. If a portal doesn't answer those, a weekly update message does the same job.
What do clients want to see?
The answers to the questions they'd otherwise ring you about. A homeowner spending £80,000 on an extension wants to know the build is on track, see it without driving over, and not be surprised by a decision or a bill. Most portal software offers the same core features: progress tracking, photos, central messages, documents, selections and approvals, and sometimes invoices and payments.
The stage matters. What a client wants at enquiry is different from what they want at handover.
| Stage | What the client wants to see | What you put there |
|---|---|---|
| Enquiry and quote | What happens next and when | Visit date, quote, what's included and excluded |
| Before start | Start date, who's coming, what to prepare | Programme, contacts, deposit invoice, site rules |
| During the build | Progress, photos, next week's work | Weekly update, photos, revised programme |
| Decisions | What to choose and by when | Selections with deadlines and allowances |
| Changes | What a change costs and adds in time | Variations with price and days, for approval |
| Money | What's been paid and what's next | Stage payments, invoices, balance |
| Handover | Proof it's done properly | Certificates, warranties, manuals, snagging list |
Why bother with a portal at all?
Because the calls and messages eat your evenings, and because a client who can see progress trusts you more and refers you. A builder and developer in Hertfordshire running six projects at once told us he wanted a single client view from first enquiry through to warranty. He was also worried about putting everything into one system.
suddenly they start increasing up in price… I've lost everything I've built.
Both points are fair. A portal saves time only if you keep it up to date, and it's only safe if you can take your records with you when you leave.
How do you run a portal without software?
Send a weekly update in the same format every Friday, and keep a shared folder for the documents. Clients care about the content far more than the technology. Many small builders do this well with WhatsApp, email and a shared drive.
Address: week number update DONE THIS WEEK e.g. Steel beam in, blockwork to first-floor level, drainage connected NEXT WEEK e.g. Roof timbers Mon to Wed, scaffold adapted Thu PROGRAMME On track / X days behind because of Y. Expected completion: date. DECISIONS NEEDED FROM YOU e.g. Kitchen floor tile choice by Wed 19 Nov, so we can order with 2 weeks' lead time CHANGES (VARIATIONS) e.g. V3 extra socket in utility, £85 + VAT, no extra time. Reply YES to approve MONEY Paid so far: £amount. Next stage payment: £amount due date at stage. PHOTOS 3 to 6 photos attached or link to folder Any questions, reply here and I'll answer by time.
Send it on the same day and at the same time every week. Clients stop ringing when they know when the update is coming. The programme line matters legally too: under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, where a contract with a homeowner doesn't fix a completion date, the work must be done within a reasonable time, so a written, updated programme and the reasons for any delay protect you both.
What should clients get at handover?
Every certificate and guarantee they'll need when they sell the house, in one place they can keep. GOV.UK warns that without building regulations approval, owners may not have the certificates of compliance they need when they sell. Where work is done by a member of a competent person scheme, the installer gives the customer a certificate within eight weeks of completion and can notify the council for them.
What should you check before buying portal software?
Who it suits, what it costs over a year, and how you leave. Construction platforms such as Buildertrend offer client portals with schedules, daily logs with photos, selections, change orders, messages and online payments, depending on what the builder turns on. That's useful for a firm running several high-value projects with a desk-based team; a two-person firm doing kitchens may find a weekly update and a shared folder does the job. For more on choosing between tools, see best job management software for UK trades and software contracts for trades.
Will clients use a portal?
Some will log in every day and some never will. Older clients and busy professionals often prefer a message that arrives on their phone. Whatever you use, send a notification or message when something important changes, such as a decision deadline, a variation or a payment, rather than expecting the client to check. Clients who felt informed are the ones who refer you; see referral schemes for trades. If you share progress photos, keep them private to the client unless they've agreed to public use; see posting job photos.
Where Nexley fits
Nexley is the AI back office for UK trade firms: five AI assistants run your tenders, quotes, buying, scheduling and invoicing. It connects to the tools you already work in, you run it all from WhatsApp, and you approve everything. £799 a month.
For client updates, Nexley drafts the weekly update from your voice notes and photos, prices variations from your rates for the client to approve, and keeps certificates and documents filed with the job for handover. You check and send each update on WhatsApp or email.
Common questions
What is a client portal in construction?
A secure online space where a client can see their project's progress, photos, documents, decisions and payments in one place, instead of in scattered emails, calls and texts.
Do small builders need a client portal?
Not necessarily. A weekly update in a set format, plus a shared folder for documents, gives clients most of what a portal does. A portal starts to pay when you run several projects at once and the client calls are taking hours.
Should clients be able to pay through the portal?
It helps if your stage payments are clear and the fees are acceptable. Check the card fees, who pays them, and how quickly the money reaches your account.
What happens to the portal after the job is finished?
Ask your provider before you buy. Ideally, the client keeps access to the handover pack or gets a full download of it, so they still have their certificates and warranties if the software changes.
Sources
- GOV.UK: Building regulations approval
- GOV.UK: Use a competent person scheme
- Buildertrend: Construction client portal
- Buildertrend: What is a construction client portal?
- legislation.gov.uk: Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 52 (reasonable time)
Every rule, rate and date above was checked against these sources on the date shown at the top.
Topic: Winning work
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