How Reken Reduced Admin Work by 60% in 30 Days

Running a home renovation business entails handling construction sites, subcontractors, material orders, customer expectations, and a pile of paperwork—often all at the same time. For many contractors, the true bottleneck is not the physical labour of the remodelling but the time spent scheduling calls, manually invoicing, and following up on project updates.

This case study looks at how a mid-sized home renovation company used Reken, an all-in-one project and workflow management platform for trades and renovation businesses to cut their administrative workload by 60% in 30 days, allowing the team to focus on what really grows the business: quality craftsmanship and customer relationships.

The Problem: Administrative Overload Was Slowing Down Growth

Prior to using Reken, the restoration company managed everything with a patchwork of technologies, including spreadsheets for task management, email threads for customer communication, a separate app for invoicing, and sticky notes (literally) for scheduling subcontractors.

As the business grew from handling 3-4 jobs each month to 10+, cracks began to appear:

-Scheduling chaos: Project managers would spend 2-3 hours per day manually scheduling subcontractor availability, material deliveries, and inspection dates.

-Delayed invoicing: Because invoices were generated manually after each project phase, payment cycles were extended, reducing cash flow.

-Communication gaps with clients: Homeowners were calling in for updates because there was no centralised mechanism to view project status, resulting in repeated phone calls and emails.

-Data input duplication: The identical project details — customer information, material lists, and budgets — had to be re-entered into three or four distinct programs.

-Missed deadlines: Because there was no consistent perspective of each job's timeline, minor delays in one project frequently led to missed deadlines in others.

According to the owner's estimation, administrative activities were taking up approximately 35 hours per week across the team – time that could have been spent estimating new contracts, managing crews on-site, or taking on more projects.

The company recognised that scaling further with the same manual methods was not viable. They required a system that could centralise scheduling, invoicing, and communication in one location while without requiring a high learning curve for a non-technical team.

The solution: centralised operations with Reken

The organization used Reken in three key aspects of its operations: scheduling and dispatch, client communication, and invoicing/payments.

1. Automated scheduling and dispatch. Rather than manually contacting subcontractors to confirm availability, the team utilised Reken's scheduling dashboard to allocate work, track crew availability in real time, and automatically highlight scheduling issues before they became an issue. Subcontractors received automated updates on job assignments directly from the platform, eliminating dozens of daily back-and-forth calls and SMS.

2. A Centralised Client Portal. Reken's client-facing portal provided homeowners with real-time updates on project milestones, images of finished work, and forthcoming stages – all without the need to call the office. This single adjustment reduced the majority of status-check phone calls, which had previously consumed a large portion of the project manager's time.

3. Automated Invoice and Payment Tracking Rather of manually creating invoices at the conclusion of each project phase, the team configured Reken to automatically produce and send invoices based on project milestones. Payment status was maintained directly in the dashboard, and clients received automated reminders for outstanding balances, avoiding the need for manual follow-ups.

4. Centralised Document and Data Management All customer information, material orders, permits, and budgets were combined into a single project record within Reken, reducing the need to re-enter data across numerous spreadsheets and apps.

Implementation Timeline

The rollout was deliberately kept minimal to avoid disturbing active projects:

• Week 1: Onboarding and data conversion from spreadsheets to Reken; team training on the scheduling dashboard.
• Week 2: Client portal activated for all active projects; invoicing automation configured for new milestones.
• Week 3: Complete transition of subcontractor scheduling and dispatch to Reken.
• Week 4: Review and refinement based on team feedback, including small workflow changes.

The results: 60% less administrative work in 30 days

By the end of the 30-day deployment, the firm tracked measurable gains in all areas of administrative work:

• A 60% reduction in overall administrative hours, from around 35 to 14 hours per week throughout the staff.

• 75% fewer status-check phone calls, thanks to the client portal, which provides homeowners with direct access into project progress.

• Invoicing time is reduced by more than half, with automated milestone-based invoicing replacing human production.

• The average payment collection time was reduced by 9 days thanks to automated payment reminders and better billing visibility.

• There were no double-booked subcontractors in the last two weeks of the trial period, compared to at least one scheduling conflict per week earlier.

Beyond the numbers, the qualitative impact was also substantial. The project management team reported feeling less reactive and more in control of their daily activities. Instead of calling to confirm schedules in the mornings, they were able to evaluate project budgets, follow up on fresh leads, and visit job sites.

The firm owner pointed out that the time saved did more than just relieve stress; it also increased potential for expansion. With reduced time spent on administration, the team was able to take on two new projects the next month without employing more office staff.

Key Takeaways for Renovation Businesses

This case study demonstrates a phenomenon typical in the home remodelling industry: administrative overhead frequently grows faster than revenue unless a company addresses it proactively with the correct systems. Several takeaways leap out.

1. Centralisation lowers friction. Having everything in one place (scheduling, communication and billing) avoids the double work of working on many apps.

2. Customer self-service saves time. Giving clients immediate visibility into project status dramatically reduces reactive communication.

3. Automation grows over time. Automated invoicing and reminders not only save time, but also enhance cash flow, which is equally important for a developing restoration business.

4. Small operational modifications make room for expansion. Reducing administrative work not only reduces stress, but also creates real ability to take on new projects without adding manpower.

Conclusion

This case study highlights how the correct procedures can make a significant difference in a short period of time for home renovation businesses trying to scale without drowning in paperwork. This restoration company reduced administrative work by 60% in just 30 days after implementing Reken, converting hours formerly lost to scheduling calls, manual invoicing, and status updates into time invested in business growth.

For contractors and restoration companies dealing with similar administrative constraints, the message is clear: the tools you use to manage projects behind the scenes can be as essential to your bottom line as the quality of the remodelling work itself.