Leveraging innovation for a competitive edge

In a market where labor shortages, rising material costs and tighter bidding competition are squeezing margins, staying ahead often comes down to how well a construction firm uses its tools.

Fort Lauderdale-based Edge Construction is leaning on technology, in the field and in the office, to do exactly that. We asked Suzanne Carballo-Martinez, director of administration, and Dena Manos, director of marketing and technology, how they're putting those innovations to work.

Interview by Margot Lester, edited by Bianca Prieto

What's the biggest challenge facing the construction industry right now, and how is Edge responding?

Skilled labor availability and rising insurance and compliance complexity are two of the biggest pressures we see industry-wide. Subcontractor risk management has become significantly more technical—from statutory employer requirements to layered insurance structures—and one weak link can delay an entire project.

Edge has responded by investing in infrastructure, not just headcount, building stronger prequalification systems and clearer documentation standards so we vet and onboard qualified subs efficiently rather than reactively. 

We lean heavily on proactive planning and strong subcontractor relationships rather than reacting once a problem arises. Rigorous prequalification means we're already working with reliable, vetted partners before issues hit, and clear compliance and insurance standards reduce the risk of delays caused by unqualified or underinsured subs. Where labor is tight, we've built structured career ladders for field leadership—assistant through general superintendent—helping address the labor pipeline from within rather than competing solely for talent already on the open market.

It's less about reacting to shortages in the moment and more about reducing our exposure to them well before they become urgent.

What does innovation look like at the jobsite?

Innovation on our jobsites often looks practical rather than flashy: better equipment tracking and accountability, clearer documentation standards and tools that match how field teams work instead of office-designed processes forced onto the field. We empower our field staff with tools that help them and our subs stay compliant, specifically through our adoption of the Breadcrumb app, which tracks who is on a jobsite and provides toolbox talks as we roll them out. We've prioritized giving field staff the same real-time access to information that the office has so nothing gets held up waiting on someone at a desk. 

How else is your team leveraging technology?

We've moved away from manual, spreadsheet-driven processes wherever they slow projects down. Procore serves as our central hub for subcontractor management and project reporting, integrated with Sage Intacct and Ramp so financial data flows without duplicate entry.

On the compliance side, we use Billy to manage subcontractor prequalification, COI tracking and insurance documentation, and DocuCrunch to help our team read and review contracts faster with AI. We are also building AI-powered dashboards for global reporting and tracking, and a custom tool to integrate our project management and financial platforms from bid to completion.

Everything is cloud-based, so our team can access accurate, real-time information from any device, whether they're in the office or on a jobsite.

How do you maintain project momentum when external factors are beyond your control?

Momentum comes from tightly controlling what we can control: documentation, communication and administrative execution. When financial, compliance and reporting systems run smoothly, project teams can focus on solving problems in front of them instead of chasing paperwork or waiting on approvals.

Fast turnaround on subcontractor compliance, accurate financial data and clear internal processes mean fewer avoidable delays layered on top of the ones we can't prevent. External factors—weather, supply chains, market conditions—aren't things we can fix, but a well-run back office means they don't compound into bigger problems than they need to be.

The Level’s Take
You don’t need to embrace every technological advancement that hits the market to reap tangible benefit from innovation. Look for friction in your current systems and investigate solutions there first. Gradual adoption allows you to make informed, relevant investments that yield solid returns. 

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