Running a home improvement business involves more than power tools and project timelines — it’s also about people, processes, and profits. To stay competitive, you need to juggle lead tracking, quoting, job costing, project management, and follow-ups — all while delivering top-tier customer satisfaction.
Builder Prime and Method CRM are two of the top CRM options for home improvement professionals. But which one is the right CRM for your business?
In this guide, we compare Builder Prime vs Method CRM by pricing, automation features, workflows, and ease of use. No matter if your top priority is profit margins, team collaboration, or streamlining customer satisfaction, we help you find the best fit.
Let’s dive into the details so you can choose the CRM software that matches your business needs.
What to look for in CRM software for home improvement businesses
Before diving into the full comparison, let’s highlight what matters most in a CRM for home improvement contractors:
- Automation: Eliminate manual follow-ups, assign tasks, and send updates automatically.
- Job costing: Keep tabs on project expenses, change orders, and overall profitability to maintain a healthy bottom line.
- Project management: A CRM should help manage your sales pipeline and your job progress, not just your contacts.
- Customization: No two businesses operate the same way. Your CRM should adjust to your workflows.
- QuickBooks integration: For most contractors, QuickBooks is your accounting lifeline. A strong sync prevents double entry.
- User-friendly design: Your team can’t adopt it if they don’t understand it.
- Team collaboration: Everyone from sales to site staff needs to be on the same page.
What is Builder Prime?
Builder Prime is a cloud-based CRM and project management tool designed specifically for home improvement contractors. From lead tracking to drag-and-drop scheduling, it combines core sales tools with powerful project management functionality.
Many home improvement contractors choose Builder Prime because of its built-in tools for estimating, invoicing, job costing, and subcontractor coordination. It’s often marketed as an all-in-one solution for growing businesses in the home improvement space.
However, while it offers strong native features, some users find that its integrations with external tools like QuickBooks are limited. If your workflows rely heavily on syncing customer data and financials, this could be a challenge.
What is Method CRM?
Method CRM is a fully customizable CRM software built for small and mid-sized businesses that use QuickBooks. It’s a flexible solution that helps you streamline sales, manage follow-ups, and improve customer satisfaction across every step of the sales process.
Method’s biggest strength is its deep QuickBooks integration. Customer information, estimates, invoices, and payments sync automatically in real time, eliminating double data entry and ensuring that your accounting software and CRM stay in perfect alignment.
For home improvement contractors who want to maintain accurate financials while also improving client follow-ups and job tracking, Method CRM offers the best of both worlds.
Builder Prime vs Method CRM: Feature comparison at a glance
Here’s a quick comparison of Builder Prime vs Method CRM to help you assess which CRM software best fits your home improvement business:
Feature | Method CRM | Builder Prime |
Real-time QuickBooks sync | 🟢 Excellent | 🟡 Limited |
Drag-and-drop workflow builder | 🟢 Yes | 🟢 Yes |
Built-in job costing | 🟡 Available via Quickbooks sync | 🟢 Yes |
Customizable automations | 🟢 High flexibility | 🟡 Less flexible |
Invoicing and payments | 🟢 Real-time sync | 🟡 Requires manual entry for certain steps |
CRM software functionality | 🟢 Full-featured | 🟡 Tailored to contractors |
Lead tracking and follow-ups | 🟢 Highly customizable | 🟢 Built-in tools |
Subcontractor management | 🟡 Customization available | 🟢 Yes |
Project management tools | 🟡 Light features | 🟢 Built for jobs |
Mobile access and dashboard | 🟢 Optimized | 🟡 Basic access |
Ease of use | 🟢 Intuitive | 🟡 Moderate learning curve |
Both platforms offer powerful features, but Method CRM stands out with its flexibility and strong accounting integrations.
Comparing Builder Prime vs Method CRM by feature
Let’s take a closer look at what each CRM excels at and consider which features may best suit your needs.
QuickBooks integration
Method CRM wins this round without question. It offers the most powerful QuickBooks integration available. Its two-way sync allows for your invoices, estimates, payments, and customer data to sync in real time. You never have to enter information twice, which saves hours and prevents errors.
Builder Prime, while strong in many areas, has a more limited QuickBooks sync. It may require third-party tools or manual updates to keep accounting data aligned.
If you’re a QuickBooks user looking for a CRM to streamline your workflow, Method CRM is the better choice.
Job costing and invoicing
Builder Prime includes job costing and invoicing tools tailored for home improvement contractors. You can generate estimates, track materials and labour costs, and convert them into invoices easily.
Method CRM, on the other hand, leverages its QuickBooks integration to manage job costing and invoicing through your accounting software. This provides more flexibility if you already rely on QuickBooks for financial reporting.
If you prefer to keep everything on one platform, Builder Prime may appeal to you. But if you want your CRM and accounting systems to work together seamlessly, Method CRM comes out ahead.
Sales process and lead tracking
Builder Prime offers a structured lead tracking system with visual workflows to help you monitor prospects and close deals. You can track where each lead comes from, what stage they’re in, and assign follow-ups to team members.
Method CRM also offers strong lead management tools, with customizable templates and automation. You can build workflows that reflect your unique sales process and automatically assign leads based on rules or criteria.
Both CRMs perform well here, but Method offers more flexibility if you need to adjust your workflow as you grow.
Automation and customization
With its powerful automation tools, Method CRM lets you create personalized follow-ups, route leads, and trigger tasks automatically. You can customize fields, forms, and dashboards to reflect your unique business processes, without needing a developer.
Builder Prime also has automation capabilities, but they are more predefined. If you prefer a ready-to-go system that’s already structured for contractors, this may work for you. But for those who want more control, Method CRM is the winner.
Project management
Both CRMs offer project management tools tailored to home improvement contractors.
Builder Prime lets you manage jobs from lead to completion, assign tasks, schedule crews, and track progress using drag-and-drop functionality.
Method CRM provides project management tools with customizable views, time tracking, and integration with accounting software. It may not be as visually oriented out of the box, but it adapts well to complex or unique workflows.
Builder Prime delivers out-of-the-box functionality. However, Method CRM is the better fit for customizable, QuickBooks-connected project oversight.
Ease of use and team collaboration
Method CRM is known for its user-friendly interface. It makes training easy and helps teams adapt quickly, even if they’re not tech-savvy. The dashboards are clean, and team members can work together on the same customer records without confusion.
Builder Prime is also user-friendly and intuitive for contractors, especially those familiar with spreadsheets and project timelines. The visual workflow makes it easy to follow leads and jobs through every stage.
Ultimately, both are built for ease of use, but Method’s customization and flexibility give it a slight edge for growing teams with evolving needs.
Who should choose Method CRM?
Choosing the right CRM comes down to the type of business you run and the tools you rely on daily. If you’re a service-based business looking to connect sales, operations, and QuickBooks in real time, Method CRM could be your perfect match.
Choose Method CRM if:
- You use QuickBooks and want to sync your data in real time.
- You’re looking for a customizable CRM with powerful automation.
- You want to streamline your invoicing, lead management, and job tracking in one system.
- You value excellent customer support and an intuitive interface.
- You want your CRM to scale with your business as you grow.
Method CRM is ideal for home improvement businesses that want full visibility across sales and operations, without juggling disconnected tools.
Who should choose Builder Prime?
Builder Prime was built with home improvement contractors in mind. If your business revolves around managing jobs, tracking subcontractors, and measuring project success, this all-in-one platform may be exactly what you need.
Choose Builder Prime if:
- You want an all-in-one CRM tailored to contractors with built-in job costing and scheduling.
- You prefer a plug-and-play tool that is ready to use with minimal setup.
- You don’t mind using QuickBooks separately or having a bookkeeper handle your accounts.
- Your focus is on estimating, scheduling, and managing construction jobs visually.
Builder Prime is great for home improvement contractors who want to keep everything under one roof and prefer predefined structures.
FAQs
Got questions? Here are the most common things people ask when deciding between Method CRM and Builder Prime.
Is Builder Prime a CRM?
Yes, Builder Prime is a CRM software designed for contractors. It combines sales, estimating, scheduling, and project management features in one system.
Does Method CRM work with QuickBooks?
Yes. Method CRM offers a real-time, two-way sync with QuickBooks, giving you full control of your estimates, invoices, and customer records without duplication.
Which CRM is better for job costing?
Builder Prime includes native job costing tools. Method CRM pulls job costing data from QuickBooks, making it a better choice if your accounting team relies on QuickBooks.
Can both CRMs help with follow-ups?
Yes. Both Method CRM and Builder Prime allow you to create workflows for follow-ups. Method CRM offers more automation and customization options.
Final thoughts: Builder Prime vs Method CRM
If you’re in the home improvement business, both Method CRM and Builder Prime offer tools to help you grow, improve customer satisfaction, and streamline your workflows.
But they take different approaches.
Builder Prime is best if you want a ready-made, all-in-one solution designed for home improvement contractors. It’s a strong tool for managing subcontractors, projects, and job costing within one streamlined system.
Method CRM, on the other hand, gives you ultimate flexibility. It’s a better fit if you want to automate your sales process, integrate seamlessly with QuickBooks, and customize your CRM to match your exact business processes.
Still deciding? Start with what matters most to your team, but if syncing with QuickBooks is part of your daily workflow, Method CRM is tough to beat.