AI IN THE FIELD: HOW METAL BUILDING ERECTORS ARE PUTTING AI TO WORK
Practical lessons from Fleming Construction Group, Rainwater Construction Company, and Briner Building
A webinar presented in partnership with the Metal Building Contractors and Erectors Association (MBCEA) and Western States Metal Roofing
What Practical AI Innovation Looks Like Inside a Construction Company
AI is generating plenty of conversation across construction. Inside working construction companies, though, the more useful question is simpler: where can a new tool actually make the work better?
That was the practical focus of a recent Metal Coffee Shop webinar featuring Steven Hudgins of Rainwater Construction Company, Justin Willett of Fleming Construction Group, and Brian Harshbarger of Briner Building. The three self-performing erectors discussed where their teams are using AI today, where human judgment still matters, and what they have learned as adoption has moved from experimentation into day-to-day operations.
The examples were less about technology for technology’s sake and more about familiar construction work: proposals, estimating, document review, scheduling, checklists, and client communication.
Watch the full webinar here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Gvu_fYedLA
Start With the Work, Not the Technology
Some of the most useful applications discussed by the panel are also some of the least flashy. In estimating and data analysis, teams can use AI to look for patterns across information such as budgeted versus actual man-hours by area. Work that could consume a significant portion of a project manager’s day can be accelerated, leaving the PM to evaluate the analysis and decide what it means.
The same principle applies to document review. The panel discussed using AI to flag contract terms and compare scope documents with baseline specifications to help surface potential conflicts. In scheduling, a project plan can be reviewed alongside current progress to identify areas that may deserve attention.
In each case, the value is not that the tool knows construction better than the people doing the work. The value is that it can help experienced people get through information faster.
Better Tools Do Not Remove Accountability
One of the clearest themes across the conversation was that AI output is still a draft. A polished response can contain incorrect information, outdated information, or conclusions that do not hold up under review.
That makes verification part of the workflow. The person using the tool remains responsible for what ultimately reaches a client, colleague, or project team.
That distinction matters in construction, where the quality of a decision depends on context, experience, and judgment that cannot simply be delegated to a generated response.
Adoption Needs Guardrails
The panel also described the learning curve that comes with introducing a new tool into an organization. Early experimentation can quickly become scattered when teams do not have clear expectations around approved uses, access, proprietary information, and review.
Participants discussed the importance of establishing usage guidelines and making deliberate decisions about who has access and what kinds of work are appropriate for the technology. Those practices are evolving along with the tools themselves.
The broader lesson is familiar: adopting a new technology is not just a software decision. It is an operating decision.
The Technology Changes. The Standard Does Not.
Construction has always evolved through new equipment, new systems, new materials, and new ways of managing information. AI is another tool entering that environment.
For the Fleming Construction Group and Rainwater Construction, the useful measure is not whether a technology is new. It is whether it helps experienced teams analyze information, communicate clearly, and manage work more effectively — without lowering the standard of accountability for the result.
That is what practical innovation looks like on the contractor side of the table: test the tool against the work, keep the people who understand the work in control, and use what genuinely makes the process better.
FAQ
How are construction companies using AI in day-to-day operations?
The panel discussed uses including proposals and presentations, estimating and data analysis, contract and document review, scheduling, checklists, and client-facing visualization. The specific applications vary by company and workflow.
Can AI replace a construction project manager’s judgment?
The discussion presented AI as a tool for accelerating analysis and administrative work, not replacing professional judgment. Project professionals still need to interpret information, verify output, and remain accountable for decisions and deliverables.
Why is human review important when construction teams use AI?
AI-generated output can contain inaccurate or outdated information. The panel emphasized treating generated material as a draft and reviewing it before it reaches a client, colleague, or project team.
What should construction companies consider when introducing AI tools?
Panel participants discussed establishing guidelines around approved uses, access, proprietary information, and review. Their experiences suggest that adoption is an operating decision as well as a technology decision.
What is Fleming’s approach to new technology?
Based on the examples discussed in the webinar, Fleming’s practical focus is on whether a tool can support real construction workflows while keeping experienced people responsible for the result.