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The AI Toolkit
64 AI tools, sorted by the job they do, with a plain-English note on what each one is actually good for. I've tested or researched every one. The brass ones are what I use myself.
Showing 64 of 64 tools
Everyday AI assistants
Claude
FreemiumDraft proposals and contracts, read building codes and zoning docs, review plan sets, and write SOPs. Strong with long documents.
Jennifer uses thisChatGPT
FreemiumDraft client emails and scopes of work, turn notes into punch lists, brainstorm, and summarize meetings. Great for concept images too.
Jennifer uses thisGemini
FreemiumGoogle's assistant. Handy if you live in Gmail, Docs and Drive: summarize spec sheets and draft RFIs where your files already are.
Microsoft Copilot
FreemiumBuilt into Outlook, Word and Excel. Draft emails, summarize meetings, and get help with budget and schedule formulas.
Perplexity
FreemiumA search engine that answers with sources. Research products, code requirements, material specs and pricing, and see where each answer came from.
Jennifer uses thisGoogle NotebookLM
FreeUpload spec books, code sections or meeting recordings and ask questions about them. Makes audio summaries you can listen to in the truck.
Julius AI
FreemiumUpload a messy spreadsheet and ask questions in plain English. Get charts and answers without Excel formulas.
Kimi
FreeHandles very long documents. Upload a full spec book or contract set and ask questions across all of it.
Groq
FreeExtremely fast answers for quick lookups and brainstorming.
Writing, email & voice
Wispr Flow
SubscriptionTalk instead of type, in any app. Dictate emails, notes and messages naturally. A favorite for people who hate typing.
Jennifer uses thisVoiceInk
One-time purchaseVoice-to-text for Mac. Dictate field notes and emails hands-free while you walk a job.
Fyxer
FreemiumAn AI inbox assistant. Sorts your email and drafts replies in your voice for you to approve.
Grammarly
FreemiumCleans up proposals, spec documents, RFI responses and client emails before they go out.
Jasper
SubscriptionMarketing writing: blog posts, social posts, emails and website copy in your brand voice.
Wordflow
FreemiumHelp writing longer pieces like project case studies and blog posts.
Promplayer
FreemiumSave and organize your best AI prompts so your team can reuse them for proposals, RFIs and client emails.
Constant Contact
SubscriptionEmail newsletters and campaigns, with AI help on content and subject lines.
Jennifer uses thisMeetings, phone & scheduling
Otter.ai
FreemiumRecords and transcribes client meetings, design reviews and site walks, then writes the summary and action items.
Fireflies.ai
FreemiumJoins your video calls, transcribes them, and pulls out action items. Searchable later.
Quo (formerly OpenPhone)
SubscriptionA business phone line on your cell. Transcribes calls, summarizes voicemails, and keeps work calls separate from personal.
Calendly
FreemiumClients book consultations and site visits themselves. No more back-and-forth to find a time.
Jennifer uses thisLoom
FreemiumRecord a quick screen video to walk a client through plan changes or teach a new hire a task once.
Automation & project management
Make.com
FreemiumConnects your apps so work moves on its own: a form fills your CRM, a signed contract sends the welcome email, a milestone triggers an update.
Jennifer uses thisZapier
FreemiumThe easiest way to connect apps. Send update emails when a task moves, push form answers into your CRM, sync invoices.
Jennifer uses thisn8n
Open SourceLike Zapier with more power and more setup. Best when you have someone technical.
Notion
FreemiumOne home for your business: client records, project notes, SOPs and checklists, with built-in AI.
Jennifer uses thisCoda
FreemiumDocs, spreadsheets and simple apps in one place. Build trackers, client portals and SOPs.
Taskade
FreemiumProject plans and task lists with built-in AI. Turn meeting notes into a to-do list.
Motion
SubscriptionPlans your day around deadlines and meetings automatically. Powerful, but it takes upkeep to keep accurate.
Jennifer uses thisAtlas
SubscriptionAI project and task tracking to organize phases, assign work and track deliverables.
Claude Cowork
SubscriptionClaude working on your computer: organizes project folders, drafts documents and handles multi-step tasks across your files.
Plans, estimates & construction
Togal.AI
SubscriptionUpload a plan set and get quantity takeoffs (areas, lengths, counts) in minutes.
Procore (AI features)
EnterpriseConstruction management with AI for documents, RFIs and daily logs. Built for larger builders.
ALICE Technologies
EnterpriseTests thousands of build sequences to find the best schedule. Built for larger projects.
OpenSpace
SubscriptionWalk the site with a 360 camera and it maps your photos to the plans, so you can track progress and find any spot later.
Swapp
EnterpriseSpeeds up construction document production from architectural designs.
Hypar
FreemiumEnter lot size, zoning and program, and get building layout and site plan options.
Snaptrude
FreemiumTurns 2D plans and sketches into 3D models you can adjust quickly.
Visuals, renderings & design
ArchSynth
SubscriptionPhotorealistic exterior and interior renderings from sketches, floor plans or 3D models.
Jennifer uses thisMidjourney
SubscriptionBeautiful concept images. Great for vision boards and rooms with materials.
Leonardo AI
FreemiumConcept images, material textures and landscape visuals, with lots of control over style.
Jennifer uses thisAdobe Firefly
SubscriptionGenerate textures and room mockups, or extend and edit photos of finished projects.
Holo
SubscriptionUpload a photo of a room and see it restyled with new furniture, finishes and layouts. Virtual staging.
Patterned AI
FreemiumMake seamless patterns for tile, wallpaper and fabric.
Canva
FreemiumSocial posts, project reveals, flyers and simple presentations, with AI writing and background removal.
Jennifer uses thisAdobe Express
FreemiumQuick social graphics and before/after posts, auto-resized for each platform.
Figma
FreemiumCollaborative design tool for layouts, presentations and prototypes.
Spline
FreemiumInteractive 3D scenes for websites and presentations.
Video & social media
Descript
FreemiumEdit video by editing the transcript, like a Word doc. Great for project walkthroughs.
Opus Clip
FreemiumTurns one long video into short captioned clips for Reels, TikTok and Shorts.
Captions
FreemiumAdds captions to your videos automatically. Most people watch on mute.
Gling
FreemiumCuts the ums, pauses and bad takes out of your videos automatically.
Blotato
SubscriptionTurn one piece of content into posts for every platform and schedule them.
Num Video
FreemiumShort product and material reveal videos for social media.
Runway
FreemiumTurn photos into video and create concept clips for marketing.
Sora
SubscriptionGenerate video from a text description for concept and marketing clips.
ElevenLabs
FreemiumRealistic AI voiceovers for project and training videos.
Presentations
Build your own tools
Lovable
FreemiumDescribe an app in plain English and it builds it: client portals, calculators, internal tools. This website was built with it.
Jennifer uses thisReplit
FreemiumBuild simple web apps and calculators by describing what you want.
Cursor
FreemiumAn AI code editor. For when you or a developer are building custom software.
Flowise
Open SourceBuild an AI chatbot visually, like a website intake bot that asks project questions and routes the lead.
CrewAI
Open SourceTeams of AI agents that hand work to each other. Technical, but powerful.
Not sure which ones fit your business?
Most contractors need three or four of these, not sixty. In a 90-minute Find It session, I look at how your week actually runs and tell you exactly which tools to use, which to skip, and which you're paying for and can cancel.
Prices and features change often. Last reviewed October 2026. I don't get paid to list any tool here.
