Open any free AI
ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and Copilot all have free versions. Pick whichever you already use, or whichever you've heard of.
Compare the free options →There are three levels of AI tools. Each works differently. The safest choice depends on the plan, privacy settings, and whether the tool is allowed to handle your project documents.
Level 1: Free
Free AI chat
ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini (free versions)
- No cost to start
- Good for practising and low-stakes writing
- Your data may be used to train their AI
- Knows general construction terms, but not your company, bid strategy, or project details
- Never paste private pricing or contracts
Level 2: Paid chat
Paid AI chat
ChatGPT Plus, Claude Pro, Microsoft 365 Copilot, Google AI Pro
- Monthly subscription; check the vendor's site for current pricing
- Privacy is better on some paid and business plans, but it depends on the vendor, plan, and data settings. Check before uploading project details.
- Good for project writing, including letters, emails, and summaries
- Still does not know your industry or trade language
- Still does not know your specific project documents
- Includes custom GPTs / Agents: your own saved AI assistants for repeat tasks.
Level 3: Construction AI
Industry-specific AI
Tools built for construction and bid work
- Works on your real specs, drawings, and addenda
- Knows construction documents and trade language
- Designed to keep project data in the vendor's controlled environment. Confirm retention, training, and sharing terms before use.
- Safety controls built in
- Most powerful for actual bid work
When to use Level 1 (free): Practising, learning, and low-stakes writing with no private info, like a generic job post, a toolbox talk, a no-award email.
When to use Level 2 (paid chat): Everyday business writing such as delay notices, meeting-note summaries, and project letters, but only after checking the tool's data controls and avoiding confidential pricing, contracts, or documents you are not allowed to share.
When to use Level 3 (construction AI): When you need the AI to actually read and understand your project documents, like specs, addenda, drawings, and subcontracts. Use the Vet a Vendor tab before you sign up.
4 strong paid chat options for contractors
Need help choosing? Answer three quick questions.
Best overall
ChatGPT Plus
by OpenAI
openai.com ↗Best for
- Broad day-to-day business tasks
- Research, drafting, and brainstorming
- Mixed-tool teams that want one default assistant
Watch out for: Fewer native in-app actions than suite-specific tools.
Great starting point when you need one tool for many tasks.
Best writing quality
Claude Pro
by Anthropic
claude.ai ↗Best for
- Careful, polished writing tone
- Long documents and dense text review
- Formal letters, notices, and summaries
Watch out for: Less ecosystem advantage if you depend on one suite.
Choose this when writing quality and document handling matter most.
Best for Microsoft 365
Microsoft 365 Copilot
by Microsoft
microsoft.com ↗Best for
- Word, Outlook, Teams, and Excel workflows
- In-app drafting, rewriting, and summarizing
- Reducing app-switching for Microsoft teams
Watch out for: Most value appears when your team already uses Microsoft 365.
Best fit for Microsoft-centered operations.
Best for Google Workspace
Google AI Pro
by Google
gemini.google.com ↗Best for
- Gmail, Docs, Meet, and Sheets workflows
- Google-native drafting and summarizing with Gemini
- Teams already paying for Workspace
Watch out for: Biggest gains are tied to Google ecosystem usage.
Best fit if your office already runs on Google Workspace and wants higher access to Gemini.
*Check each vendor website for current pricing and plan details, as pricing can change.
Two things to never paste into any AI tool (free or paid):
1. Your cost breakdown. Your labour rates, margins, and unit prices are your competitive edge. Keep them out of any tool you do not fully control.
2. Documents that are not yours to share. Many owner and GC contracts have confidentiality clauses. Uploading their specs or drawings to a third-party tool, even a paid one, could breach that agreement.
Not sure which level you need? A paid chat tool is a safe, practical place to start. Move to a construction-specific tool when you need AI that can actually read your project documents.
Prompt examples
Real prompts for real construction jobs. Tap any row to see the full prompt. Copy it, tweak it, paste it into your AI tool.
Featured and longer workflows
Use these when you need more than a one-line prompt. Start with the featured workflow, then copy and adapt to your project.
Make this an Agent
If you use this prompt often, turn it into an Agent. An Agent is a saved AI helper that remembers the task, rules, sections, and format.
Instead of pasting the full prompt every time, open the saved Agent and ask: “Turn these site notes into a follow-up package.”
What is an Agent?Step 1 of 5
What do you need to do?
Who is this for?
What format do you want?
Any extra details?
Your prompt result
Review for privacy before using any external tool.
Optional paid feature, computer only — compare free vs paid
Before you use any AI tool: read the prompt carefully. Remove any private info before you paste it in. Never share your cost breakdown or confidential project documents in a free AI tool.
Prompt or Agent?
A prompt is something you copy and paste for one task. An AI Agent is like teaching your AI chat how to do a repeat task. You save the instructions once, and next time you can ask in plain language. The agent remembers the steps, rules, and format.
Start with a prompt when you are testing an idea. If the prompt becomes something you want to reuse, turn it into an Agent.
Build a prompt first, then this button will open the Agent setup helper.
Create an Agent when:
Note: Agents (also called custom GPTs, Projects, or Gems) are a paid feature on most tools.
- You use the same prompt more than once.
- The output should follow the same format every time.
- Your team needs consistency across projects or users.
- The task has clear rules the AI should always follow.
- The workflow saves admin, coordination, or reporting time.
- The same type of input is used each time, such as site notes, meeting notes, photos, reports, or emails.
- The final output is something your team regularly sends, files, reviews, or acts on.
Keep it as a prompt when:
- It is a one-time task.
- You are still experimenting with the wording.
- The format changes every time.
- The workflow is not clear yet.
- The task needs too much judgement or missing context.
- You do not know what the final output should look like yet.
Simple rule: If you copy the same prompt more than twice, consider turning it into an Agent.
How to create an Agent
To create an Agent in ChatGPT, do not paste the setup prompt into a normal chat. Go to Explore GPTs, click Create in the top corner, then paste the setup prompt into the GPT Builder. Include the full prompt, the rules it should follow, and the output format you want every time.
Different AI tools use different names. In ChatGPT, create a custom GPT from Explore GPTs. Other tools may call it a Project, Gem, assistant, bot, or agent.
Example setup prompt
For ChatGPT users, this means creating a custom GPT: go to Explore GPTs, click Create in the top corner, then paste the setup prompt into the builder. Other tools may call this an assistant, bot, project, gem, or agent.
Input:
Rough, handwritten, messy, or transcribed site notes.
Output:
A cleaned-up follow-up package with a summary, action list, trade messages, team email, and clarifications needed.
Agent setup prompt to paste into the GPT Builder:
You are a construction site-notes Agent. Help construction teams use this workflow repeatedly.
When the user gives rough, handwritten, messy, or transcribed site notes, return a cleaned-up follow-up package with the same rules, output order, and tone every time.
The output should include:
* Summary
* Action list
* Trade messages
* Team email
* Clarifications needed
Always avoid inventing facts that are not in the notes.
Is it right for this?
AI is great at some things, risky at others. Two quick gut-checks before you use it.
Quick check: what are you trying to do?
Match your task to a colour. If it's red, AI is the wrong tool — use something else.
Generally safe
These are good fits for AI. Read the output carefully before sending.
- Write a letter, email, or notice
- Draft a toolbox talk to refine
- Brainstorm ideas for a post or email
Useful, but verify
AI helps, but can miss or invent details. Always check the output against the source.
- Summarize notes, meetings, or documents
- Draft an RFI or change order
- Pull action items from a long email thread
Don't rely on AI
For these, AI is more likely to mislead than help. Use the proper source instead.
- Look up a rule, code section, or regulation
- Work out fixed pricing on a bid number
- Get advice on a contract or legal question
5 ground rules
These apply no matter what task you're doing.
Don't paste private project info into free AI tools.
Contracts, pricing, client details, signed documents. Free tools may use what you type to train future versions. Paid plans usually don't, but check the vendor's privacy page first.
Don't trust AI on regulations or legal advice.
AI can invent BC Building Code sections, WorkSafeBC rules, and contract clauses with full confidence. Always verify against the actual source before acting on it.
Don't trust the math without checking.
AI is unreliable on totals, takeoffs, and percentage calculations. It will give you a wrong number in a confident voice. Use a calculator.
Don't send AI-drafted emails without reading every word.
AI sometimes invents names, dates, prices, or commitments. Read carefully before anything goes to a client, owner, or inspector.
Don't use AI as the final word on safety.
A toolbox talk or safety briefing drafted by AI is a starting point. Your safety officer and WorkSafeBC requirements are the final word.
Spotted something else worth warning others about? Tell BCCA so we can add it to this list.
Thinking about paying for an AI tool? Vet the vendor first. There are many excellent and trustworthy vendors out there. This checklist is just a double-check so you can confirm claims in writing. If you are unsure, ask your AI helper in another tab, then come back and mark Good answer or Red flag.
Many vendors are great partners. This checklist is only a quick double-check before you buy. Best rule: if they cannot explain value and safety clearly in writing, walk away. A hype-heavy pitch with vague answers is a red flag, especially if pricing feels inflated.
AI companies use big words. Here is what they actually mean.