The Future of 12Build: Construction Trends of 2025 with Patrick Aarbodem

We help general contractors not only reduce risks but also make sharper, more informed decisions. At the same time, we make sure that subcontractors gain visibility for what truly sets them apart — not just price, but also quality, sustainability, and experience.

Procurement Excellence as a Guiding Principle

In conversations with our customers, the term Procurement Excellence is becoming increasingly relevant: gaining control over processes, working with reliable partners, and leaving room for continuous improvement.

“This term is a powerful framework for us to structure processes more effectively,” says Patrick. “It helps general contractors stay in control without closing the door to new opportunities. And it gives subcontractors the chance to be evaluated on more than just price.”

Reducing Risk

For many construction companies, procurement revolves around one key goal: reducing risk. They want certainty when it comes to quality, reliability, and collaboration. That’s why general contractors often work from a fixed list of preferred suppliers. It helps maintain control and ensures cooperation with familiar, trusted parties.

But that also presents a challenge: how do you maintain that control while still staying open to innovation? And how do you discover new partners who might be an even better fit for your project?

The Visibility Paradox

Much of the difficulty in selection stems from a central paradox: qualitative aspects are difficult to make visible — for both sides of the collaboration.

Subcontractors typically try to express their value in text, but that rarely gets the message across. As a result, price often becomes the deciding factor in the quotation phase. That makes it hard for quality to stand out and for new companies to get a foot in the door.

At the same time, general contractors struggle to get a clear, reliable view of available subcontractors. Qualitative elements like sustainability, certifications, or experience are not always readily accessible. Finding and verifying this information takes time. And so, many contractors stick to their known list — which puts extra pressure on newcomers to stand out through pricing alone.

Collaborating More Transparently

Publications is a feature within 12Build that allows general contractors to make project components publicly visible to the market. By structuring this visibility from the very beginning, transparency is built into the process. Subcontractors can present themselves more effectively, and general contractors can make well-founded selections — without having to change their procurement structure.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) will play a key role in this, by automatically highlighting relevant information from quotations and proposals.

Whether you’re an established subcontractor or a smaller company still working to get on preferred lists: 12Build gives you a platform to stand out based on quality. It helps you win bigger projects, increase your visibility, and build long-term relationships that go beyond price alone.

Smarter Decision-Making with AI

Artificial Intelligence (AI) makes it easier to make decisions based on data. At 12Build, we’re actively developing AI-powered features that help users gain deeper insights into quotation requests and proposals.

“We believe that when price and quality are made clearly visible, better decisions follow naturally,” says Patrick. “The partners that truly fit the project will rise to the top — at a fair price.”

Self-Service by Design

At 12Build, we see self-service as a powerful way of working. It means our platform is built to be logical, intuitive, and user-friendly — allowing both general contractors and subcontractors to find their way quickly. Whether you're sending out a new request, sharing documents, or comparing bids, everything should feel straightforward.

“At the same time, personal contact remains important,” says Patrick. “Self-service doesn’t mean you’re on your own. Our team is always here to support you. Smart where it can be digital, personal where it needs to be.”

That’s why we continue to improve the interface step-by-step, based on daily user feedback. “If this year we truly see users getting the most out of 12Build on their own, then 2025 will be a success for us.”

Built on Experience

“We’re entering a new phase as a company,” Patrick explains. “In recent years, we’ve made major investments in our platform. 2025 is when we expect to see the results. Users will understand the platform faster, work more easily, and make better decisions thanks to clearer information.”

These developments are built on more than eighteen years of experience. “We’ve recently invested in smarter processes, new features, and stronger platform technology — all to make 12Build future-proof and to support both general contractors and subcontractors even better.”

What to Expect

For 12Build, 2025 will be all about accelerating, improving, and simplifying. With AI-powered support, Publications, and a platform that offers even more insight, we continue building toward our shared goal: control where needed, transparency where possible.

In our next blog, we’ll dive deeper into the upcoming features. Want to stay updated? Follow Patrick Aarbodem on LinkedIn for insights on collaboration and digital transformation in construction.