Building BuildAI: Construction Project Management SaaS

The Problem

Nigerian construction companies manage projects with spreadsheets and WhatsApp. I wanted to build a smarter tool — one that tracks projects, estimates costs, and gives AI-powered insights in real time.

The Stack

• Next.js + TypeScript — full-stack framework
• Supabase — PostgreSQL database with Row Level Security
• OpenRouter — AI insights with free-model fallback
• Vercel — instant deployment
• CurrencyContext — Nigerian Naira and USD toggle

What BuildAI Does

BuildAI is a construction project management dashboard that lets contractors track tasks, budgets, timelines, and team members. The AI layer analyzes project data and surfaces insights like cost overruns, delayed tasks, and risk areas.

The Process

I started with a Bolt.new export and rebuilt it from scratch — adding Supabase RLS policies, OpenRouter integration with free-model fallback, and a full Naira pricing system.

Key Lessons

Working on a Chromebook meant every change required a full build cycle. This forced me to write more deliberate code and think through features before implementing them. BuildAI is live at build-ai-one.vercel.app.