A Spotlight on Software - My Journey with Chalkstring and Building Better Commercial Support at QTY
Introduction
If you’ve followed QTY for any length of time, you’ll know I’m slightly obsessive about two things: clarity and commercial control. When I set up QTY, I didn’t just want to offer ad-hoc QS support. I wanted to build a proper commercial support package for specialist subcontractors - something structured, repeatable and robust, but still flexible enough to reflect how subcontractors actually work day to day. And very quickly, I realised I couldn’t do that properly without the right systems behind me.
Why I started looking at software
My decision to adopt software wasn’t driven by shiny dashboards or “tech for tech’s sake”. It came from a very real need to automate parts of the business, reduce reliance on spreadsheets and manual workarounds, standardise the quality of output I was delivering to clients, and build a commercial service that could scale alongside QTY. As a new business owner, time was (and still is) my most valuable resource. If I was going to support multiple subcontractors across different trades, values and project types, I needed a system that could work with me, not slow me down.
The reality of choosing the right software
What I didn’t fully appreciate at the start was just how time-consuming it would be to find the right fit. I looked at a number of platforms. Some were too rigid. Some didn’t reflect how subcontractors actually tender, value and manage work. Others still relied on so many manual workarounds that they defeated the point of using software in the first place. One thing became very clear during that process: successful software adoption doesn’t start with software. It starts with understanding your business.
Why Chalkstring stood out
For me, that clarity led me to Chalkstring. What stood out immediately was that it wasn’t built on theory — it was built on real commercial logic. It reflected how specialist subcontractors actually work and supported the full commercial lifecycle, from estimating through to live cost control, CVRs, variations and reporting.
Timing matters
Looking back, the timing of adopting Chalkstring was ideal. QTY was still relatively new. I wasn’t entrenched in legacy systems or “the way we’ve always done it”. That meant I could integrate the software alongside the business as it was forming, rather than trying to retrofit it later.
From user to partner
What started as a tool to support my own business has grown into something much bigger. Three months ago, QTY officially partnered with Chalkstring to help support their customers across the UK. I now work with Chalkstring clients to support onboarding, carry out commercial health checks, and bridge the gap between adopting software and embedding it properly into day-to-day workflows.
How QTY supports Chalkstring clients
Alongside the software, QTY offers bespoke commercial consultancy including tendering and estimating support, QS and commercial management services, SOP development, workflow mapping, reporting frameworks and ongoing commercial support.
Why this matters to me
As a mum of two, flexibility isn’t a “nice to have” — it’s essential. Having the right systems in place allows me, and the contractors I support, to work smarter rather than longer.
Thinking about taking the leap?
If you’re a subcontractor thinking it might be time to formalise your commercial workflow— or if you’re already using Chalkstring but feel you’re not getting the most out of it — I’d love to have a chat.