What is DesBu? The Complete Guide to Purpose-Built Project Management

DesBu is project management software built specifically for design-build professionals.

Not "project management that can be used for design-build." Actually designed for your workflow from the ground up.

If you're an architect, interior designer, renovator, or run a small design-build firm, this guide will show you exactly what DesBu does, how it works, and whether it's right for your practice.

---

The Problem DesBu Solves

Before we explain what DesBu is, let's talk about the problem it solves.

The Typical Design-Build Tool Stack

Most design-build professionals use:

• Trello or Asana for project management
• Xero or QuickBooks for invoicing
• Google Drive or Dropbox for files
• Email for client communication
• Spreadsheets for client management
• Excel for estimating
• Google Calendar for scheduling

Each tool is excellent at what it does. But they don't talk to each other.

The result:

• You're the integration layer, manually copying data between systems
• Information gets out of sync
• Things fall through cracks
• You spend 8-12 hours per week on admin that could be automated

For a small practice, this costs £20,000-£30,000 per year in lost time.

What You Actually Need

You need one system that:

• Manages clients and their contact information
• Tracks projects from enquiry to completion
• Handles tasks and team assignments
• Creates quotes and invoices
• Tracks payments
• Organizes files
• Logs communications
• And connects all of this together

That's what DesBu is.

DesBu Overview

---

What DesBu Does

DesBu is a complete operating system for design-build practices. Here's what it handles:

1. Client Management

One place for all client information:

• Contact details (email, phone, address)
• All their projects (past and current)
• All invoices and payment history
• All communications
• All files
• Notes and preferences

When a client calls, you pull up their record and see everything in one place. No hunting through multiple apps.

Example: Sarah Jones calls about her bathroom renovation. You open her client record and immediately see:

• Current project status (Design phase, 60% complete)
• Outstanding invoice (£2,500, due in 5 days)
• Last communication (Email sent 3 days ago about tile selection)
• Previous projects (Kitchen renovation completed last year)
• Payment history (Always pays on time)

You have complete context in 2 seconds.

---

2. Project Tracking

Projects follow the natural design-build workflow:

Enquiry → Quote → Design → Build → Completion

Each project shows:

• Current phase
• Tasks and their status
• Budget vs actual costs
• Timeline and milestones
• Team assignments
• Files and documents
• Client communications
• Invoice status

Dashboard view shows all projects at a glance:

• Which are in each phase
• What's overdue
• What needs attention
• What's on track

Example: You have 12 active projects. The dashboard shows:

• 3 in Enquiry (need quotes)
• 2 in Quote (waiting for client response)
• 4 in Design (on track)
• 2 in Build (1 on track, 1 delayed)
• 1 in Completion (needs final invoice)

You can see your entire practice status in one screen.

---

3. Task Management

Tasks are linked to projects:

• Create tasks for each project phase
• Assign to team members
• Set due dates
• Track completion
• Add notes and files

Automatic updates:

• When you complete a task, the project updates
• When a task is overdue, you get notified
• When a task is assigned, team member sees it immediately

Team view shows each person's tasks across all projects.

Example: Your designer has tasks from 5 different projects. They see one list:

• Finalize kitchen layout (Smith project, due tomorrow)
• Select bathroom tiles (Jones project, due Friday)
• Create mood board (Wilson project, due next week)
• Review lighting plan (Taylor project, overdue)
• Client presentation (Brown project, due in 2 weeks)

Everything in one place, prioritized by due date.

---

4. Quoting and Estimating

Create professional quotes quickly:

• Pull client details automatically
• Add line items from your rate library
• Calculate totals with markup
• Generate branded PDF
• Send directly to client
• Track response

Quote library:

• Save common items (design fees, materials, labor rates)
• Reuse across projects
• Update pricing centrally

Quote tracking:

• See all quotes sent
• Which are accepted, rejected, or pending
• Automatic follow-up reminders

Example: Client wants a quote for kitchen renovation. You:

1. Create quote in DesBu (client details auto-filled)
2. Add items from library: Design fee, demolition, cabinets, countertops, installation
3. Adjust quantities and pricing
4. Review total: £18,500
5. Generate PDF and send to client
6. DesBu sets follow-up reminder for 7 days

Time: 10-15 minutes (vs 45-60 minutes manually)

---

5. Automated Invoicing

This is where DesBu really shines.

Because DesBu knows about your projects, clients, and completed work, creating an invoice is trivial:

Process:

1. Select the project
2. Select what to invoice (completed phases, additional work)
3. Review and adjust if needed
4. Click "Send"

DesBu automatically:

• Pulls client details
• Calculates amounts from project data
• Generates branded PDF
• Sends email with invoice attached
• Logs invoice in project history
• Sets payment reminder for 30 days (customizable)
• Updates project financials

Payment tracking:

• See all outstanding invoices
• Which are overdue
• Automatic payment reminders
• Mark as paid when received
• Track payment history

Example: You complete the design phase for the Smith project (£5,000). You:

1. Click "Create Invoice" on the project
2. Select "Design Phase - Complete"
3. Review: Client details ✓, Amount £5,000 ✓, Due date 30 days ✓
4. Click "Send"

DesBu handles the rest. Invoice sent, reminder scheduled, project updated.

Time: 5-10 minutes (vs 30-45 minutes manually)

Annual impact: If you invoice 50 times per year, you save 20-30 hours.

---

6. Payment Reminders

Automatic, but not annoying:

Default behavior:

• First reminder: 7 days after due date
• Second reminder: 14 days after due date
• Third reminder: 21 days after due date

Smart features:

• Doesn't send if payment already received
• Doesn't send if invoice is flagged "Do not remind"
• Professional, friendly tone
• You can customize timing and content

You stay in control:

• See all reminders before they send (optional)
• Disable for specific clients
• Customize message per client
• Manual override anytime

Example: Invoice to Jones is 8 days overdue. DesBu:

1. Checks: Payment received? No. Do not remind flag? No.
2. Sends friendly reminder email
3. Logs reminder in project history
4. Notifies you that reminder was sent
5. Schedules next reminder for 7 days

You didn't have to remember. It just happened.

---

7. File Management

Files organized automatically:

Structure:

Client Name
  └─ Project Name
      ├─ Quotes
      ├─ Contracts
      ├─ Design Files
      ├─ Build Documents
      ├─ Invoices
      └─ Communications

Features:

• Upload files to projects
• Automatic organization
• Version control
• Share with clients
• Download as zip

No more: "Where did I save that drawing?"

Example: You upload a kitchen layout PDF to the Smith project. DesBu:

• Saves it to Smith → Kitchen Renovation → Design Files
• Links it to the project
• Makes it available to team members
• Can be shared with client if needed

---

8. Communication Tracking

Log all client interactions:

• Emails
• Phone calls
• Meetings
• Site visits
• Decisions made

Why this matters: When a client says "But you said..." six months ago, you can check the communication log and see exactly what was discussed.

Example: Client disputes a charge. You check communication log:

• March 15: Client requested additional electrical work
• March 15: You sent quote for £800
• March 16: Client approved via email
• March 20: Work completed

You have the complete record.

---

How DesBu Works: A Complete Workflow

Let's walk through a real project from start to finish.

Stage 1: Enquiry

Client emails about a bathroom renovation.

You do:

1. Add client to DesBu (name, email, phone, address)
2. Create project: "Bathroom Renovation"
3. Set status: Enquiry
4. Add notes from initial conversation

Time: 2 minutes

DesBu does:

• Creates client record
• Creates project linked to client
• Sets up project folder structure
• Ready for next stage

---

Stage 2: Quote

Client wants a quote.

You do:

1. Click "Create Quote" on the project
2. Add items from rate library
3. Adjust quantities and pricing
4. Review total
5. Click "Send to Client"

Time: 10-15 minutes

DesBu does:

• Pulls client details automatically
• Generates professional PDF
• Sends email with quote attached
• Logs quote in project history
• Sets follow-up reminder for 7 days
• Updates project status to "Quote Sent"

---

Stage 3: Quote Accepted

Client accepts the quote.

You do:

1. Mark quote as "Accepted"
2. Set project start date

Time: 30 seconds

DesBu does:

• Converts quote to project budget
• Updates project status to "Active"
• Creates default tasks for bathroom renovation
• Notifies team members
• Updates client status to "Active Client"

---

Stage 4: Design Phase

You work on the design.

You do:

1. Create tasks: Measure space, Create layout, Select fixtures, Client approval
2. Assign tasks to team members
3. Upload design files as you create them
4. Mark tasks complete as you finish

Time: Normal design work + 5 minutes admin

DesBu does:

• Tracks task completion
• Updates project progress
• Notifies team of assignments
• Organizes files automatically
• Logs all activity

---

Stage 5: Design Complete, Invoice

Design phase is complete.

You do:

1. Mark design phase complete
2. Click "Create Invoice"
3. Select "Design Phase"
4. Review and send

Time: 5 minutes

DesBu does:

• Pulls project and client data
• Calculates amount from budget
• Generates invoice PDF
• Sends to client
• Sets payment reminder
• Updates project financials
• Logs invoice

---

Stage 6: Build Phase

Same process as design:

• Create build tasks
• Assign to team
• Track completion
• Upload documents
• Communicate with client

DesBu keeps everything organized and connected.

---

Stage 7: Project Complete

Work is finished.

You do:

1. Mark project as "Complete"
2. Create final invoice
3. Send to client

Time: 5 minutes

DesBu does:

• Creates final invoice
• Sends to client
• Sets payment reminder
• Updates project status
• Generates completion report
• Archives project files

---

Stage 8: Payment Received

Client pays.

You do:

1. Mark invoice as "Paid"

Time: 10 seconds

DesBu does:

• Updates financial records
• Calculates project profitability
• Updates client payment history
• Closes project
• Clears from active list

---

The Results: What Actually Changes

Time Savings

Before DesBu:

• Admin time per project: 8-12 hours
• Invoice creation: 30-45 minutes
• Payment chasing: 2-3 hours/week
• Status updates: 1-2 hours/week

With DesBu:

• Admin time per project: 2-3 hours (70% reduction)
• Invoice creation: 5-10 minutes
• Payment chasing: 15-30 minutes/week (automated)
• Status updates: Zero (automatic)

Annual savings for a practice with 20 projects/year:

• 120-180 hours saved
• £6,000-£9,000 in recovered time (at £50/hour)

Reduced Errors

Before DesBu:

• Missed follow-ups: 2-3 per month
• Invoicing errors: 1-2 per month
• Lost files: Occasional
• Out-of-sync information: Constant

With DesBu:

• Missed follow-ups: Near zero (automated)
• Invoicing errors: Rare (data pulled automatically)
• Lost files: Eliminated (organized automatically)
• Out-of-sync information: Eliminated (single source of truth)

Mental Clarity

Before DesBu:

• Constant anxiety about what might be forgotten
• Checking multiple systems daily
• Manual reminders and to-do lists
• Waking up at 3am worried about follow-ups

With DesBu:

• Trust that the system handles it
• One system to check
• Automated reminders
• Better sleep (seriously)

User quote: "I used to wake up at 3am wondering if I'd followed up with a client. Now I know the system has it handled."

---

Is DesBu Right for You?

DesBu Works Best For:

✅ Design-build professionals:

• Architects
• Interior designers
• Renovators
• Small construction firms
• Design-build practices

✅ Practice size:

• 1-15 people
• 5-50 active projects
• Residential or light commercial work

✅ Pain points:

• Spending too much time on admin
• Juggling multiple disconnected tools
• Missing follow-ups and losing revenue
• Information scattered across systems
• Difficulty scaling without more admin staff

✅ Values:

• Want simplicity over complexity
• Prefer purpose-built over customizable
• Value time savings over feature lists
• Trust automation that's transparent

DesBu Might Not Be Right If:

❌ You're in a different industry: DesBu is specifically for design-build. If you're running a marketing agency or software company, it won't fit.

❌ You're a large firm: If you have 50+ employees and need enterprise features, DesBu is too simple.

❌ You love customization: DesBu is opinionated. It follows the design-build workflow. If you want to customize everything, you'll find it limiting.

❌ You're happy with your current setup: If your current tools work great, stick with them.

---

Pricing

DesBu is currently in beta and free to use.

We're working with design-build professionals to refine it before the full launch.

Post-beta pricing (planned):

• Starter: £29/month (1-3 users, 20 active projects)
• Professional: £79/month (unlimited users, unlimited projects)
• Custom: Contact us (enterprise features, custom integrations)

All plans include:

• Unlimited clients
• Unlimited storage
• Email support
• Regular updates
• No setup fees

---

Getting Started

1. Sign Up (2 minutes)

Create your account at app.raaix.com

2. Add Your First Client (2 minutes)

Enter their basic information.

3. Create Your First Project (5 minutes)

Link it to the client, set the project type.

4. Set Up Your Rate Library (15 minutes)

Add your common services and rates.

5. Start Using It (Immediately)

Create quotes, track tasks, send invoices.

Total setup time: 30 minutes

No training required. The interface is intuitive. If you can use Trello, you can use DesBu.

---

Common Questions

"Can I import my existing data?" Yes. We can help you import clients and projects from spreadsheets or other systems. Contact us →

"Does it integrate with my accounting software?" We're building integrations with Xero and QuickBooks. Currently, you can export invoice data.

"Can I customize the workflow?" DesBu follows the design-build workflow (Enquiry → Quote → Design → Build → Completion). This is intentional. We don't offer workflow customization because it adds complexity.

"What about mobile?" DesBu works in mobile browsers. Native iOS and Android apps are in development.

"Can I try it before committing?" Yes. Start with a 14-day free trial. No credit card required.

"What if I need help?" Email support is included. We typically respond within 24 hours. support@raaix.com

"Can you add [specific feature]?" Maybe. We're actively developing based on user feedback. Tell us what you need →

---

What's Next for DesBu

We're actively developing:

Q1 2026:

• Enhanced estimating with material cost libraries
• Client portal (clients can see project progress and approve changes)
• Team scheduling and resource allocation

Q2 2026:

• Mobile apps (iOS and Android)
• Xero and QuickBooks integration
• Advanced reporting

Q3 2026:

• Google Drive and Dropbox integration
• Email integration (log emails automatically)
• Custom branding options

Roadmap is based on user feedback. If you're using DesBu, tell us what you need most →

---

Try DesBu Free

DesBu is currently in beta and free to use.

No credit card required. No time limit. No catch.

We're working with design-build professionals to refine it before the full launch. Your feedback shapes the product.

Start using DesBu →

---

Still Have Questions?

Book a demo: We'll walk you through DesBu and answer your questions. Book a call →

Read case studies: See how other practices use DesBu. Read the blog →

Email us: Ask anything. hello@raaix.com

---

DesBu is purpose-built project management for design-build professionals. If you're tired of juggling disconnected tools, give it a try.

Try DesBu free → | Book a demo → | Read more →