Meeting Housing Demand: How Treehouse Builders Accelerates Build-to-Rent Development with TraceAir

With the demand for rental properties rising and the American dream of homeownership becoming increasingly difficult to achieve, build-to-rent housing represents a necessary and positive shift in the housing market. This innovative approach merges the advantages of single-family rentals with the perks of professionally managed communities, offering desirable amenities and a high-quality living experience. “There’s a movement happening in housing right now, with the lack of supply, constraints on affordability, and consumer preferences changing, we're seeing a shift in how residents want to live,” says Cliff Payne, Chief Investment Officer of Build-to-Rent at Core Spaces. 

Treehouse Builders , in partnership with Core Spaces and J.H. Findorff & Son Inc., stands out in the build-to-rent market for their innovative approach and commitment to quality. Currently, the company has several build-to-rent projects under development, including nearly 4,000 homes across six markets, such as Dallas-Fort Worth, Denver, Nashville, Austin, Charlotte, and Florida’s Gulf Coast. 

Innovation in Action: TraceAir’s Impact on Treehouse Builders

Innovation is at the heart of Treehouse Builders' success, and their partnership with TraceAir exemplifies this commitment to cutting-edge technology. TraceAir provides Treehouse Builders with weekly 3D topographic scans accurate to 1/10’ (3 cm) in an easy-to-use platform, in which they can track cut/fill, conduct measurements, overlay project plans, and much more. TraceAir has become an indispensable tool for their company, transforming the way they manage and execute projects.

Before adopting TraceAir, Treehouse Builders relied on other platforms for site visibility but found them lacking. “TraceAir goes far beyond just providing us with drone photos. It gives us actionable insights that improve our operations and accelerate our projects,” says Kelly Dykes , VP of Operations at Core Spaces. “We use TraceAir from the beginning to the end – from land acquisition through final sale.”

TraceAir has been a game-changer for Treehouse Builders, delivering major benefits in cost reduction, operational efficiency, and team collaboration. “By replacing our previous methods with TraceAir, we save 30-40% on costs. The ROI in terms of time, money, and overall efficiency is tremendous,” Dykes explains. “TraceAir is incredibly easy to use, especially for those who understand land development. It reduces the need for on-site surveyors, as we can log in and access the information we need. This makes a major difference in speed and accuracy.”

Earthworks & Progress Tracking

Treehouse Builders operates as an end-to-end developer and builder, handling every aspect of their projects, from land acquisition to final construction. Unlike typical residential projects, which often build in phases and progress as homes are sold, Treehouse Builders develops the entire site at once. This means simultaneous land development, vertical construction, and the installation of amenities. 

“We have a set start date and end date,” explains Dykes. “So there is a lot going on once the project is underway. We will have land development and vertical construction going on simultaneously, as well as amenities being installed. Eventually, tenants start moving in while we are still finishing the remainder of the project. Keeping everyone on the same page and avoiding issues is huge for staying on schedule.” TraceAir plays a crucial role in managing this complex process by providing comprehensive insights into progress, cut/fill quantities, and a detailed view of the entire project. 

“Small oversights during grading can become expensive quickly. TraceAir helps track cut/fill quantities, generate spoils, and understand how much dirt we will need to import or haul off,” says Dykes. “We can easily monitor dirt movement and maintain an ongoing understanding of quantities. It also allows us to keep our contractors accountable and verify bills. For example, if we get a bill stating that 20,000 yards of dirt were exported, we can log in to TraceAir and quickly check that.”

Monthly reporting is another key aspect where TraceAir proves invaluable. “For our reports, we like to compare 90-day increments, combining the images with the data to get a comprehensive view of our progress. This ability to quickly and confidently quantify progress and provide both images and data helps keep everyone aligned and enhances our ability to make informed decisions.”

Managing Change Orders and Avoiding Rework

Despite even the best planning, the dynamic nature of construction projects often leads to unexpected changes, resulting in change orders. These changes can stem from sources such as unforeseen site conditions, design modifications, material availability, regulatory changes, and of course, human errors. Depending on the size and quantity, change orders can quickly eat away at profit margins and lead to serious delays.

TraceAir addresses these challenges by providing teams with easily accessible data to verify change orders without needing additional consultants. We constantly compare the project plans to the actual onsite conditions using TraceAir’s measuring and overlay tools. These tools help us identify issues early and address them before they escalate. When change orders do happen, we can easily process them using TraceAir to understand the new scope of work and its impact on our budget and schedule,” says Dykes.

Additionally, TraceAir’s historical archive of scans serves as a valuable documentation tool, allowing teams to reference past data to support decision-making and dispute resolution. This comprehensive archive ensures that all changes are tracked and verified, providing a clear record of project evolution and aiding in faster, more accurate resolutions.

Elevating Collaboration and Decision-Making

TraceAir’s unlimited licenses ensure seamless communication and accessible data for all team members, effectively bridging the gap between Treehouse Builders' widely dispersed field and office teams. With staff working in the field, in offices across several states, remotely, at their headquarters in Chicago, and partners spread out in various locations, having a unified platform is crucial.

“Our entire team has embraced TraceAir and absolutely loves having it,” shared Dykes. “The images and data not only allow everyone to see what’s going on, but the 360 panoramas let them really immerse themselves in the project. It’s incredibly easy to pull up TraceAir when questions come up or in meetings to instantly gain a clear understanding and work through issues. The ability to visualize project sites, overlay plans, and use data in our conversations helps our entire team collaborate, make confident decisions, and ensure we’re all on the same page.”

Leveraging Technology to Meet Housing Demand

Treehouse Builders is a leader in the build-to-rent revolution, using technology to set new standards in residential living while meeting the growing housing demand. “We’re as excited as ever about the opportunities in single-family rentals and believe the time is now to disrupt the space and introduce a new standard of living with our purpose-built communities,” says Marc Lifshin, Co-Founder and CEO at Core Spaces.

The insights from TraceAir enable Treehouse Builders to accelerate building and avoid time-consuming and costly setbacks, ultimately providing housing faster—TraceAir's mission. “I’ve yet to encounter anyone in land development who doesn’t see the value of TraceAir,” concluded Dykes. “It helps you be noticeably more efficient, avoid problems, and empower your team with actionable data. The platform is easy to use and the support is unbeatable. If you haven’t given it a try yet, I highly recommend it.”

To learn how your projects can benefit from TraceAir, schedule a demo today.