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Construction · head to head

Foundation Software vs Houzz Pro

Foundation Software logo

Foundation Software

Construction

Job cost accounting and construction payroll for contractors running certified and union jobs

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Houzz Pro logo

Houzz Pro

Construction

Business management platform for home builders and remodelers

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Houzz Pro has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Foundation Software no pricing is published anywhere, so shortlisting requires sitting through a sales process before you know whether the product is within budget at all.; Houzz Pro the Pro plan includes only 1 seat and additional users cost $60 per user per month
  • They diverge on capability: Foundation Software covers Job costing, Houzz Pro covers Project management.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Foundation Software and Houzz Pro actually diverge.

Attributes where Foundation Software and Houzz Pro differ
AttributeFoundation SoftwareHouzz Pro
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelquotesubscription
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWindows, Web, iOS, AndroidWeb, Ios, Android
FoundedUnknown2009

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Construction).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Foundation Software

  • Job costing
  • Certified payroll
  • Union payroll
  • AIA billing
  • Equipment costing
  • Service dispatch
  • Mobile time entry
  • Executive dashboards

Only in Houzz Pro

  • Project management
  • Client communication
  • Portfolio management
  • Lead management
  • Budgeting
  • QuickBooks
  • Square
  • Stripe

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Foundation Software

  • A union electrical or mechanical contractor whose payroll spans several trades and fringe schedules in the same weeknot Houzz Pro
  • A general contractor bidding federally funded work that requires weekly certified payroll filingsnot Houzz Pro
  • A contractor whose QuickBooks file has outgrown job costing and who is reconciling work in progress in spreadsheetsnot Houzz Pro
  • A firm with owned plant that needs equipment hours costed back to jobs to see true contract marginnot Houzz Pro

Houzz Pro

  • Generating remodeling and design leads from a Houzz professional profilenot Foundation Software
  • Producing estimates, proposals and change orders for residential design and build projectsnot Foundation Software
  • Running client-facing selection boards and 3D floor plans for interior designersnot Foundation Software

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Foundation Software

  • No pricing is published anywhere, so shortlisting requires sitting through a sales process before you know whether the product is within budget at all.
  • Implementation, data conversion and training are billed separately from the licence and routinely run into five figures, which buyers comparing monthly software subscriptions do not budget for.
  • The payroll compliance engine is built for United States federal and state law, so the product has essentially no value to contractors outside the US.
  • The interface is a long-lived Windows-style application, and staff hired from cloud-native tools find it slow to learn compared with Buildertrend or Procore.
  • Project management, document control and field collaboration are weaker than the dedicated construction platforms, so most sites end up running Foundation for money and something else for the job, and paying twice.

Houzz Pro

  • The Pro plan includes only 1 seat and additional users cost $60 per user per month
  • Plans are gated by annual project volume, with Pro limited to up to $500,000, Custom covering $500,000 to $5M and Enterprise required above $5M
  • Advertising packages are a separate add-on starting at $499 per month on top of the software subscription
  • No monthly subscription price for any tier is shown on the pricing page
  • Takeoffs, scheduling, selections boards, daily logs, budgets, bid management, change orders and financial reporting are not in the free basic plan

Pricing, plan by plan

Foundation Software

On request
  • FOUNDATION$undefined/year
    • Modular licensing, priced by modules and user count
    • Cloud hosted or installed on your own server
    • Separate one-off implementation, data conversion and training fee

Houzz Pro

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Portfolio showcase
    • Lead generation
    • Basic profile
  • Plus$39/month
    • Advanced portfolio
    • Lead management
    • Client communication

Which should you pick?

Choose Foundation Software if

  • You need job costing.
  • You work on Windows, Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want certified payroll.
Foundation Software review

Choose Houzz Pro if

  • You need project management.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want client communication.
Houzz Pro review

Questions people ask

Is Foundation Software or Houzz Pro better?
Neither clearly leads. Foundation Software starts at On request and Houzz Pro at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Foundation Software or Houzz Pro?
Houzz Pro has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Foundation Software and Free for Houzz Pro.
Does Foundation Software or Houzz Pro run on more platforms?
Foundation Software runs on Windows, Web, iOS, Android. Houzz Pro runs on Web, Ios, Android.
Can I use Houzz Pro for free?
Yes. Houzz Pro has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Foundation Software starts at On request.
What is Foundation Software best used for?
Foundation Software is most often used for a union electrical or mechanical contractor whose payroll spans several trades and fringe schedules in the same week, a general contractor bidding federally funded work that requires weekly certified payroll filings, a contractor whose quickbooks file has outgrown job costing and who is reconciling work in progress in spreadsheets, a firm with owned plant that needs equipment hours costed back to jobs to see true contract margin. Of those, a union electrical or mechanical contractor whose payroll spans several trades and fringe schedules in the same week and a general contractor bidding federally funded work that requires weekly certified payroll filings are not what Houzz Pro is typically brought in for.
What can Foundation Software do that Houzz Pro cannot?
Foundation Software covers Job costing, Certified payroll, Union payroll, AIA billing. Houzz Pro covers Project management, Client communication, Portfolio management, Lead management.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Foundation Software: How much does Foundation Software cost?

The vendor publishes no rates. Pricing is assembled per contractor from module selection and user count, with a separate implementation fee, and is only given after a discovery call.

Houzz Pro: How much do additional Houzz Pro users cost?

Additional user seats on the Houzz Pro plan cost $60 per user per month.

Source
Foundation Software: Does it replace Procore?

No. Foundation is the accounting and payroll system; Procore is project management. They integrate, and many contractors run both.

Houzz Pro: What is the cost of Houzz Pro's advertising package?

Houzz Pro offers an add-on advertising package starting at $499 per month.

Source
Foundation Software: Can it handle certified payroll for multiple states?

Yes, it produces state-specific certified payroll formats as well as the federal WH-347, which is the main reason multi-state contractors buy it.

Houzz Pro: Is there a free trial for Houzz Pro?

Houzz Pro offers a 30-day free trial with no credit card required and includes a free basic plan with 3D Floor Planner, Estimates, and Invoicing.

Source
Foundation Software: Is there a cloud version?

Yes, it is offered hosted as well as on-premise, but the hosted version is the same application delivered remotely rather than a rebuilt browser product.

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