Joseph Design Build Saves $75K+ Annually and Scales to $160M Pipeline with Adaptive
How Joseph Design Build accelerated draw processing, streamlined field-to-office workflows, and avoided hiring more staff while growing into a $160M luxury builder.
For Gabe Joseph, Co-Founder at Joseph Design Build, scaling the company didn’t mean bloating the back office.
Since founding the firm in 2014 with his brother Thomas, the Austin-based luxury builder has grown into a design-build powerhouse with a $160M active project pipeline across high-end neighborhoods like Tarrytown and Zilker.
To support that growth, the company initially expanded its back-office team and added accounting, IT, and operations staff. But it soon became clear that hiring alone wouldn’t solve the challenges of managing draws, expenses, and approvals at scale.
The Challenge: Growing Workload, Stretched Accounting Team
As project volume increased, the back office hit its limit.
Before Adaptive:
- Draws took 2–3 weeks to compile- too slow to bill twice per month, which was their internal target.
- The team considered hiring more staff just to keep up with the growing draw volume.
- Superintendents submitted expenses by text and email, which then had to be manually coded and reconciled.
- Processing subcontractor payments was tedious, requiring spreadsheets, email confirmations, and redundant checks.
“It was clear we were either going to spend a lot more on headcount or find a better way,” says Gabe.
The Solution: Automating Draws, Field Expenses, and AP Workflows
Joseph Design Build implemented Adaptive to simplify financial operations without sacrificing control or accuracy.
Here’s what changed:
- Draws now go out in under 2 weeks, thanks to Adaptive’s document syncing and approval tracking.
- Field teams use Adaptive’s mobile upload to submit credit card receipts in seconds — and the office can approve them instantly.
- Sub payments are handled directly in the Adaptive portal, eliminating paper checks and messy email chains.
- Every cost is tagged and tracked, so budgeting stays accurate without constant spreadsheet cleanup.
The Results: $100K+ Saved and a Happier Team
The payoff was immediate — and measurable.
- $100,000+ in annual savings, by avoiding headcount expansion.
- Draw cycle time cut by 50%, enabling more frequent billing and faster cash flow.
- Fewer mistakes and less friction, thanks to clean data and mobile-friendly workflows.
- Higher morale, with team members no longer bogged down by spreadsheets and email chases.
“Employee morale is much higher now that our team isn’t wasting time on manual spreadsheets and reconciliation,” Gabe says. “Everyone can focus on what they’re actually great at.”
The Impact: Scaling Projects, Not Payroll
With Adaptive, Joseph Design Build has grown into one of Austin’s premier luxury builders- without scaling up the back office.
“Adaptive has allowed us to scale significantly without hiring additional accounting staff. It's easily saved us $100k per year,” said Gabe.
The Bottom Line
Joseph Design Build is a perfect example of a fast-scaling builder with a strong internal team- and a desire to grow without burning out the back office.
If your firm is facing growing volume and considering another hire just to keep up with receipts, draws, or approvals, Gabe’s advice is clear: “Hire Adaptive instead.”
Ready for crystal clear financials without the headache?
Let us show you how Adaptive's AI-powered construction financial management software works in a brief 30 minute demo with someone from our team.
