How Do MSPs Handle Data Backup and Disaster Recovery for Construction Companies?

Published January 26th, 2026 by Canetadmin

For 10–25 employee construction companies, a proper data backup and disaster recovery (BDR) plan should protect critical data daily, automatically, and in at least two locations. With the right managed IT setup, most construction firms can recover from common disasters—server failure, ransomware, or accidental deletion—within 1–4 hours. Managed IT services that include backup and disaster recovery typically fall within the $100–$125 per user per month range and can reduce downtime costs by 50–70%.

What Construction Company Data Must Be Backed Up

Construction businesses rely on data that directly impacts projects and cash flow, including:

Job site plans and drawings

Bids and estimates

Accounting and payroll systems

Email and cloud file storage

Project management platforms

If any of this data is unavailable, work stops.

How Managed IT Backups Work

A managed backup system is automated and monitored, not manual. It typically includes:

Daily scheduled backups

Encrypted storage

Cloud and offsite redundancy

Monitoring to confirm backups complete successfully

If backups aren’t monitored, failures often go unnoticed until it’s too late.

Disaster Recovery Timelines That Matter

Recovery speed is critical for construction companies. Typical recovery expectations with managed IT:

Individual file restore: minutes

Server or system restore: 1–4 hours

Full office operations: same business day

Compare this to unmanaged environments, where recovery can take days—or not happen at all.

Protection Against Ransomware and Accidental Deletion

Backups are your last line of defense against:

Ransomware encrypting files

Employees deleting plans or estimates

Hardware failures

Corrupt updates

With proper backups, systems can be restored to a clean version without paying ransoms.

Why Backup Testing and Monitoring Matter

A backup that isn’t tested is unreliable. Managed IT providers should:

Test backups regularly

Alert when backups fail

Verify restore times

Adjust coverage as systems change

This ensures data is actually recoverable when it’s needed most.

Real-World Example

A 12-employee construction company experienced a server failure that shut down estimating and payroll. Their MSP restored systems from backup within 2 hours, avoided missed payroll deadlines, and prevented project delays. The company estimated downtime losses would have exceeded $8,000 without managed backups in place.