During his career as an architect on Prince Edward Island, David Lopes has discovered one part of the job he really doesn’t like: paperwork. And he’s learned that other architects dislike it as passionately as he does.

“Most architects get into architecture to design and build things, but they have to wade through contract administration,” said Lopes. “And most use paper for their contract administration.”

Lopes is out to change that.  

Two years ago, he founded Rform, which is developing a software-as-a-solution product to simplify the administrative burden that comes with architectural contracts.  It allows architects to complete the various forms needed through the life of a construction cycles. The user can add as many files as he or she likes, and can share these files with other Rform users. The product -- which is compatible with Macs or PCs and can be accessed on any tablet or smart phone – is now on the market and being used by about 50 clients in Canada and the U.S., each paying a monthly administrative fee.

Rform allows architects and other members of a project team to organize their records and inform other team members of changes as a building is under construction. Lopes says it minimizes the risk of poor record-keeping that could lead to litigation and schedule over-runs.

“This makes it possible to be more productive and, by being more productive, I get to be happier about my job and enjoy doing the things I like and less of the things I don’t like, said Toon Dreesen, the Principal of Dreesen Architect Inc., in a testimonial on the Rform website.

Lopes said the current market for the product is about 18,000 small architectural firms in Canada and the U.S. Initially, Rform was developed with the small architectural firm in mind, but Lopes says larger firms are also adopting the product.  He added that his revenues have been growing at about 50 percent per year and hopes to increase that to 400% by the end of 2014.

Now Lopes wants to grow the company by adapting the product so it can be used by complementary trades and professions – such as engineers, project managers, contractors and consultants.

Rform was one of six startups from the Maritimes selected to present at the recent MentorCamp event in Halifax. Lopes is now considering raising money – his target will probably be $1 million to $1.5 million—so Rform can expand its four-member team in target new verticals. One of the priorities will be to hire an additional programmer.