For contractors, GCs & site supers

Call the crew lead. Skip the guesswork.

On a lot of job sites, the person who knows exactly where the framing stands is a crew lead who's more at home in Spanish. intelecho turns an ordinary phone call into a two-way translated conversation, so a GC or super can sort out schedules, materials and inspections without waiting on the one bilingual foreman. Think of it as construction Spanish on demand, with Portuguese, Polish and Russian too.

  • 46 languages
  • No app for either side
  • Free 5-minute demo calls
Construction superintendent in a hard hat on a phone call inside a wood-framed house, holding rolled plans
1,032

construction and extraction workers killed by work injuries in 2024

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, 2024
68.5%

of the 1,229 Hispanic or Latino workers killed on the job in 2024 were born outside the U.S.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, 2024
The challenge

Where the conversation gets stuck

One bilingual foreman, every question

When a single person is the only bridge to the crew, every question waits on their phone. If they're out sick or on another site, the schedule stalls.

Small mix-ups, expensive rework

The wrong tile layout, drywall hung before the framing inspection, a delivery dropped at the wrong lot. A short call that both sides actually understand saves a lot of tear-out.

Plans change after hours

The forecast shifts at 7 p.m. and tomorrow's pour has to move. A late-night text in broken Spanish rarely gets you a clear yes.

Calls you can make today

Real situations, handled by phone

01

Moving a concrete pour

Call the flatwork lead the night before: rain is coming, the pour moves from Tuesday to Thursday at 6 a.m., and the pump truck is rebooked. Confirm how many workers they'll bring.

02

Confirming scope with a drywall sub

Before the crew starts, go over which rooms get moisture-resistant board, where the access panels go, and that nothing gets hung until the framing inspection passes.

03

Chasing materials

Ask the roofing lead how many squares of shingles are left, whether the drip edge arrived, and what they need on site by Friday to stay on schedule.

04

Setting up an in-person talk

After a near miss with an unsecured ladder, call the crew lead to hear what happened and set a time for an on-site toolbox talk led by a qualified bilingual trainer.

What it sounds like

A sample call, English ⇄ Spanish

Each person speaks naturally in their own language. intelecho translates every turn so each side hears the other in a clear AI voice.

Languages that come up most

  • Spanish
  • Brazilian Portuguese
  • European Portuguese
  • Polish
  • Russian

Among foreign-born construction workers, about 86% speak Spanish at home, followed by Portuguese (1.8%), Polish (1.5%) and Russian (1.1%), according to CPWR's Construction Chart Book (6th ed., 2015 ACS data). Some Guatemalan workers speak K'iche', Mam or other Mayan languages, which intelecho does not support yet.

Translating both waysEnglish ⇄ Spanish
Site superintendent · EnglishRain is coming tomorrow, so we're moving the pour to Thursday at six in the morning.Concrete crew lead hears: Mañana va a llover, así que vamos a mover el colado al jueves a las seis de la mañana.
Concrete crew lead · EspañolEstá bien. ¿Ya pasó la inspección del acero? No quiero colar sin la aprobación.You hear: OK. Did the rebar inspection pass yet? I don't want to pour without the approval.
Site superintendent · EnglishThe inspector signed off this afternoon. I'll text you a photo of the permit card.Concrete crew lead hears: El inspector lo aprobó esta tarde. Le mando por mensaje una foto de la tarjeta del permiso.
Concrete crew lead · EspañolPerfecto. Entonces llego el jueves con seis trabajadores.You hear: Perfect. Then I'll be there Thursday with six workers.
How it works

Three steps from this page to a translated call

  1. 01

    Enter your number and the crew lead's

    Pick English for yourself and Spanish, Portuguese or Polish for them. Add your name and company so the introduction tells them who's calling.

  2. 02

    Get away from the noise

    intelecho calls you first, then rings them. Step away from saws, compressors and traffic before you start talking, because background noise hurts the translation on both ends.

  3. 03

    Agree, then confirm

    Settle the date, the quantity or the change order. Then text a short written summary or update whatever schedule your team already uses.

Get it right

Tips for smoother calls

  • Say numbers in full and twice: “Thursday, six in the morning, six workers.”
  • Ask the crew lead to take the call in the truck or a quiet corner, not next to running equipment.
  • Swap site slang like “mud,” “rock” or “hot” for plain words: joint compound, drywall, live wire.
  • Before hanging up, ask them to repeat back the one detail that matters most.
FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Can I give safety instructions through intelecho?

Use it for scheduling, scope and logistics, not for safety-critical instructions. Safety training, hazard communication and emergency procedures should come from a qualified bilingual trainer, backed by written materials in the worker's language. In an emergency, call 911.

Will it work with all the noise on site?

It works on any phone, but loud equipment makes translation less reliable. Step away from saws, generators and traffic, and ask the other person to do the same. Short sentences with pauses work best.

Is this better than learning Spanish for contractors?

It's a different tool. Learning some construction Spanish builds trust with your crew, and intelecho covers the conversations that go beyond what you know. Many supers end up using both.

My crew speaks Portuguese or Polish. Does that work?

Yes. intelecho supports Brazilian and European Portuguese, Polish, Russian, Ukrainian, Albanian and Spanish, among 46 languages. Mayan languages like K'iche' and Mam are not supported yet.

Does the crew lead need a smartphone?

No. intelecho calls any U.S. or Canadian phone number, including basic flip phones. There's nothing to install on either end, and you start the call from the website.

Make your first translated call

Enter your number and theirs, pick both languages, and pick up when we ring you. It takes about a minute to set up.

Related