See how the Estimate Builder turns your costbook, master categories, and Project Setup answers into real line items and a clean proposal PDF.
The Estimate Builder is where you build the actual estimate for a job. It's the workspace where you:
The Estimate Builder sits between:
Project Setup captures the context of the job and your preferred options. The Estimate Builder uses that context plus your costbook to show the right categories, subcategories, and items so you can assemble the estimate quickly. The proposal/PDF is a polished version of what you build in the Estimate Builder, formatted for presentation to the homeowner.
Here's how these three pieces work together in the current system:
Your costbook is the database of items: materials, labor, assemblies, and services. Each row has:
group/level for visibility controlExamples: "36" Shaker Wall Cabinet", "Quartz Countertop L1", "Demo Existing Cabinets".
Project Setup filters and influences what shows up in the Estimate Builder. It:
Example: If Project Setup says project type = "Kitchen" and finish = "Brushed Nickel", you'll see Kitchen master categories and only the items tagged with group = finish and level = Brushed Nickel in those categories, plus any general items.
In the Estimate Builder, you actually pick which items go into THIS specific job and set their quantities. The UI is organized as:
The lines and quantities in the Estimate Builder become the lines and prices in the final proposal PDF.
Each line item in the Estimate Builder pulls structure from your costbook but is customized to this specific job:
Comes from your costbook ("Item Name" column).
Example: "Quartz Countertop L1".
Inherits the Item Group path so things stay organized:
Example: Item Group 1 = Kitchen, Item Group 2 = Countertops, Item Group 3 = Quartz.
The amount needed for this specific job.
Examples: 20 sf of countertop, 4 recessed lights, 1 dishwasher install.
Comes from the costbook ("Measurement Unit (Abbreviation)" column).
Backed by the cost columns in the costbook (Material $/Unit, Labor $/Unit, etc.), combined according to your PDF settings and pricing logic.
The text that appears on the proposal/PDF for the homeowner. You can tailor this per estimate while keeping your internal cost structure more detailed if you want.
Note: You don't have to think about the math every time. Best Estimator uses your costbook setup so changing the quantity automatically updates the line total and totals summary.
Project Setup answers directly influence which master categories, subcategories, and items appear in the Estimate Builder.
If Project Setup says:
Then in the Estimate Builder:
group = finish and level = Brushed Nickel are shown; other finishes stay hidden.group = wall_system and level = Tile are shown.Plain and simple: Project Setup decides which categories and options are on the shelf. The Estimate Builder is where you decide what goes into this specific job.
The Estimate Builder gives you full control to adjust the estimate to match the actual job.
When you change quantities (e.g., from 20 sf to 25 sf), the totals update automatically based on your costbook pricing and PDF/labor settings.
You can add optional items or remove items that don't apply. Use Project Setup + the Estimate Builder together to quickly show options (e.g., add an island as an optional line, alternate countertop materials, or upgrades).
You can always adjust individual items in the Estimate Builder to reflect site realities (e.g., a wall was worse than expected, or a client changed their mind on a feature). The structure comes from your costbook and Project Setup; the fine-tuning happens here.
The proposal/PDF is the polished output that homeowners see. Here's how it connects to the Estimate Builder:
The proposal/PDF is basically:
Important distinctions:
Project Setup:
Estimate Builder:
Proposal/PDF:
Shows those items (grouped and formatted based on your PDF settings), plus any tax, totals, and attached photos at the end.
Here are some typical ways contractors use the Estimate Builder in real life:
You're sitting with the homeowner, going through Project Setup questions, then quickly building the estimate in the Estimate Builder. The costbook, master categories, and Project Setup logic do most of the heavy lifting, so you can focus on the conversation and getting the numbers right.
You captured the basics during the site visit, then back at the office you refine quantities, add details, and make sure everything is accurate. The Estimate Builder gives you the flexibility to adjust as you think through the job more carefully.
You can quickly create multiple versions of an estimate by adjusting Project Setup answers or swapping items in the Estimate Builder. Show the homeowner the difference between laminate and quartz, or between two different finish packages, side by side.
Build the base estimate, then add optional items as separate lines. This lets you show the homeowner what's included in the base price and what they can add for an additional cost.
Yes, you can add custom line items in the Estimate Builder, but for repeatable work it's better to add them to the costbook so you don't have to retype them. Custom items are great for one-off situations, but if you find yourself using the same custom item multiple times, add it to your costbook.
Existing estimates keep the numbers they had. New estimates will use the updated costbook. This protects your past work while letting you improve your costbook over time.
No. Categories and item groups help you stay organized; the homeowner sees the final lines and descriptions you choose to include on the proposal. You control what appears on the PDF using your PDF settings and line visibility options.
Yes. You can configure which items appear on the client-facing proposal while still keeping them in the job for internal costing. This lets you track all costs internally while showing a cleaner proposal to the homeowner.
You can set the estimator and PDF settings to show detailed lines, grouped summaries, or a single lump sum while keeping the underlying detail inside the Estimate Builder. This gives you flexibility in how you present estimates to different clients.
The layout may adjust for screen size, but the logic is the same. You're working with the same costbook, master categories, and Project Setup answers, just from different devices. Your estimates sync across all devices.
Yes, you can copy items between estimates, which is helpful when you're doing similar jobs. This saves time and ensures consistency across similar projects.
You can override individual line item prices in the Estimate Builder for that specific estimate. The costbook pricing remains unchanged, but you have the flexibility to adjust for special circumstances, discounts, or unique job requirements.