What do you do when a prospective client requests a remodeling estimate?
Estimate the remodeling costs manually based on your experience. That’s as good as guessing, and you would likely spend hours creating an inaccurate estimate.
Remodeling contractors who complete projects on time and impress clients use the magic of remodeling estimate software.
With remodeling estimate software, you can create accurate remodeling estimates in minutes without the hassle of crunching numbers or wasting time reaching out to suppliers.
Read this article to the end to discover how remodeling estimate software can help you create accurate estimates that impress your clients.
What is Remodeling Estimate Software?
Remodeling estimate software is an innovative tech that utilizes advanced algorithms and databases to help remodeling contractors create accurate estimates faster.
Imagine a software that creates a detailed estimate of materials, equipment, labor, and overhead costs needed for a remodeling project.
And all you have to do is enter the project details and your profit margin, and with a click of a button, generate an accurate remodeling estimate in minutes.
That’s the magic of remodeling estimate software.
Why Use Remodeling Estimate Software?
If you’re wondering if you really need a remodeling estimate software, here are a few reasons to consider using it for your remodeling projects.
- Create more accurate estimates
The accuracy of an estimate can make or mar a project. You can’t afford to create an inaccurate estimate, as it can lead to many issues.
The best case scenario is a slightly insufficient budget that you can supplement with part of your profit margin. However, inaccuracy may also cause you to lose the client and damage your reputation.
With manual estimating, there’s a lot of uncertainty due to factors like fluctuating market costs. And, you may need to add allowance costing to ensure your overall estimate remains accurate. Still, there is a high chance of underestimating your remodeling project.
On the other hand, remodeling estimate software helps you create more accurate estimates every time. It eliminates the guesswork and prevents costly errors that often occur with manual estimating.
When you generate estimates with the software, it estimates the cost of every aspect of the project, from the tinniest materials to labor costs and things like permits.
The software also analyzes the precise quantity of materials you need and accesses their current cost from various suppliers, preventing underestimation. And then, it calculates the total estimates automatically and accurately.
- Save time creating estimates
Creating remodeling estimates manually is time-consuming. It takes hours to calculate the quantity of material and the number of labor you need to complete a project. Not to mention the time spent researching the current market price of materials and recruiting workers.
You don’t have to go through this time-consuming process with remodeling estimate software. The software allows you to create estimates for your remodeling projects more quickly and easily.
All you have to do is enter the project details, such as dimensions, material type, etc., and the software will automatically generate the estimate.
So, instead of spending hours or days creating an estimate, you can provide your clients with a detailed and accurate estimate in minutes. Consequently, you’ll have more time to focus on other aspects of running your company.
- Track everything in one place
Unlike the cumbersome manual estimating process, remodeling estimate software streamlines the process to keep you organized and track everything from one place.
With remodeling estimate software, you can generate the estimate, send it to the client to review and make any changes requested — no sifting through numerous paperwork or sending back-and-forth emails to finalize an estimate.
This also helps you to avoid misunderstandings, as all communications between your clients and other stakeholders would be done on the software.
Furthermore, you can add your company name and logo to the estimate generated and present it in a great-looking proposal that will impress your client. And when clients approve the estimate, they may also make online payments on the software.
Main Features of Remodeling Estimate Software
Now that you know why you need a remodeling estimate software, here are the essential features that enable it to create accurate estimates fast (a.k.a. the secret behind the magic).
1) Units and costs calculations
Remodeling estimate software can do all the calculations for you automatically. This includes estimating material take-off from the dimensions you enter and calculating total costs.
Say, you’re remodeling a 36 square feet bathroom and need to replace the floor tiles. All you have to do is enter the size dimension of the bathroom floor (i.e., 36 sq. feet), and the software will estimate the quantity of tiles you need.
Then, it would multiply the current price of the type of tile you selected (e.g., porcelain tiles) by the quantity needed to generate the total cost of tiles instantly.
Remodeling estimate software are designed with advanced algorithms that enable them to perform calculations for all the line items on your estimate automatically and accurately.
This feature on Bolster also groups line items in assemblies to give customers a detailed and more precise picture of their project costs.
2) Real-time capabilities
Remodeling estimate software have real-time capabilities that enable it to provide the current market price of construction items and update the total cost of materials as changes are made.
Let’s say you’re creating an estimate for a kitchen island remodel. The software will access suppliers’ databases in real-time and provide you with the current price of your line items. And, as you add and remove items from the estimate, the total cost will be updated in real-time.
Bolster takes this capability further by enabling your client to modify the estimates and see real-time changes. For example, your client can switch the kitchen countertop from marble to granite and see the changes in the cost estimate instantly.
3) Customizable proposal templates
With remodeling estimate software, you don’t have to copy and paste figures into a Word document, or spend time designing a remodeling estimate proposal on PowerPoint.
The software will provide proposal templates you can customize with your business branding and to suit your needs. So, you can create a project estimate proposal and download it in one click to send it to your client.
Bolster does this better by allowing you to present the estimate proposal in an interactive virtual showroom that would impress your client. This interactive presentation shows clients exactly what they’ll get at the end of the remodeling project.
Also, it offers clients upgrade options for their projects, enabling you to win more projects at a higher price. For instance, your client may upgrade the siding for their exterior remodeling project from cement to stone veneer siding.
How Bolster Remodeling Estimate Software Helped Mangino Home Improvements Win a $490k Remodeling Contract
Imagine providing a client with a remodeling estimate short by $140k. Going back to ask the client for more money would certainly be difficult, and the project would be delayed.
That would have been the story of Mangino Home Improvement. Fortunately, they had just started using Bolster at the time, and the software helped them create a more accurate renovation estimate faster.
So, here’s what happened. Mangino Home Improvements had bid on a large addition job with substantial renovation to an existing home and provided the client with a preliminary renovation estimate of $350k.
But when George (the CEO) used Bolster to generate a detailed estimate covering the project’s entire scope of work, the total came to $490k. This alone saved the company from the nightmare of underestimating such a huge project.
Then, the estimate proposal was presented with Bolster’s interactive virtual showroom. The client was impressed by the detailed interactive proposal, especially because it allowed them to select the options they wanted.
In the end, despite their quote being higher than that of the other contractors who bid for the project, Mangino Home Improvements won the bid.
Impress Your Client With Bolster Remodeling Estimate Software
Bolster is one of the leading software on the market, using a unique proprietary technology to help remodeling contractors like you create accurate estimates in less than 10 minutes.
With unique features, such as the virtual interactive presentation, inventory marketplace, subcontractor manager, and secure online payment processing, you can confidently send accurate estimates fast and impress clients.
As a remodeling contractor, it’s time to say goodbye to “guesstimates” and embrace the magic of remodeling estimate software to win more remodeling projects.
Ready to try remodeling estimate software?
Book a Demo to see how Bolster can work for your remodeling projects.
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