Anyone who's worked in remodeling or home building knows that no project goes exactly as originally planned. Even if it’s just a standard cabinet installation, hiccups with quoting, designing, and juggling the inevitable change orders are never too far around the corner.
After the initial quoting process is complete, these remodeling jobs come with a whirlwind of decisions that clients need to make. They need to see finishes, select materials, and keep everything within the budget, and that process can sometimes take weeks before a single hammer is lifted.
If this sounds normal to you, then you’re likely relying on outdated methods that are seen as the industry standard. Having clients browse a store catalog or walk through multiple showrooms to choose a finish that aligns with their budget is a fast track to delays. With sometimes hundreds of options in front of them, clients can spend days—or even weeks—just to make the decision. And with supply chain issues these days, finding something that fits their taste, aligns with their budget and is actually in stock can be like finding a needle in a haystack.
But here’s the kicker: it doesn’t have to be this way anymore.
In this article, we’re going to lay out some of the common issues contractors face in the traditional quoting and design process and how using Bolster’s interactive proposals can completely streamline the experience for both you and your clients.
Why The Traditional Quoting Process is Slowing You Down
When you’re walking through a client’s home, chatting through their dream kitchen remodel, they’re full of excitement. They’ve probably been planning this in their heads for months—or maybe even years—drawing on the inspiration they’ve been collecting from their favorite home improvement shows or Pinterest boards. They might even tell you about the three or four different designs they’ve got floating in their head, and how they’re trying to decide between open shelving or custom cabinets, light oak or dark walnut, the list goes on.
But before any final decisions can be made on designs or budgets, you’ve got to start quoting so they know their budget. This is where things usually slow down in the traditional process.
The longer it takes to finalize a quote and jump to the designing phase, the more likely you are to lose this perfect window of opportunity and excitement. If you could make your home remodeling quote right there, on the spot, you’d catch them in the perfect mindset to make decisions. You could start designing, upselling, and scheduling the project immediately, leveraging that initial energy instead of chasing it after it’s long gone.
But, if you’re spending hours typing up the quote or taking it back to the office, by the time it's ready, that “spark” is going to be gone. This will mean a delayed design process and a massive miss on the opportunity to upsell your clients. So, how do you avoid this and keep the excitement going? That’s where Bolster’s Interactive Proposals come into play.
How Bolster’s Interactive Proposals Keep the Momentum Going
Bolster’s Interactive Proposals are now the go-to tool that thousands of contractors are using to leverage this initial excitement and kickstart the design process right in the first meeting.
Instead of wasting time heading back to the office, sending quote revisions back-and-forth, and having clients browse material catalogs and visit showrooms, contractors using Bolster can present clients with a dynamic, customizable proposal on the spot. This means you and your clients can review costs, select materials, and make decisions instantly.
Here’s how it works:
1. Instant, Customizable Quotes
Bolster’s quoting system was designed to allow contractors to create and present a remodeling quote on the spot. Our team helps create customized quoting templates for your most common jobs, enabling you to simply input the measurements of a job and generate the quote within minutes. Detailed cost breakdowns, material lists, and project schedules are created automatically.
You might be thinking, what about my vendor’s material pricing, my subcontractor rates, and overhead costs? Well, Bolster actually houses all of this information for you, you just need to upload it once, and every quote will draw directly from it to ensure every quote is 100% accurate, every time.
And if you’re worried about live material pricing changes, Bolster’s AutoCost feature has you covered. AutoCost gives you access to live market pricing for over 25,000 construction items specific to your zip code, ensuring you don’t lose any profits because of a 1% change in the cost of lumber or any other material.
Lastly, to ensure 100% accuracy, Bolster will flag any measurements, pricing errors, or discrepancies that seem unusual before you finalize the quote. Extra zeros accidentally added to a line item or a miscalculated dimension will happen from time to time, so Bolster alerts you of these issues to ensure that your quotes are lightning fast and always profitable without any headaches on your end
2. Bolster’s Virtual Showroom
Instead of sending clients to a showroom or throwing material catalogs at them, why not just bring the showroom to their front door? With Interactive Proposals, homeowners can select finishes, materials, and fixtures directly within the proposal while watching the budget change in real time. They can see previews of how the different options will look, compare pricing, and build their dream remodel—all without leaving the platform.
This feature speeds up the decision-making process and avoids the weeks of indecision that traditionally stall projects. You’ll be able to finalize choices on the spot, schedule the project, and begin ordering materials right away.
3. Effortless Change Orders and Cost Tracking
We all know just how common change orders are during a remodeling project. In fact, it wouldn’t feel like a normal job if these didn’t come up. Because of this, Bolster was designed specifically to make managing change orders effortless for both parties.
Bolster not only allows clients to request change orders themselves and see how they affect the budget in real time, but it also automatically tracks every adjustment and allows for instant updated contract signing.
This real-time visibility helps avoid any potential misunderstandings or pricing disputes down the road and ensures that every change is clearly documented and in the contract. You’ll never end up paying out of pocket for small tweaks, ensuring every project is a profitable one.
4. Real-Time Collaboration and Communication
Let’s say your clients had a change of heart after the first design meeting. This would normally mean a string of phone calls, manual budget updates, and days of delays in the schedule. But with Bolster, clients and contractors can communicate change requests or any questions and concerns directly through the proposal’s chat feature.
Whether it's questions about costs, material choices, or timeline updates, everything is updated instantly, and everybody has a documented view of the project’s history from start to finish. It’s all handled in one place so nothing slips through the cracks.
Bolster’s Interactive Proposals Are The Future of Home Remodeling
We all know the challenges that come with traditional quoting and design processes. The endless decisions, supply chain hurdles, and design delays will quickly turn excitement into frustration for both contractors and clients.
That's why Bolster’s interactive proposals are changing the game for contractors across North America. By removing the typical hurdles that come with outdated quoting and design methods, Bolster gives your clients a unique and never before seen experience that keeps them engaged, excited, and confident in their choices from the start.
Want to learn more about how Bolster can transform your home remodeling quotes? Book a demo with our team today to see the difference for yourself.
For more information check out this blog on "Estimate, bid, quote, or proposal: What's the difference?"
