Creating Your First Estimate
Step-by-step guide to building and sending a residential estimate to your first customer.
Creating Your First Estimate
This guide walks you through building a residential estimate from scratch: entering the customer, selecting services, and sending the finished proposal. The whole process takes about two minutes.
Start a New Estimate
Click the New Estimate button in the top navigation bar or the sidebar. The residential estimator opens. It has three steps shown as a progress bar across the top:
- Client & Property
- Services & Pricing
- Review & Send
Step 1: Client & Property
This step collects customer information and property details.
Customer Information
| Field | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Customer Name | Yes | First and last name. |
| Lead Source | No | Dropdown: Google, Referral, Facebook, Door Knock, etc. |
| No | Needed to send the estimate by email. | |
| Phone | No | Needed to send the estimate by SMS. |
Property Details
| Field | Notes |
|---|---|
| Address | Start typing and select from the Google Places autocomplete dropdown. |
| City, State, ZIP | Auto-filled when you select an address from autocomplete. |
| Property Sqft | Auto-fills from property lookup. You can override it. |
| Stories | Select 1, 2, or 3. Affects multipliers. |
| Lot Size | Square footage of the lot. |
| Year Built | Helps estimate condition. |
| Roof Sqft | Auto-fills if available. Override as needed. |
| Gutter Linear Ft | Estimated linear feet of gutter. |
| Siding Type | Dropdown: Vinyl, Brick, Stucco, Wood, Hardie, etc. |
| Roof Type | Dropdown: Asphalt, Metal, Tile, Slate. Affects roof cleaning multiplier. |
After entering the address, click Auto-fill Property. The system pulls public property records and fills in square footage, stories, year built, and roof details when available.
Review the auto-filled values. Adjust anything that looks off. Click Next to continue.
Step 2: Services & Pricing
This step is where you build the scope of work and see the price update in real time.
Selecting Services
Each service has a toggle switch. Turn on the services the customer needs:
- House Wash
- Windows
- Gutters
- Roof Cleaning
- Driveway
- Sidewalks
- Deck / Patio
- Fence
When you toggle a service on, its detail fields appear. Fill in the specifics.
Service-Specific Fields
Each service shows fields relevant to that job. Examples:
- House Wash — Square footage, stories, dirtiness level.
- Windows — Number of windows, interior + exterior toggle.
- Driveway — Square footage.
- Gutters — Linear feet.
Dirtiness Level
For applicable services, select a dirtiness level: Light, Moderate, or Heavy. This adjusts the price based on the extra time and materials needed.
Add-Ons
Below the main services, an Add-Ons section lists optional extras. Toggle any that apply.
Custom Line Items
Need something not on the list? Click + Add Custom Item. Enter a Description, Quantity, and Unit Price. The item adds to the total.
Maintenance Plan
Toggle the Maintenance Plan option to offer recurring service. The plan uses the discount percentages you set in the Pricing Manager.
Running Total
The right panel shows a running price breakdown as you add services. It updates instantly.
Click Next when the scope and price look right.
Step 3: Review & Send
This step shows everything in one view so you can verify before sending.
Review Summary
You see the customer name, property address, a full list of services with prices, add-ons, custom items, subtotal, tax, and total.
Your Options
You have three buttons at the bottom:
| Button | What It Does |
|---|---|
| Save as Draft | Saves the estimate without sending. Find it later on the Estimates page. |
| Preview | Opens a PDF preview so you can see exactly what the customer receives. |
| Send Estimate | Opens the send dialog. |
Sending the Estimate
Click Send Estimate. A dialog opens with these options:
- Delivery Method — Toggle between Email, SMS, or Both.
- Subject — Pre-filled. Edit if you want.
- Message Body — Pre-filled with a professional template. Edit to personalize.
- Send — Sends the estimate.
Click Send. The estimate is delivered and moves to "Sent" status on your Estimates page.
What the Customer Receives
By Email
The customer gets an email with:
- A summary of services and prices.
- A PDF attachment of the full estimate.
- A View Full Estimate button that opens the estimate in their browser.
By SMS
The customer gets a text message with a short summary and a link to view the full estimate online.
After Sending
Once sent, you can track the estimate from the Estimates page. You see its status: Draft, Sent, Viewed, Accepted, or Expired.
Next Steps
- Setting Up Your Default Pricing — Fine-tune your rates.
- Adding Your Team — Let your sales reps create estimates too.
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