Measure once, quote from the same numbers
Most estimating tools start with a blank line-item table and leave the hard part — working out how much material the job actually needs — entirely to you. That is the step where money is lost: order 10% short and you pay a second delivery charge, order 20% over and the excess sits in the yard.
Here the two halves are joined. Open the calculator import, enter the measurements you took on site, and the quantities land in the estimate as line items with their units already attached — cubic yards of concrete, bundles of shingles, sheets of drywall, linear feet of decking. Waste allowances are already built into those figures.
Prices come in blank, deliberately. Your supplier pricing beats any national average we could put there, and a plausible-looking wrong number in a client-facing document is worse than an obvious empty one.
What it does
- Imports quantities from any of the 13 material calculators, with waste allowances already applied.
- Separates materials, labour and other costs, and applies your markup to materials only — so margin is not double-counted on labour you already priced.
- Produces a clean, client-ready document with your business details, licence number, line items, totals, terms and a signature line.
- Prints to PDF with none of the editing controls, so what the client receives looks like a document rather than a screenshot of a web app.
- Saves every estimate in your browser, so you can close the tab, drive home and pick it up again. Nothing is uploaded.
What an estimate should contain
An estimate that gets disputed later is usually one that left something implied. At minimum it needs: who is quoting and how to reach them, who it is for and at what address, a description of the work specific enough that both parties picture the same job, itemised quantities and rates, the total, what the price excludes, how long the price holds, and somewhere to sign.
The exclusions line matters more than most people expect. “Price assumes existing subgrade is sound; rock excavation and disposal not included” is the sentence that prevents an argument three weeks in.
Note also that an estimate is not a quote in the legal sense. A quote is generally a fixed offer; an estimate is a considered projection that can move if the scope does. Saying which one you are giving, in writing, is worth the extra line.
Frequently asked questions
Is the estimate maker really free?
Yes. Unlimited estimates, no account, no card, no watermark on what you send. It runs entirely in your browser.
Do I need to sign up?
No. Estimates save to the browser you are using, so you can close the tab and come back. Nothing is uploaded and no account exists to create.
How does importing from a calculator work?
Pick any of the 13 calculators, enter the measurements, and the resulting quantities drop in as line items — cubic yards, bundles, sheets, boards. You add your own supplier pricing, which is always better than a national average.
Why is markup applied only to materials?
Labour is normally already priced at the rate you charge a client, so marking it up again double-counts your margin. Materials are what you buy at cost and resell, so that is where markup belongs.
Can I send the estimate to a client?
Print it and choose "Save as PDF", then email that file. The printed document contains only the estimate — none of the editing controls.
Will my estimates sync between my phone and my laptop?
Not yet. Estimates live in the browser they were created in. Cross-device sync is the first thing coming to the paid tier.