Practical guides on estimating, proposals, and pricing for contractors, subcontractors, and estimators.
In-depth guides for construction professionals
Your hourly rate should come from a formula, not from the guy down the road: burdened labor cost, plus overhead per billable hour, divided by (1 minus your target margin). The full calculation worked end to end, with 2026 rate benchmarks by trade.
Deposit norms by job size (10-50%), the state laws that cap them, and how to build a milestone payment schedule where collected money never falls behind completed work, with a worked $60k remodel example and scripts for pushback.
A price book turns pricing from gut feel into a system: your 20-30 most common items, each with a true cost and a margin-backed price, stored in one place every estimate pulls from. Here is how to build one in an afternoon and keep it accurate.
Comprehensive resources for construction professionals
A practical breakdown of what belongs on a construction invoice, the different formats contractors use, and how to avoid payment delays.
A practical breakdown of what belongs in a roofing estimate template, how to structure pricing, and a comparison of spreadsheet vs. software formats.
Markup and margin aren't the same number. See the formulas, a conversion table, and how mixing them up quietly erodes contractor profit on every bid.
A practical painting estimate template with line items, pricing ranges, and markup math contractors can use on the next bid.
A practical breakdown of what belongs in a construction change order template, common mistakes, and how to price and document changes so you get paid.
A practical HVAC takeoff checklist covering ductwork, equipment, controls, and labor so your estimates hold up and your margins don't leak.
A construction price book turns guesswork into consistent, profitable bids. Here's what to include, how to structure it, and how to keep it current.
A practical subcontractor proposal template breakdown: scope, pricing, terms, and signatures — plus what separates a template that wins from one that gets ignored.
A practical drywall takeoff template contractors can copy today, with the line items, waste factors, and formulas estimators actually use.
A practical breakdown of what belongs in a plumbing takeoff template, from fixture counts to pipe schedules, plus a sample structure you can copy.
Learn how to estimate labor cost construction projects accurately, from burdened rates to crew productivity, with a formula and comparison table.
Learn how to convert a takeoff into a client-ready proposal fast, with pricing, markup, and terms that protect your margin.
Describe the job or paste your takeoff. Get an itemized bid priced from your own price book, then send it for e-signature, in about a minute.