How to Create an AI Estimate
Start the Estimate Creation From the main dashboard, click the Create Estimate button located in the top left corner under your name.
Select Your Input Method On the Select Method screen, choose how you would like to define your project scope:
Upload Plans or Photos: Select this to upload construction drawings (PDFs) or site photos for AI analysis.
Describe Your Project: Select this to type or dictate a description of your project to generate a scope based on your text.
Define Scope via Upload (Path A)
Upload Files: Drag and drop or upload PDFs, JPEGs, or PNGs.
Set Scope Focus: Use the Scope Extraction Focus toolbar to select specific trades like Painting, Electrical, or Plumbing, or select Full Scope for a total extraction.
Add Instructions: Enter details in the Custom Instructions field (e.g., "Cabinetry") and click Save.
Generate: Click Generate Scope to process the files.
Define Scope via Description (Path B)
Enter Project Details: In the Describe Project field, type your specific requirements, such as framing dimensions, plumbing relocations, or electrical circuit needs.
Use Samples: You can use Project Description Samples to help pre-populate common tasks.
Refine Text: Ensure you include details for all relevant trades, such as specific fixtures or structural adjustments.
Save and Process: Click Save or Refine Scope to allow the AI to organize your notes into a formal scope of work.
Review the Scope The Scope Review page displays the results:
Assistant: The left panel explains what was extracted or updated.
Scope of Work: The center panel shows the formatted text which you can manually edit using the formatting bar (Bold, Italic, Headers).
Files: For uploads, the right panel displays the original documents for side-by-side verification.
Adjust Project Preferences Click the Gear Icon to open Estimate Preferences. Set the Fixture Quality (Low End, Mid Range, or High End) and define Markup or profit percentages for labor and materials. Click Save to apply these to your final costs.
Refine with the AI Assistant Use the chat box in the Assistant panel to request specific changes, such as "Adjust the kitchen area to 350 sq ft" or "Remove all appliance material costs". The AI will automatically update the scope text based on your request.
Finalize the Estimate Once the scope of work is verified and adjusted, click the Create Estimate button in the top right corner to generate the final estimate document.
Troubleshooting & FAQs
Troubleshooting
AI description is too vague: If the generated scope lacks detail, try using the Project Description Samples or providing specific measurements and material types in your text.
Markup not appearing: Ensure you clicked Save within the Estimate Preferences (gear icon) menu before clicking Create Estimate.
AI fails to extract data from an upload: Ensure your PDF is not password-protected and that images are clear. The system supports up to 10 PDFs (max 50MB each) and 20 photos (max 10MB each).
FAQs
Can I switch methods halfway through? You can click Back or Close to return to the selection screen, but it is best to use the Assistant to add information to your existing draft.
Does the AI understand spoken descriptions? Yes, you can dictate your project description directly into the text field if your device supports speech-to-text.
What file types are supported for uploads? The system supports PDFs, JPEGs, and PNGs. PDFs are limited to 10 files (50MB each), and photos are limited to 20 files (10MB each).
Can I combine both plans and a description? Currently, you select one primary method to start, but you can use the AI Assistant later in the process to add descriptive details to a scope generated from plans.
Will the AI know my specific local labor rates? The AI generates the scope and quantities. Your specific labor rates and material costs are applied based on the preferences you set in the "Estimate Preferences" menu and your saved company cost data.