Overview
When you don't have plans or photos to upload — or the project is simple enough to describe — type or dictate what you're building and let the AI generate a scope and estimate from your words. This guide covers that path end to end. For the plans-upload path, see Create an Estimate from Plans or Photos.
Step 1: Choose Describe Your Project
On the Select Method screen (see Creating an Estimate), click Select under Describe Your Project.
Step 2: Enter the project details
Site Address (required) — you can't generate without one.
Project Description — type your project in the text box, or click the microphone icon to dictate. A language selector next to it defaults to English.
Samples — click the Samples dropdown for pre-written starting points grouped by category (Remodel, Upgrade, Addition, New Construction, and more) — for example Kitchen Remodel or Roof Replacement. Edit the inserted text to match your project.
Tip: include dimensions, material preferences, and location for more accurate estimates — the field's own placeholder text says as much, and it's the single biggest lever on scope quality here. See Scope of Work Prompting.
Step 3: Set estimate preferences (optional)
Click the gear icon next to Project Info to open Estimate Preferences before you generate:
Pricing & Quality — enable allowances or per-line-item markup/margin, and set a default profit percentage and per-cost-type markup. See Editing the Estimate.
Instructions — a free-text field for special instructions, requirements, or notes, plus an Enable labor and materials breakdown toggle that splits each line item instead of showing one blended cost.
Step 4: Generate the estimate
Click Create Estimate in the top right. The AI works through named stages — Analyzing Project Scope, Researching Current Market Pricing, Calculating Labor & Material Costs, and more — pulling pricing from your catalog and regional rates. This typically takes 30 seconds to a few minutes depending on how detailed the description is.
Step 5: Review and edit
Unlike the plans-upload path, a description-based project has no separate scope-review stage — your description is the scope. Generating drops you straight into the estimate editor, where you can add items, adjust markup, and use the AI Assistant to make changes. See Editing the Estimate.
To change the underlying description later, go to the project's Scope tab and click Edit Description. ⚠️ Regenerating replaces your existing estimate — the current one is deleted and rebuilt from the revised description, so manual edits, fees, and markup are lost. KonstructIQ warns you before this happens. For small changes, use the AI Assistant on the estimate instead — see Adjusting Your Scope After an Estimate Is Generated.
Troubleshooting & FAQs
How long does generating an estimate take? Usually 30 seconds to a few minutes, depending on the length and detail of your description.
Can I edit the description after I've already generated an estimate? Yes. Open the project's Scope tab and click Edit Description, then Create Estimate again to regenerate — but note this replaces the existing estimate rather than updating it.
I just need to add one missing item — do I have to regenerate? No. Use the AI Assistant in the estimate editor to add or correct individual items. Your existing estimate stays intact.
Can I use the takeoff tool to verify quantities on a description-based estimate? No. Measuring tools work against a source drawing, so they only apply to scopes generated from uploaded plans. See Using the Takeoff Tool.
Can I dictate instead of typing? Yes — click the microphone icon in the Project Description box and speak your project details.
Quick Reference
Path: Home → Estimate → Select Method → Describe Your Project → fill Site Address and Project Description (or start from Samples) → optional Estimate Preferences (gear icon) → Create Estimate.
Don't skip: proofreading the description before you generate — there's no separate scope-review screen on this path, so what you type is what gets priced.
Changing it later: Scope tab → Edit Description → Create Estimate — ⚠️ replaces the existing estimate.