Frequently Asked Questions

Contractor AI achieves 95%+ accuracy by using real-time material costs, local labor rates, and industry-standard overhead calculations. The calculator syncs with supplier databases daily to ensure current pricing.

Our system accounts for:

• Material waste factors by type and job complexity
• Labor productivity rates based on crew experience
• Regional cost variations across all 50 states
• Seasonal pricing fluctuations for materials
• Industry-standard markup and overhead percentages

Many contractors report that Contractor AI estimates come within 2-5% of actual job costs, significantly reducing the risk of underbidding.

Most contractors create professional estimates in 60 seconds using Contractor AI. The calculator pre-fills common costs and automatically calculates totals, saving 80% of manual estimation time.

Typical timing breakdown:

• Simple jobs: 30-60 seconds (basic repairs, small projects)
• Standard jobs: 1-2 minutes (roofing, electrical, plumbing)
• Complex projects: 3-5 minutes (multi-phase renovations)

The system learns from your previous estimates, making each subsequent estimate even faster by suggesting commonly used items and prices.

Contractor AI supports all major construction trades with customized pricing templates:

• Roofing: Shingles, flat roofs, repairs, inspections, square calculations
• Electrical: Panel upgrades, wiring, fixtures, circuit installations
• Plumbing: Pipe work, fixtures, water heaters, drain systems
• HVAC: AC units, furnaces, ductwork, tonnage calculations
• General Construction: Framing, foundations, structural work
• Painting: Interior/exterior, prep work, specialty finishes
• Landscaping: Hardscaping, irrigation, plantings
• Remodeling: Kitchen, bathroom, basement renovations

Each trade includes industry-specific line items, material databases, and labor rates validated by trade professionals.

Contractor AI was built by contractors for contractors, focusing on speed and ease of use. Here's what sets us apart:

• Speed: 60-second estimates vs 15-30 minutes with competitors
• Trade-specific templates: Built by industry experts, not generic software developers
• Real-time pricing: Daily updates from local suppliers, not outdated databases
• Integrated profit tracking: From estimate to completion, track every dollar
• Mobile-first design: Full functionality from job sites, not desktop-only
• Affordable pricing: 40% lower than similar platforms ($39.99 vs $79-99/month)
• No learning curve: Intuitive interface that requires zero training

Most importantly, we understand contractor pain points because we've experienced them ourselves. Every feature solves a real problem we faced in the field.

Yes, Contractor AI allows full customization of pricing templates. You have complete control over:

• Custom line items: Add specialty items specific to your business
• Markup percentages: Set different markups by job type or client
• Labor rates: Configure rates for different crew members or skill levels
• Material libraries: Save frequently used materials with your preferred pricing
• Template libraries: Create templates for different job types (new construction, repair, etc.)
• Company branding: Add logos, colors, and custom headers to estimates and invoices

All customizations are automatically saved and synced across devices, available whenever you need them.

Yes, Contractor AI is fully responsive and works seamlessly on all devices:

• Web app: Access from any smartphone or tablet browser (Safari, Chrome, Firefox)
• Touch-optimized: Large buttons and easy navigation designed for on-site use
• Works offline: Create estimates even without internet (syncs when reconnected)
• Fast loading: Optimized for mobile networks, even in areas with poor signal

Coming soon: Native iOS and Android apps with additional features:

• Photo integration directly from job sites
• GPS-based material cost updates
• Voice-to-text for estimate notes
• Push notifications for estimate approvals

Material costs are calculated using real-time pricing data from major suppliers and distributors:

• Daily updates: Database refreshed every 24 hours from supplier feeds
• Regional pricing: Location-based costs reflecting local market rates
• Seasonal adjustments: Automatic price updates during high/low demand periods
• Bulk discounts: Calculates quantity-based pricing tiers
• Waste factors: Applies industry-standard waste percentages by material type:
  • Lumber: 10-15% waste factor
  • Shingles: 10% waste factor
  • Drywall: 15-20% waste factor
  • Tile: 10-15% waste factor

You can override any calculated cost with your actual supplier pricing, and the system will remember your preferences for future estimates.

Yes, the premium plan includes unlimited job tracking with a comprehensive dashboard:

• Active jobs overview: See all current projects at a glance
• Real-time profitability: Track estimated vs actual costs as jobs progress
• Crew assignments: View which crews are assigned to which jobs
• Job timelines: Monitor project schedules and deadlines
• Milestone alerts: Get notified when phases complete or deadlines approach
• Cost comparison: Compare estimated vs actual expenses across all projects
• Visual reports: Charts and graphs for portfolio-level insights

The dashboard updates in real-time as you log expenses, complete tasks, and receive payments, giving you total visibility into your business performance.

Our profit tracking feature automatically calculates job profitability by comparing estimated costs to actual expenses:

• Real-time calculations: Input actual costs for materials, labor, and overhead as jobs progress
• Live profit margins: See profitability percentage update instantly
• Cost overrun alerts: Get notified immediately when expenses exceed estimates
• Category breakdown: Track profitability by job type (roofing, electrical, etc.)
• Detailed reports: Generate P&L statements for individual jobs or entire business
• Tax preparation: Export formatted reports for accountants and tax filing
• Trend analysis: Identify which job types are most profitable over time

The system helps you identify problems early, adjust pricing strategies, and focus on the most profitable work for your business.

The crew scheduling feature provides complete control over job assignments and crew management:

• Visual calendar: Drag-and-drop interface for easy scheduling
• Multi-crew support: Assign different crews to simultaneous jobs
• Availability tracking: See which crew members are available when
• Conflict detection: Automatically prevents double-booking
• Job duration: Set start dates, end dates, and estimated completion times
• Notifications: Send schedule updates to crew members via SMS or email
• Labor tracking: Log hours per job for accurate cost tracking
• Utilization reports: See crew productivity and identify optimization opportunities

Keep your crews productive, avoid scheduling conflicts, and ensure every job has the right team assigned at the right time.

Yes, you can send estimates via email with a secure approval link. Clients can:

• Review online: View professional estimates on any device
• Electronic signature: Approve with legally-binding digital signature
• Partial deposits: Make down payments directly from the estimate
• Ask questions: Built-in messaging for estimate clarifications
• Automatic confirmation: Both parties receive email confirmation upon approval

The system tracks all estimate activity:

• View tracking: See when clients open estimates
• Approval status: Real-time dashboard updates
• Automated reminders: Schedule follow-ups for pending approvals
• Conversion tracking: Monitor estimate-to-job conversion rates

Yes, you can use the basic contractor calculator for free with no signup required. The free version includes:

• Basic estimate creation
• Pricing calculations for all trades
• Material cost lookups
• PDF export (watermarked)

Premium features are available for $49.99/month with a 3 day free trial:

• Unlimited estimates (no watermarks)
• Professional invoicing
• Project tracking and profit analysis
• Client management database
• Crew scheduling
• Custom branding
• Priority support

Early bird members lock in the discounted rate for as long as they maintain their subscription.

We accept all major payment methods for your convenience:

• Credit cards: Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover
• Debit cards: All major debit cards with card networks
• ACH bank transfers: Direct bank account payments (lower fees)

Security: All payments are securely processed through Stripe with:

• Bank-level 256-bit SSL encryption
• PCI DSS Level 1 compliance
• Fraud detection and prevention
• Secure tokenization (we never store card details)

Early bird signups: Lock in the $39.99/month pricing without any payment required upfront. You'll only be charged when the platform launches.

No long-term contracts required. All plans are month-to-month with complete flexibility:

• Cancel anytime: No penalties or cancellation fees
• Keep access: Retain full access through the end of your billing period
• No questions asked: Cancel with one click from your account settings
• Export your data: Download all estimates, invoices, and client data before canceling
• Reactivate easily: Resume your account anytime with all data intact

Early bird benefit: Members who join during early bird pricing lock in their discounted $39.99/month rate permanently, as long as they maintain an active subscription (even if they cancel and reactivate later).

Yes, estimates can be exported in multiple formats for seamless integration:

• PDF: Professional client-ready documents with your branding
• Excel/CSV: Spreadsheet format for accounting software
• QuickBooks: Direct import format (QBO/IIF files)
• JSON: API format for custom integrations

Direct actions:

• Email estimates directly from the platform
• Save to cloud storage (Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive)
• Print physical copies with optimized formatting
• Share via link for online viewing

API access: Premium users can use our RESTful API for custom integrations with existing business systems, ERP platforms, or proprietary software.

Yes, Contractor AI integrates with major accounting platforms:

• QuickBooks Online: Real-time sync of invoices, payments, and expenses
• QuickBooks Desktop: Import/export via QBO and IIF files
• Xero: Direct integration with automatic reconciliation
• FreshBooks: Sync invoices and client records

What syncs automatically:

• Invoices and estimates
• Payment tracking and status updates
• Expense categorization
• Customer/client records
• Tax calculations and reporting

Additional integrations:

• CSV export: Works with any accounting software that accepts standard formats
• Zapier: Connect with 3000+ business tools (CRM, email, project management)
• API access: Build custom integrations for enterprise systems

Yes, we take security extremely seriously with enterprise-grade protection:

• Encryption: 256-bit SSL encryption for all data in transit and at rest
• Backups: Automated daily backups with 30-day retention
• Redundancy: Multiple data centers across different geographic regions
• Compliance: SOC 2 Type II certified security standards
• Access control: Role-based permissions and two-factor authentication
• Monitoring: 24/7 security monitoring and intrusion detection

Your data is protected:

• Estimates and invoices
• Client information and contact details
• Financial data and payment records
• Project files and documents

We never share, sell, or access your data without permission. You own your data and can export or delete it at any time.

Yes, the premium plan supports multiple user accounts with role-based permissions:

• Admin: Full access to all features, billing, and settings
• Estimator: Create and edit estimates, view reports
• Project Manager: Track jobs, manage schedules, view financials
• Field Crew: View assigned jobs, update progress, upload photos

Team collaboration features:

• Shared libraries: Access to company estimate templates and pricing
• Collaborative tracking: Multiple users can update the same job
• Activity logs: See who created, edited, or approved each estimate
• Approval workflows: Require manager approval for pricing or discounts
• Team notifications: Alert relevant team members of updates

Pricing: Additional users can be added for $9.99/month each. Volume discounts available for teams of 10+.

Yes, all users receive comprehensive support and training resources:

All subscribers get:

• Knowledge base: Searchable articles and guides
• Video tutorials: Step-by-step walkthrough videos
• Email support: Response within 24-48 hours

Premium members get:

• Priority support: Response within 4 hours during business days
• Phone support: Direct line to support team
• Live chat: Instant help during business hours
• Screen sharing: Remote assistance for complex issues

Additional training options:

• Live onboarding: 1-on-1 setup session for new accounts
• Team training: Group sessions for crews and staff
• Custom training: Tailored to your specific workflow
• Account managers: Dedicated support for teams of 5+ users

We actively develop new features based on contractor feedback. Here's how to get your ideas implemented:

• Feature request portal: Submit ideas directly in your dashboard
• Community voting: Vote on other users' suggestions
• Beta testing: Join early access programs for new features
• Monthly roadmap: See what's coming and influence priorities
• User interviews: Participate in product research sessions

Recent features from user requests:

• Crew scheduling (requested by 200+ contractors)
• Roofing reports with measurements
• Multi-language estimate support
• Custom approval workflows
• QuickBooks integration

Our product team reviews all requests monthly and prioritizes based on user demand and business impact. Premium members' feature requests are weighted higher in our prioritization.