Custom estimating and quoting applications for contractors
Keep the methods that make your estimates yours. Give your team a clearer way to enter job details, check calculations and prepare a quote.
Your estimating spreadsheet may contain years of practical knowledge: material allowances, crew rates, equipment costs and the exceptions that matter on a real job. LoopRivet builds custom applications around those agreed rules, starting with one useful workflow.
Request a free process consultation Try the estimating demoWhen your estimating spreadsheet needs more room to work
Only one person knows the file
The workbook works, but others need help finding the right inputs or understanding which cells they can change. An application can separate everyday entries from the agreed calculation rules.
Quotes start from different copies
Rates, assumptions and revisions drift between files. A defined application can give the team an agreed source for job information and pricing inputs.
Job details get typed again
Measurements and customer information move from a worksheet into a quote. We can scope a workflow that uses the same agreed inputs to calculate and prepare the required output.
Review is difficult to trace
It takes time to work out which assumptions produced a figure. Clear inputs and a cost breakdown can make review easier; approval steps and revision history are included when agreed.
What a first estimating application could include
A first scope might cover a single type of job, a defined set of inputs, your agreed calculation rules and a quote summary. We decide together which records must be saved, who can access them and what output the team needs.
- Job measurements, material choices and crew or equipment inputs.
- Calculations reviewed against examples you already trust.
- Required fields and checks for agreed input limits.
- A readable breakdown of costs and the proposed quote.
- Agreed record storage, access controls, training and handover.
This is custom development, not an off-the-shelf estimating subscription. Drawing takeoffs, supplier price feeds, quote PDFs, approval workflows and accounting connections are possible scope items, not automatic inclusions.
Walk through a sample estimate
The working homepage demo uses Crestline Site Works, a fictional business, to show a compacted gravel pad estimate. Its inputs, prices and rules are illustrative; they are not guidance for pricing or constructing a real job.
- Enter the job details. The sample starts with a 30 × 20 ft pad, 4-inch stone depth and #57 limestone. Crew hours, crew rate, mobilization and markup are visible inputs.
- Apply the sample rules. The calculator derives volume from the dimensions, adds an 8% allowance and rounds the stone order up to the next half cubic yard. In this example it orders 8.0 cubic yards.
- Review the breakdown. The sample shows $252.00 for material, $768.00 for labor and $450.00 for mobilization. Applying the sample 18% markup to the $1,470.00 subtotal produces $1,734.60.
- Change an input and compare. Try another depth or crew-hour figure and watch the estimate and charts update. Name and save a quote to compare sample jobs during the same page session.
Preserve the rules. Agree on changes.
We start by walking through your workbook and a few representative jobs. Together we identify the rules that must stay, the exceptions to handle and the parts that should become easier to use. If a calculation needs to change, we identify that explicitly.
During review, we compare application results with agreed examples, including relevant edge cases. A working screen is not the acceptance test by itself: inputs, calculations and outputs need to match the defined scope.
Start with a conversation and a defined scope
Free process consultation
A 30-minute conversation about the workbook, the people using it and the problem you want to solve. We contact you personally to arrange a time.
Focused assessment — starting at $495
Review one defined workflow and receive a recommended approach, initial scope and project estimate. Useful when the next step needs to be worked out.
Workflow Quick Fix — starting at $995
A bounded spreadsheet improvement or small automation may be enough. This is a different scope from building a complete application.
Custom application — starting at $3,950
A defined application scope with agreed functionality, storage, deployment, validation and handover. The proposal identifies deliverables, exclusions and customer responsibilities.
Prices are in USD and apply to defined scopes. Third-party costs and recurring charges are identified in the proposal. System connections, hosting and ongoing care are optional and individually scoped.
Questions before converting an estimating workbook
Does every spreadsheet need an application?
No. If a workbook is reliable and fits how the team works, a focused improvement may be the better first step. The consultation helps identify the smallest useful change.
Can we keep our formulas and methods?
Those methods are the starting point. We review the agreed rules and validate the implementation against examples you trust, rather than assuming a generic estimating template fits your business.
Can it work with our accounting or customer system?
Potential connections are assessed for the systems and access you have. Availability, permissions, data mapping and ongoing responsibilities affect scope. No particular connection is included until agreed.
What should we bring to the consultation?
Describe who uses the workbook, which steps cause trouble and what a correct result looks like. Do not put passwords or confidential customer information in the public form; we can arrange appropriate sharing when needed.
How long will a project take?
We estimate delivery after defining scope. Workbook complexity, data readiness, access and your review availability all affect the schedule.
Less Typing, More Getting It Done
Bring the estimating process you already know. Let’s discuss how to make it easier for the team to use.
Request your free consultation