Turn job-site notes into a clear estimate customers understand

Who it's for

Contractors, HVAC, plumbing, electrical, roofing, painting, cleaning and landscaping owners who write their own estimates, often at night after a full day in the field.

The situation today

• Notes live in your head, a phone memo and the back of a supply receipt. The estimate gets written at the kitchen table after dinner, or the next day, or not at all.
• Customers get a total with little explanation, compare it to a cheaper bid, and call with questions you already answered on site.
• Rough estimate: 30 to 60 minutes per estimate to turn notes into something you'd send.

Time figures marked "rough estimate" are our estimates, not survey data.

The AI-assisted workflow

Step by step

1. Before you leave the site, record a 2-minute voice memo or type quick notes: what the customer wants, what you saw, materials, access issues, anything you won't do.
2. Use your phone's transcription or type the memo out. Remove the customer's name, address and phone number.
3. Paste the notes and your own prices into the prompt below. You supply every number; AI only organizes and explains.
4. Check every line, quantity and price against your notes. Add your standard terms (deposit, warranty, how long the price is good for).
5. Paste the result into your estimating software or a document and send it the same day.

You help me write customer estimates for my [trade] business. Use only the facts and prices I give you. Do not add items, quantities or prices.

My notes from the site visit:
[paste notes]

My prices for this job:
[line items and prices you've decided]

Write:
1) A 2-sentence summary of the job in plain English.
2) An itemized table: item, what it includes, quantity, price. Use only my prices.
3) 'Not included' (things the customer might assume are included).
4) 'What happens next' (how to approve, deposit, scheduling).
If anything in my notes is unclear or a price is missing, list it under 'Questions for me' instead of guessing. Keep it under 300 words. No sales hype.

Works in any AI chat assistant. Replace everything in [brackets].

Watch-outs

• Never let AI set prices, quantities or code requirements. It will sound sure and can be wrong. You price the job; AI writes it up.
• Code, permit and safety statements must come from you and your local rules, not the AI.
• Remove the customer's name, address and phone from notes before pasting. Add them back in your own software.

When not to use AI

• Bids that become contracts (commercial work, public bids) without your normal review, and your attorney's review where you'd normally get one.
• Jobs where you haven't seen the site. AI can't measure, inspect or spot the problem behind the wall.

Educational content, not legal, tax or financial advice.