For general contractors
Estimating software for the bids GCs actually have to write.
Type the scope the way you'd describe it to your project manager: "Kitchen and primary bath remodel, 1970s ranch, owner-supplied appliances, drywall and paint allowance." ScopeGauge writes the line items, prices the materials, and hands you a proposal you can send the same day. You stay in charge of every number.
14 days free. No credit card. No commitment.
Built for the jobs you already price every week
Describe the job the way you would explain it to your crew. ScopeGauge writes the line items, prices the materials, and hands you a proposal you can send before lunch. You stay in charge of every number.
- Kitchen and bath remodels - demo, rough trades, drywall, tile, cabinetry install, trim, paint, fixtures
- Additions - foundation, framing, building envelope, mechanicals, finishes - broken out so the owner can read it
- Whole-home renovations - multi-room remodels where line-item clarity matters for the loan and the owner
- Deck and outdoor projects - framing, decking, railings, electrical, and the permit/inspection line items
- Insurance restoration - scope alignment with adjuster line items so the owner gets approval the first time
- Tenant fit-outs and light commercial - multi-trade coordination with sub bid line items called out separately
Scope description in, line items out
Describe the scope, the conditions, the owner's allowances, what's being demolished, and what's being preserved. ScopeGauge produces the line items and the labor breakdown organized by trade.
Your pricing, not someone else's
Professional and Business plans calibrate from your completed jobs so pricing reflects what you actually charge in your market - not a generic national average.
Subcontractor bids, in one workflow
On the Business plan, ScopeGauge supports subcontractor bid requests. Collect sub line items in the same workflow that produces your proposal to the owner. No more taping bids together at midnight.
What does this look like in practice?
Here's what a typical scope looks like going in, and the line items it might come back with. Every number is editable before the proposal goes out.
You type something like
"Kitchen remodel, 1970s ranch, 12x14 footprint, walls staying, new cabinets (owner supplied), new tile floor, new island, electrical updates for dishwasher and disposal, paint."
ScopeGauge could break that into line items like
- Permit application + inspection coordination
- Demolition: existing cabinets, countertop, tile floor, appliance disconnects
- Dumpster delivery + haul (or scheduled dump runs)
- Plumbing rough: relocate disposal line, dishwasher supply, ice-maker water
- Electrical rough: dedicated circuits for disposal, dishwasher, microwave, range
- Drywall patch at electrical and plumbing penetrations, sand + prime
- Floor tile installation - owner-selected tile, allowance for grout / underlayment
- Cabinet install - owner-supplied cabinets, labor only
- Countertop coordination - measure / template / template-day photos
- Paint: ceiling, walls, trim - two coats
- Final electrical: outlets, switches, undercabinet lighting circuit
- Final plumbing: faucet, disposal, dishwasher hookup, water test
- Punch list allowance (~5% of subtotal)
- Project management + supervision
- Materials markup
Illustrative. Every estimate is editable before send. The more detail you give the input, the stronger the first draft. ScopeGauge isn't producing a fixed catalog answer, it's building a starting point you can review and adjust.
What ScopeGauge does, and what it does not do
We'd rather be clear about scope than oversell. Here's where ScopeGauge earns its keep, and where you should pair it with something else.
Built for
- ✓ Turning a multi-trade scope description into editable line items in minutes
- ✓ Producing owner-facing proposals on your own letterhead (Pro/Business plans)
- ✓ Calibrating to your shop's real pricing across trades over time (Pro/Business)
- ✓ Coordinating sub bids inside one workflow (Business plan)
- ✓ Tracking won/lost bids so future estimates reflect what wins in your market
- ✓ Aligning insurance restoration scopes with adjuster line items
Not built for
- - Blueprint takeoff - pair ScopeGauge with Bluebeam, PlanSwift, etc.
- - Project management / scheduling - pair with Buildertrend, CoConstruct, JobNimbus, etc.
- - Permit submission - you still file with the AHJ
- - Lien waiver tracking, change orders against project budgets - accounting workflow
- - Accounting / invoicing - proposals from ScopeGauge, invoices in QuickBooks / Sage / etc.
- - Subcontractor management long-term - for ongoing crew + sub coordination, pair with your PM tool
The line items that quietly kill margins
Every experienced estimator has been bitten by these. ScopeGauge surfaces them so they don't end up as "I'll eat it" at the end of the job. You decide whether to bill, absorb, or skip.
Missing the permit fee AND the permit-pulling time
The fee is one line. The day you spend at the AHJ, the runner to drop off plans, and the wait time for approval are another. Two separate lines, two separate margins.
Forgetting porta-potty + dumpster on residential remodels
On a 6-week kitchen, the porta-potty alone is $150-300. The dumpster swap-out, another $200-400. If you didn't price it the customer assumed it was included.
Missing the punch list as a budgeted line item
Every job has a punch list. 5% of subtotal is a reasonable allowance. Without it you eat the back-and-forth at the end of the project.
Under-pricing demolition labor
Demo gets called "the easy part" until it is not. A 12x14 kitchen demo with cast iron drains and 50-year-old tile is 2-3 days for two guys, plus disposal. Spreadsheet templates always lowball this.
Missing temporary protection
Plastic dust walls, floor protection on the path from the front door to the kitchen, and masking tape on door frames all take labor and materials. The homeowner will get furious if you skip it.
Forgetting the "owner-supplied" allowance buffer
"The homeowner is supplying the tile" sounds fine until tile day, when the tile arrives short by 60 sf and you have to make a trip to the supply house. Build in an allowance for the inevitable.
“I've been estimating for 22 years. Took me 4 hours on that kitchen remodel. ScopeGauge did it in 12 minutes. Most of the line items were spot on.”
General contractor, Boulder
Pricing
Three plans, all starting with a 14-day free trial. No credit card to start. $199 Starter, $349 Professional, $499 Business per month. See what's in each plan →
Common questions
Does ScopeGauge handle multi-trade scopes?
Can I send proposals on my own letterhead?
How do I get bids from my subs?
Can I try it on a real job before I sign up?
What does it cost?
Is my pricing data private?
Stop spending evenings on estimates.
Request beta access and we'll get you a code within 1-2 business days. Or take the Bid-Off Challenge first with a job you already priced. No signup required.
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