Bid the job,
not the guesswork.
Contractor-grade takeoffs in minutes — materials, cut list, labor, permits and a branded client estimate priced to your ZIP.
15 posts · 222 pickets · 60 bags concrete · add your ZIP for local prices
Estimates only, never a quote. Cut list, permits and the client PDF live in the full takeoff.
Prefer the contractor tour? For contractors & pros
Contractor ROI — the actual math (tap to open)
- 10 bids a monthyour volume
- ~90 minutes saved per bidtakeoff + proposal typing
- = 15 hours recoveredper month
- × $65/hr = $975of billable time
Against a $99/mo Contractor plan — a potential 9.8× time-value return, breaking even at 2 bids a month.
Illustration only — your savings depend on your own volume and rate.
Pick a project, get the takeoff.
FencePosts, rails, pickets, gates- DeckJoists, beams, decking
ShedStuds, sheathing, roof
PergolaPosts, beams, shade slats
Concrete slabBags, yards, rebar
Garden bedPlanter frame + soil
Chicken coopCoop + predator run
Construction estimating software for contractors
Fence, deck, shed and concrete contractors use DIYBlueprintPro to turn a site visit into a priced material takeoff, an optimized cut list and a branded proposal — before the homeowner calls anyone else.
- Takeoff priced to your ZIP in minutes
- Cut list that trims the lumber order
- Branded proposal and invoice PDFs
Material and cost output is an estimate, never a quote. Permit content is guidance to verify with your local building department.
Free for the math. Paid for the paperwork.
Every plan turns dimensions into a materials takeoff, cut list and build guide. Pick one — each links to its full details.
Free
Price one project, no account
- Unlimited calculator takeoffs
- Material quantities + ZIP-priced totals
- Permit checklist preview
One project
One job, no subscription
- The complete package for this project
- PDF estimate, cut list, shopping list
- Step-by-step build guide
Pro
Most popularHandymen and serious DIYers
- Unlimited saved jobs and reuse
- PDF blueprints, cut lists, shopping lists
- AI build guides and job assistant
Contractor
Crews bidding client work
- Branded client proposals and invoices
- Bid comparison + labor-hour models
- Team seats included
All output is an estimate, not a quote. 30-day money-back guarantee on paid plans.
One job in. Six deliverables out.
These figures are generated live by the calculators — not a mockup. Switch jobs below, or change any dimension and yours regenerates the same way. Estimates only, never a quote.
16×12 pressure-treated deck
- Length
- 16 ft
- Width
- 12 ft
- Area
- 192 sqft
- Material
- pressure-treated
- Style
- attached
About a minute of typing. Everything on the right is produced from it.
See the full example plan10 priced line items
$194 of the total
7 cut groups, optimizer ready
Setbacks, footings, inspections to confirm locally
Framing layout drawn to your dimensions
The document your customer actually receives
Material pricing is indexed to your ZIP from big-box reference prices. Verify quantities and local code requirements before buying.
What you get, and the standard behind it.
From job specs to a signed bid.
1. Enter the job specs
Dimensions, materials, gates, site conditions. Takes about a minute per job.
2. We run the takeoff
Posts, rails, spans, concrete, fasteners, waste factor and labor — priced to your ZIP.
3. Send a client-ready estimate
Branded PDF, shopping list, cut list, permit checklist. Win the bid, then build it.
Six deliverables on every job.
Materials takeoff
Every board, bag and box priced with waste factor built in.
Cut list + optimizer
Cut sheet, layout diagram, and minimized offcut waste.
Permits & code checks
Setbacks, HOA, 811, span tables — flagged before the job starts.
Branded client PDF
Your logo and contact details on a professional estimate.
AI job assistant
Ask anything about the job. It knows your inputs and pricing.
Job history & reuse
Save every estimate, clone it for the next similar job.
Permit & code guidance
Post spacing, span tables and waste factors follow IRC-style guidance — guidance to verify locally, not a compliance ruling.
Permit checks first
Setbacks, HOA, and 811 flagged before you buy a single board.
Real regional pricing
Big-box reference prices indexed to your ZIP, refreshed regularly.
30-day guarantee
Not useful? Full refund, no questions. Your plans stay yours.
All quantities and costs are estimates only — always verify your own measurements before buying materials.
From "I want to build a…" to a buildable plan.
Three questions in. A full plan out. Here's how the assistant turns your goal into a shopping list, cut list, cost estimate, and a step-by-step build guide.
Pick your project (fence, deck, shed, gate…) and answer a few plain-English questions. No engineering degree required.
- Size, height, materials
- Where it's going (yard, driveway, patio)
- Optional: your ZIP for local permit rules
See how we walk you through a real 12×14 cedar deck.
Every paid plan includes a step-by-step guide like this: pro method on one side, plain-English translation on the other.
How the pros build this deck
Footings below frost, ledger flashed and lagged to the rim, joists hung square, decking gapped for drainage, guard and stairs to code.
2 people, 3–5 days for a typical 12×16 attached deck
Tools a pro shows up with
- Safety glasses
- Work gloves
- Hearing protection
- Laser or water level
- Post-hole digger
- Circular saw
- Impact driver
- Framing square
- String line
- Socket set for structural screws/bolts
- Chalk line
The numbers pros work to
- Footing depthBelow local frost line, bearing on undisturbed soil
IRC-style footing requirement; frozen soil lifts shallow footings.
- Joist spacing16 in on center typical, 12 in for diagonal decking or composite
Span tables assume a spacing; composite decking usually requires tighter spacing.
- Ledger attachmentThrough-bolts or approved structural screws in a staggered pattern, with flashing above
Ledger failure is the leading cause of deck collapse; nails alone are not acceptable.
- Guard height / infill36 in min residential; no 4 in sphere may pass
Standard residential guard rule; keeps small children from slipping through.
- StairsConsistent rise and run, max 3/8 in variation between steps
Uneven risers are the classic trip hazard inspectors flag.
General guidance based on common residential practice. Your local building department has the final say — estimates only, never a quote or an engineered design.
Step 1: Layout and footings
A deck that is out of square never recovers — every later cut fights you.
1.1 Batter boards and string lines, squared with the 3-4-5 method and equal diagonals.
Pro standard
Diagonals equal within 1/4 in over the footprint before digging.
In plain English
Measure corner to corner both ways. When both measurements match, the rectangle is square.
1.2 Dig footings below frost onto undisturbed soil and set post bases above grade.
Pro standard
Post base standoff keeps end grain off concrete.
In plain English
Deep holes so frost can't lift them, and a metal bracket so the wood post never sits in water.
Before you move on: Diagonals equal, footing depth verified in every hole, post bases level with each other.
Step 2: Ledger and beam
This is the structural heart — the part that hurts people if it's wrong.
2.1 Remove siding, install flashing, and fasten the ledger with the specified bolt/screw pattern.
Pro standard
Flashing over and behind the ledger; staggered fastener rows top and bottom, held back from edges.
In plain English
Water must run over the ledger, not behind it. And bolt it — never just nail it — to the house framing.
2.2 Set the beam on posts with approved post-to-beam connectors.
Pro standard
Notched posts or rated caps; toenails are not a connection.
In plain English
Use the metal brackets made for it. Screwing at an angle is not strong enough.
Before you move on: Ledger flashed and fully fastened, beam level end to end, connectors fully nailed off with the right nails.
Step 3: Joists and blocking
Bounce and squeak both come from here.
3.1 Hang joists at the design spacing with full hanger nailing.
Pro standard
Every hanger hole filled with the specified connector nail — not deck screws.
In plain English
Hangers only work when every hole has the right nail in it.
3.2 Add mid-span blocking or bridging and crown joists the same direction.
Pro standard
Crown up so deflection settles flat.
In plain English
Sight each board; the slight bow goes up. Blocking between joists kills the springy feel.
Before you move on: Joists square to the ledger, tops in plane (straightedge across shows no high joists), all hangers fully nailed.
Step 4: Decking, guard and stairs
Drainage and guard geometry are what inspectors check first.
4.1 Lay decking with the manufacturer's gap and fasten per their pattern.
Pro standard
Follow the decking maker's gap and fastener spec — it governs the warranty.
In plain English
Leave the small gap they specify so water drains and boards can move without buckling.
4.2 Set guard posts with rated hardware, then infill so a 4 in sphere can't pass.
Pro standard
Guard posts take a concentrated load; blocking and bolts, not lags into end grain.
In plain English
Rail posts must survive someone falling against them. Bolt them through solid framing.
4.3 Cut stringers so every rise matches within tolerance.
Pro standard
Deduct the tread thickness on the bottom riser so all risers finish equal.
In plain English
Remember the last step's thickness when you cut, or the first step ends up taller than the rest.
Before you move on: No 4 in gap anywhere in the guard, boards gapped evenly, stair risers equal, nothing rocks underfoot.
What goes wrong most often
- Lagging the ledger into siding or a rim that isn't fastened to the floor system.
- Skipping flashing — the wall rots invisibly for years.
- Using deck screws in joist hangers instead of rated connector nails.
Change orders, client invoices, and books that reconcile.
Signed-off change orders
Scope creep becomes a numbered change order with a client sign-off link. Approved changes roll straight into the revised contract total.
Invoice tracking
Issue branded invoices from an approved estimate and mark them paid as money arrives. We are estimating software — we never hold, process, or move your customers' funds.
QuickBooks & Xero exports
One click per invoice: QuickBooks Online CSV, Xero CSV, or QuickBooks Desktop IIF. No re-keying, no credentials to connect.
Included with Contractor · $99/mo with a 14-day free trial.
Want that ROI on your own jobs?
Tell us your trade, crew size and typical job value. We'll email the fastest setup path for your first takeoff — no sales calls, no newsletter. Estimates only, never a quote.
Win the next bid. Start free.
Free covers the numbers. Paid plans add the PDF estimate, cut list and build guide.