Methodology
Where every number comes from
We would rather tell you how the estimate is built than ask you to trust a black box. If a number can't be traced back to a model or a published table, it doesn't ship.
Material takeoff
Each project type has its own geometry model — post spacing and rail count for fences, joist span and beam layout for decks, wall framing and sheathing for sheds. We compute member counts from your entered dimensions rather than applying a blanket per-foot factor, then add a stated waste allowance for cut loss.
Regional cost indexes
Your ZIP maps to a pricing region, and each region carries an index applied to baseline material costs. That is why the same fence prices differently in Austin and Seattle. Ranges are shown as low / typical / high because supplier pricing genuinely varies within a metro on the same day.
Contractor comparison
The pro-cost column is built from a labour model — crew hours implied by the scope, multiplied by regional trade rates, plus materials at contractor pricing and a margin band. It is there so you can see the DIY-versus-hire delta honestly, and that comparison is free and never paywalled.
Cut lists and waste
The cut-list optimiser packs your required pieces into standard stock lengths to reduce offcuts, and reports the board count that packing actually needs rather than a rounded-up guess. Change a dimension and the packing is recomputed, not scaled.
Structural guardrails
Span and spacing inputs are checked against published IRC-style span tables for the species and loading assumptions we state on screen. When a combination falls outside the table we flag it rather than silently producing a list. This is a guardrail, not an engineering stamp — load-bearing and elevated structures should be reviewed by a licensed professional.
Permits and store matching
Permit summaries combine state-level rules (frost line, exempt square footage, fence height caps, deck trigger heights) with metro-level notes, and always link you to the authority that has the final say. Shopping lists are matched to real retailer SKUs where we can identify them so quantities translate into something you can actually buy.
What this is not
- Not a quote. Prices move weekly and vary by supplier. Confirm current pricing before you buy.
- Not engineering. Span checks are guardrails against published tables, not a stamped design for your site, soil or loads.
- Not legal or permit advice. Codes are local and change. Your building department is the only authority.
- Not a substitute for measuring twice. We ask you to confirm your key dimensions before generating any list precisely because a typo there is the most expensive mistake on the job.