Frequently asked questions

Who actually prepares the estimate?

A small team in Taiwan. We are not licensed tradespeople in your country and we don’t pretend to be: we are estimators and process people who price from your suppliers’ lists, your labor rates, published labor norms, and your photos. Every estimate is reviewed by a second person before it goes out, and every estimate lists what we assumed so you can check it against what you saw on site.

How accurate is it?

As accurate as the information you send. With good photos and measurements, the material quantities are usually within a few percent and the labor hours within what two experienced estimators would disagree about. Where we are unsure, we say so in the notes instead of burying it in the number. The first estimate is free precisely so you can compare it with your own.

Where do material prices come from?

From the suppliers you tell us you use: Home Depot, Lowe’s, Ferguson, RONA, Bunnings, Reece, MonotaRO and so on, at their current online prices, or from your own price list if you send one. Trade-account discounts are yours; tell us the percentage and we apply it.

Where do labor hours come from?

From published labor-unit references for the trade, adjusted for what your photos show: access, height, occupied versus empty, old versus new construction. If you tell us your crew does a job faster or slower than the book, we use your number and remember it.

Do you handle my local code?

We know the main rulebooks, and we price what they require: AFCI/GFCI in the US, RCBOs in Australia, tempering valves, bonding, fan ducting, and so on. We are not a substitute for your knowledge of local amendments and inspectors. The estimate flags code-driven items so you can confirm them.

What if the photos aren’t enough?

We email you a short list of questions the same evening. If you can answer in a few minutes, the estimate still arrives in the morning. If not, we deliver what we can with the gaps clearly marked.

Is it really overnight?

For the US, Canada and Australia, yes: send by 20:00 your time, ready by 07:00. For Japan and Korea the time difference is only one hour, so it is same evening to next morning: send by 18:00, ready by 09:00. Rush within four hours is available during Taiwan working hours for 50% extra.

Can I send it in Chinese?

Yes. Mandarin or Cantonese, typed or voice message, Traditional or Simplified. The estimate comes back in whichever language your customer reads, and the notes to you in whichever you prefer. Japanese and Korean too.

Will you use my estimate template?

Yes. Send it once and we match it from then on: layout, logo, terms block, column order. If you don’t have one, our default is a clean PDF plus the Excel behind it.

Can I just send you my quote to check?

Yes. A second-opinion check of your own quote is priced as a Quick estimate. We check quantities, current prices, missing items and the arithmetic.

What do I pay and how?

Per estimate, by job size: see pricing. Card, PayPal, Wise or bank transfer, in USD, CAD, AUD, JPY or KRW. The first one is free. No subscription.

Who owns the estimate? Is my data confidential?

You own it. We don’t share your customers’ addresses, your pricing or your photos with anyone, and we don’t use them to advertise. Files are deleted 90 days after delivery unless you ask us to keep a job history for repeat customers. See the terms.

What if the estimate is wrong and I lose money?

Our liability is limited to the fee you paid for that estimate; the terms spell this out. In practice: you review the estimate before quoting, you know the site and we don’t, and the assumptions page exists so the two of you can disagree before the customer sees a number.

Do you do large commercial takeoffs?

Yes, from drawing sets, for electrical, plumbing and mechanical. Two to three days depending on the set. Ask for a quote; we confirm the price before starting.

Can you also price it for the customer, including my profit?

Yes. Tell us your markup and overhead and whether you want them shown as lines or folded into unit prices. Many contractors keep one internal version with the breakdown and one customer version with lump sums; we produce both.