Spreadsheets and clipboards had their moment, but residential contractors still need a clear, repeatable way to turn scattered job details into profitable numbers. That’s exactly what builder estimating forms deliver—only now they live inside CountBricks instead of a three-ring binder. When foremen, estimators and office managers share one digital form, every room, trade and allowance is captured in seconds, not hours.
Craft professionals are not looking for generic templates. They want residential-specific forms that handle fluctuating timber rates, regional labor awards and rapidly changing client selections. CountBricks builder estimating forms answer that intent by pulling live material pricing and task production rates straight into each line item as you speak.
1. Open a new estimate in CountBricks.com and choose a pre-built residential template.
2. Tap the microphone and describe the scope: “Frame 220 m² single-storey, Colorbond roof, energy-rated windows.”
3. AI transcribes and matches every phrase to tasks, materials and crew hours.
4. Realtime supplier feeds drop current costs into the form—no manual entry.
5. One click exports a branded PDF ready for the client, plus a synced invoice for accounts.
• Room-by-room cost capture for kitchens, baths, alfresco spaces
• Automatic waste factors for framing, plaster and finish trims
• Local code checklists integrated into each form line so nothing is missed
• Margin sliders that instantly show gross profit as you adjust mark-ups
1. Project Overview – site address, start date, owner details and permit numbers.
2. Trade Breakdown – carpentry, plumbing, electrical, roofing and finishes listed in logical build sequence.
3. Material Quantities – auto-calculated from voice or blueprint takeoff, including supplier SKUs for direct ordering.
4. Labor & Equipment – crew hours, day-rates and plant hire pulled from CountBricks rates tables.
5. Contingencies & Allowances – PC and PS sums visible to both estimator and client for transparent variations.
• Use CountBricks blueprint AI to trace walls once; quantities flow straight into the form
• Save your favourite decking setup as a template so every new outdoor living job starts 80 % complete
• Record site walks with the mobile app—photos attach to the estimating form for office review
• Set default wastage by material class; you’ll never under-order Gyprock again
CountBricks partnered with Mason & Elm Builders on a heritage terrace extension in Richmond, VIC. Using our builder estimating forms, the site supervisor voiced 147 line items in twelve minutes. Live pricing flagged a sudden LVL beam increase; margins were adjusted instantly, preserving a 22 % gross profit. The signed quote hit the owner’s inbox before the team left site, shaving three days off the usual turnaround.
Residential building margins ride a knife-edge. Overlook a single lintel or underestimate tile waste and you donate your weekend to make up the loss. CountBricks forms reduce human error by:
• Mapping every spoken noun to a cost-coded database
• Alerting you when supplier prices shift more than 3 %
• Locking in crew productivity rates based on past job analytics
Once a form is approved, CountBricks pushes each item to scheduling, purchase orders and invoicing—no duplicate data entry. Site managers see the authorised quantities inside the mobile daily log, and office admins create progress claims from the same data set.
Can I customise my own categories?
Absolutely—add custom trades, rename cost codes and insert company-specific disclaimers.
Do suppliers integrate automatically?
Yes. Connect preferred accounts in CountBricks.com/services and live catalogues feed your forms.
What about variations?
Open the original form, duplicate the affected section, and mark as Variation 1. The new subtotal flows to the client portal instantly.
Create a free trial at CountBricks.com/consultation, import one of our residential templates and test voice estimating on your next site measure. In under fifteen minutes you’ll see why builders across Australia call our forms their new “pre-start secret weapon.”
Contractors who master the essentials can unlock deeper gains by layering automation rules on top of their builder estimating forms. CountBricks makes it simple.
• Bundle studs, plates, nails and labour into one “Frame Wall 90 mm” assembly. Enter the wall length once, and the form explodes it into every required component.
• Build complex decks, stairwells or wet areas as reusable assemblies to slash take-off time on repetitive designs.
• Set rules so demolition costs appear automatically when you select “extension” or “second-storey addition.”
• Trigger fire-rated plasterboard substitutions when the room type equals “garage under.”
• Apply different mark-ups to labour and materials, then let the form calculate blended margin in real time.
• Receive colour-coded alerts when any line dips below your target profit threshold.
• Insert mandatory energy efficiency notes directly into form footers.
• Attach engineered details to structural items so site crews always have the latest revision.
Blake Homes migrated four legacy spreadsheets into CountBricks. The automation features above cut average estimating time from six hours to ninety minutes and reduced budget overruns by 11 %. Clients noticed, too—approved quotes rose 18 % thanks to faster turnaround and professional presentation.
Ready to future-proof your estimating? Visit CountBricks.com/portfolio for more case studies or book a live demo through CountBricks.com/consultation. The next profitable project starts with a smarter form.
