Every residential build is unique. From a single-story addition to a three-level infill, no two jobs share exactly the same scope, trades, or client expectations. A one-size-fits-all estimate or quote layout forces you to cram bespoke details into generic boxes, often confusing the homeowner, slowing approvals, and eroding profit.
CountBricks solves this by giving contractors a fully customizable layout for every client-facing document—estimates, invoices, change orders, and material lists—generated in real time during your voice conversation with the platform. Instead of wrestling with rigid templates, you build the document you want while you talk, and CountBricks populates the numbers, line items, and terms behind the scenes.
1. Speak naturally: Describe rooms, finishes, and allowances. Our AI converts speech to structured cost codes.
2. Adjust on the fly: Ask for line-item adds or removals, change mark-ups, or rename sections. The software reforms the layout in seconds.
3. Review in builder-friendly view: You see framing, electrical, or landscaping broken down by task, quantity, and unit cost.
4. Switch to client-friendly view: Toggle to a summarized scope that hides trade jargon but keeps the pricing transparent.
5. Send instantly: One click emails a branded PDF or live web link, complete with your logo, terms, and e-signature block.
• Faster buy-in: Homeowners understand a clean, logical structure tailored to their project instead of wading through irrelevant line items.
• Reduced rework: Because the layout is adjustable mid-conversation, you fix discrepancies before they leave your mouth.
• Consistent branding: Fonts, colors, and section headings match your company identity across every document.
• Accurate allowances: The AI pulls today’s local material pricing, so cabinet or roofing allowances reflect reality, not last quarter’s catalogue.
• Change order clarity: When scope changes, you clone the original layout, highlight the delta, and capture e-signatures within minutes.
1. Open CountBricks.com/services and select “Document Themes.”
2. Upload your logo, choose brand colors, and set default fonts.
3. Drag and drop the sections you need: Project Overview, Scope, Materials, Labor, Exclusions, Payment Schedule, Terms.
4. Save as “Residential Base Template.” Every new job starts here but can be edited on the spot.
• Need a separate section for finished basement upgrades? Say “Add basement upgrade header after labor,” and CountBricks shifts everything down.
• Want to merge two small tasks under one allowance? Say “Combine deck framing and railing into single phase—name it Outdoor Carpentry.”
• Client asks for an optional fireplace? Say “Create optional line, item code 1140, quantity one, price six-thousand even.” The option shows with its own acceptance checkbox.
A design-build team using CountBricks recently tackled a 650 sq ft rear addition. During the initial walk-through, the builder spoke the scope while the homeowner listened. The estimate appeared on a tablet in real time. Because the homeowner wanted to see plumbing separated from HVAC, the builder simply said, “Split mechanical into plumbing and ductwork sections.” The customizable layout updated instantly, allowing each trade package to carry its own subtotal and warranty note. Approval came on the spot, shaving a week off the typical negotiation cycle.
• Use conditional sections to hide internal mark-ups from client view while keeping them visible for office review.
• Set tiered tax zones so sales tax fields appear only on documents for jurisdictions that require them.
• Embed product images beside high-value allowances like cabinetry to boost perceived value.
• Automate deposit percentages: Tell CountBricks your standard 10 / 40 / 40 / 10 draw schedule and the software calculates due dates.
• Export a subcontractor copy: Strip pricing, keep quantities, and send a labor-only version in one click.
CountBricks AI takeoff reads your uploaded plan set, counts bricks, studs, tiles, and fixtures, then auto-populates the same layout sections you defined. That means the framing quantity from the takeoff flows straight into your Framing phase header, with no copy-paste errors. If the architect revises a sheet, simply re-run the takeoff; the layout remains intact, but the quantities refresh.
Residential contractors who tame document chaos win bids faster and scale profitably. Visit CountBricks.com/consultation to schedule a live demo. In fifteen minutes you’ll build a fully branded, customizable layout estimate ready to send to your next homeowner.
The secret to rapid customization is CountBricks’ layered data model. Materials, labor, mark-ups, and allowances live on their own tiers, loosely coupled to presentation tiers. When you speak, “Add engineered I-joists, forty linear feet,” the system records three things: the material ID, the quantity, and its relationship to your chosen framing phase. The presentation layer—your quote, invoice, or change order—simply references that data. Because the layers stay independent, rearranging headers or hiding internal columns never corrupts the numbers.
• Fewer callbacks: Crews open mobile-friendly layouts that show exactly what is included in their scope.
• Transparent upgrades: Sales staff can surface alternates or high-end options without rewriting the base estimate.
• Scalable standardization: Multi-crew builders save a master template yet let each project manager tweak wording to fit regional norms.
A framing subcontractor on the Cedarview duplex project used CountBricks to generate a labor-only invoice. The GC required cost code references while the accounting team wanted simple phase totals. The subcontractor produced both by toggling two layout views, avoiding double entry and winning praise from the GC for professionalism.
Ready to experience friction-free document control? Access a free trial inside your CountBricks dashboard or book a custom walkthrough at CountBricks.com/consultation. In less time than it takes to pour a footing, you’ll master the customizable layout that keeps your residential projects on budget and on brand.
