On busy residential sites, time is currency. When a superintendent radios the office with, “Just give me the estimate, me,” they really mean, “I need an accurate number now so I can keep the crew moving.” That urgency has evolved into the shorthand many pros recognise as “the estimate me.” CountBricks was built to meet that exact moment.
• Lost bid opportunities when another contractor delivers numbers first
• Labour crews idle while materials and tasks are re-checked manually
• Frustrated clients who equate slow estimates with disorganised project management
Speed matters, but speed without accuracy destroys margins. CountBricks combines live supplier pricing, voice capture and AI logic so builders don’t sacrifice precision to beat the clock.
When you launch CountBricks on a phone, tablet or desktop, the platform listens in real time. You speak, it builds:
1. Start a new project and select the residential template that fits: new build, extension, renovation.
2. Walk the site or review plans and dictate scope: “Timber frame, 140 mm studs, 200 sqm cladding, Colorbond roof.”
3. CountBricks AI matches tasks, labour units and live material catalogues, dropping lines into the estimate as you talk.
4. Adjust mark-ups or labour rates on the fly by saying, “Set carpentry margin to 18 percent.”
5. Finish with, “Generate quote,” and the software outputs branded documentation ready for client sign-off.
Supplier Sync: CountBricks pings partnered merchant feeds every fifteen minutes, so the concrete price you record at 9 a.m. still holds water when you email at noon.
Regional Labour Tables: Residential wage profiles update quarterly. The system flags any manual rate entry that drifts outside norm ranges, guarding against typo disasters.
Smart Waste Factors: AI studies historical CountBricks jobs in similar suburbs and auto-applies waste multipliers proven in the field.
You can upload PDF plans directly into CountBricks. The integrated take-off engine identifies walls, openings and roof areas, converting geometry to quantifiable items.
• Say “Verify framing length,” and it highlights any assumed spans for your review
• Confirm or override, then push quantities straight into the open estimate—no double handling
Residential builders rarely win work on price alone; clarity and professionalism close the deal. With CountBricks you can:
• Produce a client-ready quote that itemises inclusions, exclusions and staged payment terms
• Auto-schedule progress draws so invoices generate against milestones without re-keying data
• Track variations by simply stating, “Add alfresco roof, Colorbond, 24 sqm,” while on site
• Phrase quantities naturally—“thirty-two square metres” converts better than shorthand
• Group tasks by trade to give homeowners a clean narrative they understand
• Use the photo annotation tool to attach site shots to line items for extra transparency
• Lock supplier pricing for 14 days within CountBricks to avoid mid-negotiation spikes
• Drop a digital signature block in the quote so clients can approve from their phone
• Typical 65 percent reduction in estimate drafting time across extensions and new builds
• Average 3 percent uplift in gross margin thanks to real-time cost validation
• Seamless handoff from estimator to site foreman; all tasks sync to CountBricks schedules
If “the estimate me” is echoing in your office more than you’d like, it’s time to arm your team with the platform built for that precise demand. Explore packages at CountBricks.com/services or book a live demo through CountBricks.com/consultation. Your next accurate, voice-driven residential estimate is literally one conversation away.
Project snapshot: A two-storey rear extension to a 1950s brick cottage, 148 sqm of new living space, tight six-month programme.
The project manager spent 30 minutes on site dictating structural and fit-out requirements into CountBricks. By the time he returned to the ute, an 18-page estimate awaited review—no spreadsheet juggling required.
CountBricks auto-compiled the numbers into a branded document outlining allowances, exclusions and milestone payments. The homeowners signed digitally that evening, impressed by the speed and clarity.
When the owners requested a skylight upgrade, the PM simply spoke, “Velux double glazing, 1.2 sqm,” into the mobile app. The platform inserted labour, flashing kit and margin, then regenerated the contract sum—no back-office delay.
• Build completed two weeks early despite multiple design tweaks
• Gross margin closed 2.7 percent higher than baseline thanks to live cost tracking
• Client referral generated two additional projects already logged in CountBricks
The Lakeview experience proves that “the estimate me” isn’t a headache—it’s an opportunity when you have the right tool. Ready to replicate these results? Visit CountBricks.com/consultation and schedule your personalised demo.
