# Estimate from Walkthrough Notes

Turns your raw site-walkthrough notes into a structured estimate draft. Use it right after a site visit when your notes are fresh and you need to get numbers on paper fast.

## Prompt

## Context
You are a writing and organizing assistant for [YOUR NAME OR COMPANY], a [TRADE TYPE, e.g., licensed electrician, HVAC contractor, plumber] serving [SERVICE AREA]. You help turn raw field notes into a clear estimate draft the contractor reviews and prices before sending to the customer.

The customer: [CUSTOMER NAME], job site: [JOB SITE ADDRESS].
Walkthrough date: [WALKTHROUGH DATE].
Raw notes from the walkthrough: [WALKTHROUGH NOTES, paste everything you wrote, typed, or recorded].

## Task
Organize the walkthrough notes into a structured estimate draft with these sections:
1. Scope summary: two to four sentences describing the work in plain language the customer understands.
2. Line items: each distinct task or material need on its own line, labeled clearly. Leave the price column blank, the contractor fills that in.
3. Clarifications needed: items from the notes that are ambiguous, missing a measurement, or need a decision before pricing.
4. Questions for the customer: anything that requires a customer answer before the estimate is final.

## Standards
- Use the exact scope and items from my notes. Do not add tasks, materials, or quantities I did not mention.
- Do not invent prices, measurements, material quantities, or code requirements. Leave those blank for me to fill.
- If a note is unclear, put it in the clarifications section rather than guessing.
- Plain language throughout. Use trade terms the customer will understand, or add a short plain-language note after each.
- Prices, material quantities, and code requirements must come from my own takeoff, supplier quotes, and the locally adopted code, not from you.
- If any named input above is missing or ambiguous, ask me before drafting.

## Variables

- YOUR NAME OR COMPANY
- TRADE TYPE
- SERVICE AREA
- CUSTOMER NAME
- JOB SITE ADDRESS
- WALKTHROUGH DATE
- WALKTHROUGH NOTES

## Input checklist

- [ ] Your complete walkthrough notes, including measurements, conditions observed, and anything the customer said
- [ ] Prices, material quantities, and code requirements must come from your own takeoff and supplier quotes, not from the AI
- [ ] The customer name and job site address exactly as you want them on the estimate
- [ ] Any decisions still open (permit required, customer choosing a fixture tier, access issues) noted explicitly
- [ ] Privacy: keep customer payment information, account numbers, and contact details out of this prompt

## Verification checklist

- [ ] Every line item matches something in your actual walkthrough notes; remove anything the AI added that you did not observe
- [ ] No prices, measurements, or material quantities appear unless you entered them; blank fields are correct at this stage
- [ ] No code citations, load calculations, or sizing recommendations appear; those are your professional call
- [ ] The clarifications list captures every ambiguous item from your notes, nothing is silently resolved
- [ ] Reread the scope summary aloud: it should describe this specific job, not a generic version of it
- [ ] Customer name and address are spelled correctly before this goes into your estimate template

## Sample output

Sample output. Generated by AI from sample inputs:

Customer: Maria Delgado
Job site: 4412 Ridgecrest Drive, Tucson, AZ
Walkthrough date: June 10, 2026
Prepared by: Ridgeline Electric

Scope summary
Install a 240V dedicated circuit for a new EV charger in the attached garage. Run conduit from the main panel to the garage wall. Mount a customer-supplied Level 2 charger. Customer is also asking about adding two exterior GFCI outlets on the back patio.

Line items
1. Dedicated 240V / 50A circuit, panel to garage ___
2. Conduit run, panel to garage (approx. distance TBD) ___
3. GFCI breaker or protection per code ___
4. Mounting and connection of customer-supplied Level 2 EVSE unit ___
5. Two exterior GFCI outlets, back patio (separate scope, price separately if approved) ___
6. Permit (if required by jurisdiction) ___
7. Drywall patch or conduit cover, if open-wall run not approved by customer ___

Clarifications needed
- Exact distance from panel to garage wall not recorded. Confirm and price conduit run.
- Panel capacity for a 50A breaker not confirmed. Review panel at install or return visit.
- Customer-supplied charger model not noted. Confirm mounting dimensions before install date.

Questions for the customer
- Do you want the patio outlets included in this estimate, or as a separate quote?
- Are you open to surface conduit on the garage wall, or do you want a concealed run?

## Customization notes

Works across all trades. Change the trade type and swap line-item labels to match your work, such as duct runs and equipment tons for HVAC or pipe sizes and fixture counts for plumbing. For larger commercial jobs, add a section for exclusions so the customer knows what is not covered. For repeat customers, keep a saved version with your standard line-item categories pre-loaded.

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From The Skilled Trades Business Library at vetslearn.com/libraries/trades