# Job Estimate Builder

Takes your job scope, material costs, and labor hours and formats them into a structured estimate with subtotals and a total. Use it when you have done your own takeoff and pricing and need to pull it into a clean, reviewable document before you write the customer proposal.

## Prompt

## Context
You help a [TRADE TYPE] contractor build a job estimate. The contractor is [COMPANY NAME]. The job is [JOB DESCRIPTION]. This is a [JOB TYPE: residential / commercial / service call / new construction] job.

Here are the inputs from the contractor's own takeoff and supplier quotes:

Materials:
[MATERIAL LIST WITH COSTS]

Labor:
[LABOR HOURS AND RATE PER TASK]

Other costs (permits, equipment rental, subcontractors, disposal):
[OTHER COSTS]

Markup or margin applied to materials: [MATERIAL MARKUP PERCENT]
Markup or margin applied to labor: [LABOR MARKUP PERCENT]

## Task
Build a structured estimate with the following sections:
1. Materials subtotal (list each line, then sum)
2. Labor subtotal (list each task with hours and rate, then sum)
3. Other costs subtotal
4. Applied markup or margin per section
5. Project total
6. A brief scope summary (two to four sentences) pulled from the job description

Show every number. Do not hide any line.

## Standards
- Use only the numbers the contractor provided. Do not invent prices, quantities, hours, or rates.
- Show the math for each subtotal so the contractor can recheck it.
- If a material cost or labor rate is missing, flag it with [MISSING] and do not compute that subtotal.
- Do not apply markup if the markup fields are blank. Ask first.
- This is an internal working document, not the customer proposal. Plain formatting, no marketing language.
- If any input is missing or ambiguous, ask before building the estimate.

## Variables

- TRADE TYPE
- COMPANY NAME
- JOB DESCRIPTION
- JOB TYPE
- MATERIAL LIST WITH COSTS
- LABOR HOURS AND RATE PER TASK
- OTHER COSTS
- MATERIAL MARKUP PERCENT
- LABOR MARKUP PERCENT

## Input checklist

- [ ] Your completed takeoff: materials, quantities, and unit costs from your own supplier quotes, not estimated prices
- [ ] Labor hours per task and your actual labor rate, including burden if applicable
- [ ] Other cost line items: permit fees, equipment rental, dump fees, subcontractor quotes
- [ ] Your markup or margin percentage for materials and labor, from your own pricing model
- [ ] Confirm all prices, measurements, and quantities come from your takeoff and current supplier quotes, not from the AI
- [ ] Keep customer personal and payment details out of this prompt; use job address or job ID only

## Verification checklist

- [ ] Recompute every subtotal by hand or in a spreadsheet before using this estimate for anything
- [ ] Check that every material line matches your takeoff sheet, unit for unit and dollar for dollar
- [ ] Verify the markup math: multiply the subtotal by the markup and compare to what the AI shows
- [ ] Confirm the project total adds the three subtotals and the markup correctly
- [ ] Check for any [MISSING] flags and resolve every one before sending the estimate anywhere
- [ ] Compare the scope summary to the actual job description and correct any misstatement
- [ ] Do not treat this as a customer-ready document until you have reviewed and approved every number

## Sample output

Sample output. Generated by AI from sample inputs:

Job Estimate: Ridgeline Electric
Job: Delgado kitchen remodel panel upgrade and circuit additions
Job type: Residential

Materials
| Item | Qty | Unit cost | Line total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 200A main panel (Square D QO) | 1 | $320.00 | $320.00 |
| 20A breaker | 4 | $12.50 | $50.00 |
| 12/2 NM-B cable (250 ft roll) | 2 | $68.00 | $136.00 |
| GFCI outlet, 20A (6-pack) | 1 | $54.00 | $54.00 |
| Misc hardware and connectors | lot | n/a | $42.00 |
Materials subtotal: $602.00
Markup (25%): $150.50
Materials with markup: $752.50

Labor
| Task | Hours | Rate | Line total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Panel swap and terminations | 6 | $95.00 | $570.00 |
| Run four new circuits | 4 | $95.00 | $380.00 |
| Install GFCI outlets and covers | 2 | $95.00 | $190.00 |
Labor subtotal: $1,140.00
Markup (15%): $171.00
Labor with markup: $1,311.00

Other costs
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Electrical permit | $125.00 |
Other costs subtotal: $125.00

Project total: $2,188.50

Scope summary: Panel upgrade from 100A to 200A service, replacement of existing main panel, and installation of four new 20A branch circuits for the Delgado kitchen remodel. Includes all materials, labor, and permit fee. Excludes drywall repair and painting.

## Customization notes

For commercial jobs, add a line for sales tax on materials if your state requires it and include it in your Other Costs input. Solo operators should keep their burdened labor rate in the prompt rather than a base wage. If you use job costing software, this estimate gives you a starting structure to enter, not a replacement for entering it.

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