Case study · Contractor estimating
On a real addition bid, Kahler Construction built the estimate in about 1.5 hours, down from about 5.
Hear it from Budd, 38 seconds17 years of estimating on spreadsheets.
- About 5 hours
- on the real addition bid
- Up to about 8 hours
- on a full bid
- LaborSpreadsheet
- MaterialsSpreadsheet
What the audit showed
Roughly$38,000 to $54,000
a year on the table.
Estimating was the biggest piece.
From the audit reportOne estimating system, built from his own prices.
The real addition bid
Now in one place
- Budd's costs
- His markups
- His templates
In his words
What Budd Kahler said
“Everything's right there with me.”
Budd Kahler, Owner, Kahler Construction
With thanks to Kahler Construction for letting me share this story.
Built with Budd, not for him.
The system runs on Budd's 17 years of pricing, now finally in one place. We built it together on his real numbers, and Brandon helped shape it around how the family actually bids. Then we tested it the only way that counts, on a live addition bid. A bid that used to take about 5 hours took about 1.5, and Budd had a proposal ready to send.
AI is already part of it. A check reviews every bid for zero-cost lines and gaps before it goes out. And this is only the start. With his prices and templates now in one place, AI can take on more of the work over time: building the first draft from the job details, filling in quantities, and flagging what's missing. The goal is a bid that once took an afternoon getting done in minutes, with Budd's judgment still making the final call.