BuildbuttonForward an enquiry

From forwarded enquiry to sent quote

You forward the enquiry. Eight steps later there is a priced draft in your inbox, ready for you to approve. Here is each step, and what Sam produces at it.

  1. Step 1

    You forward the enquiry

    The customer's email as you received it, drawings and photos still attached. To sam@buildbutton.co.uk. That is the whole job on your side.

    From:You
    To:sam@buildbutton.co.uk
    Subject:Fwd: Rear extension quote
    Jo wants a price for the extension. Drawings attached.
    architect-drawings.pdf

  2. Step 2

    It reads the drawings

    Dimensions, beam schedules, room labels — the text on the architect's PDF, not just the picture. It works out what is being built and how much of it.

    • Strip foundations - excavate & concrete — 18 m (assumption)
    • Floor structure & insulation — 25 m²
    • External cavity wall - block & brick skin — 40 m² (assumption)

    Quantities from the sample quote. Lines marked assumption are standard allowances, flagged on the quote for the builder to confirm.

  3. Step 3

    It asks what it needs to know

    When the drawings don't say, it asks you — or prices at a standard allowance and marks it as one.

    From:Sam <sam@buildbutton.co.uk>
    To:You
    Subject:Re: Rear extension quote — Jo Reeves
    Two things before I price this properly: 1. Is there side access for a skip and deliveries? 2. Is stripping out the existing kitchen in scope, or are you keeping it?
    From:You
    To:Sam <sam@buildbutton.co.uk>
    Subject:Re: Rear extension quote — Jo Reeves
    Side access is clear. The old kitchen is coming out — please include it.

    What the questions look like.

  4. Step 4

    It checks the planning register

    The site address is looked up on the planning register. If there is a recent application or a constraint, it says so in the draft.

    Planning: no live applications found for this address

    What the line looks like. It is not a result for this job.

  5. Step 5

    It prices from your rate card

    Labour and material rates per item from your rate card, assembled into packages. The first quote uses typical local rates — tell us a rate and we change it. The sums are done in code, not by the AI. Anything it could not price is shown as an allowance or flagged, never dropped.

    Subtotal£36,183.00
    Contingency & margin£6,368.21
    VAT (20%)£8,510.24
    Total£51,061.45

  6. Step 6

    A second check

    Before the draft reaches you, a second, independent pass reads it for errors and gaps. Anything doubtful is flagged.

    Strip foundations - excavate & concrete — £3,591.00 (assumption)

    An assumption, marked on the quote.

  7. Step 7

    The draft lands with you

    In your inbox, and only yours: every line, every flag, three buttons. Reply with a note and it re-drafts.

    In your email:

  8. Step 8

    Your customer gets the quote

    A PDF in your name, itemised, VAT handled, your details on it. It goes when you send it, not before.

    First page of the quote sent to the customer: £51,061.45 for a single-storey rear extensionSee the whole quote

On a £129,000 extension job, after the builder answered its questions, it priced within 8% of the builder's own figure.

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