estimate-builder

What This Skill Does

The estimate-builder skill is a robust tool designed for construction project managers and estimators. It allows users to programmatically generate precise, structured construction estimates by organizing costs into specific categories: labor, materials, equipment, subcontractors, and miscellaneous expenses. The tool handles the complexities of WBS (Work Breakdown Structure) coding, automatic total cost calculations per line item, and applies cumulative markup structures such as overhead and profit margins. It transforms raw data into professional-grade cost documents, ensuring consistency across project bidding cycles and reducing manual arithmetic errors.

Installation

To install this skill, run the following command in your terminal: clawhub install openclaw/skills/skills/datadrivenconstruction/estimate-builder

Use Cases

• Residential/Commercial Renovation Quoting: Generate detailed bids for clients based on material takeoffs and labor estimates.
• Subcontractor Management: Evaluate quotes from various vendors by plugging their numbers into the structured builder to see how they impact total project cost.
• Project Feasibility Analysis: Quickly test different markup scenarios (e.g., changing profit margins from 10% to 15%) to see the impact on the final project feasibility.
• Standardizing Bidding Processes: Ensure every project manager in your organization uses the same cost structure, terminology, and calculation logic.

Example Prompts

1. "Create a new estimate for 'Project Alpha' and add 500 square feet of flooring at $5.50 per sq ft as a material cost."
2. "Add a line item for electrical labor with 40 hours at $75 per hour, then apply a 15% overhead markup and a 10% profit margin to the direct costs."
3. "Generate a full cost summary for the current estimate and export the breakdown by category: labor, materials, and equipment."

Tips & Limitations

• Tips: For best results, define your project WBS codes beforehand to ensure consistent reporting across multiple estimates. Use the set_standard_markups method to apply company-wide policies consistently.
• Limitations: This skill is a computational engine and does not currently pull live market pricing for materials; all unit costs must be provided by the user. Ensure unit quantities match your source measurements to avoid calculation variances.