Quote Jobs From Your Truck
Stop climbing down ladders to write estimates. Speak your measurements, material costs, and labor into your phone—BuildFolio turns it into a professional estimate you can send before you leave the driveway. Quote Smarter. Close Faster. Keep More.
Quick Answer
Voice-to-Quote lets you speak job details into your phone and instantly generate professional estimates—no laptop, no office, no waiting. Survey the job, describe what you see, and send a branded estimate before you pull out of the driveway.
What is Voice-to-Quote?
Voice-to-Quote is BuildFolio’s hands-free estimating feature that lets you create professional estimates using just your voice. Walk the job, speak your measurements and observations into your phone, and our AI converts your words into a polished, itemized quote.
Think of it as having a quoting assistant in your pocket. You focus on surveying the job—the AI handles the math, formatting, and document creation.
The problem it solves
Traditional quoting means taking notes on site, driving back to the office, transferring notes to a computer, building the estimate in software or a spreadsheet, formatting it as a estimate, and finally emailing it to the customer. That process takes hours or days.
Meanwhile, the contractor who quotes first usually wins. Studies show that responding within 5 minutes increases conversion by 900%. Voice-to-Quote lets you quote on the spot—while you’re still in front of the customer.
Speed wins jobs
Contractors who quote same-day close 73% more jobs than those who take 2+ days. Research shows every hour of delay costs you 7% in close rate. Voice-to-Quote puts you in the winner’s circle automatically.
How it works
Voice-to-Quote uses speech recognition and AI to turn your spoken observations into structured estimates. Here’s the process:
Survey
Walk the job, note measurements
Speak
Describe scope and materials needed
Review
AI builds itemized estimate instantly
Send
Deliver branded estimate on the spot
What you say
Just describe the job naturally—no special commands or syntax required. For example:
- “24 square roof, architectural shingles, need to replace some rotted decking, maybe 2 sheets”
- “Two-ton AC replacement, existing ductwork looks good, going with a Carrier unit”
- “Full bathroom demo and rebuild, about 50 square feet, customer wants heated floors”
What the AI does
BuildFolio’s AI parses your description and:
- Identifies materials — matches your words to specific products and quantities
- Calculates labor — estimates hours based on scope and your historical data
- Applies pricing — uses your saved prices or current supplier rates
- Formats the estimate — generates a professional PDF with your branding
You stay in control
Voice-to-Quote creates a draft—you review and adjust before sending. Change quantities, swap materials, or tweak pricing in seconds. The AI gives you a head start, not a finished product you can’t modify.
Key features
Everything you need to quote from the job site:
Natural Voice Input
Speak measurements, materials, and labor hours naturally. No memorizing commands—just describe the job like you’d tell a colleague.
AI Material Matching
Say “architectural shingles” and the AI suggests specific products from your price list. Knows the difference between 3-tab and dimensional.
Instant PDF Estimates
Professional branded estimates generated in seconds. Your logo, contact info, and terms—ready to send.
One-Tap Send
Email or text the estimate directly from the job site. Customer gets it while you’re still on-site to answer questions.
Works offline
No cell signal? No problem. Voice-to-Quote stores recordings locally and processes them when you’re back online. Quote from basements, rural areas, or anywhere with spotty coverage.
Learns your patterns
The more you use Voice-to-Quote, the better it gets. It learns your preferred materials, typical labor rates, and common job types. After a few weeks, first-draft accuracy improves dramatically.
Trade-specific examples
How contractors in different trades use Voice-to-Quote on real jobs:
“Okay, this is a 28 square tear-off, single story ranch. Going with GAF Timberline HDZ in Charcoal. I’m seeing some rotten fascia on the south side, maybe 20 linear feet. Standard drip edge, ice and water on the first 6 feet, synthetic felt the rest. Need to add a bathroom vent too.”
“Replacing a 15-year-old 3-ton system. Going with a Carrier 16 SEER, furnace is fine so just the condenser and coil. Existing linesets are good. Customer wants a smart thermostat, quote the Ecobee. About 6 hours of labor, me plus one helper.”
“Full bathroom rough-in on a basement finish. Toilet, vanity with single sink, 32×48 shower. About 40 feet to tie into the main stack. Need to core through the foundation for the drain. All PEX supply, ABS waste.”
“200 amp panel upgrade, existing 100 amp is full. Meter base is fine. Need to run a new 50-amp circuit to the garage for an EV charger—about 80 feet of wire. Homeowner also wants 4 new recessed lights in the kitchen while I’m here.”
Each of these verbal descriptions generates a complete, itemized estimate with materials, labor, and total pricing—ready to review and send.
Compare to traditional quoting
How Voice-to-Quote stacks up against traditional methods:
| Aspect | Voice-to-Quote | Office Software | Paper / Spreadsheet |
|---|---|---|---|
| Time to quote | 5 minutes | 30-60 minutes | 1-2 hours |
| Quote from job site | Yes | Limited | Yes (but slow) |
| Hands-free entry | Yes | No | No |
| AI material suggestions | Yes | No | No |
| Professional formatting | Automatic | Templates | Manual |
| Same-day delivery | Same-hour | Usually | Often next day |
Bottom line: Voice-to-Quote turns a multi-hour process into a 5-minute task. You quote more jobs, faster, with less overhead.
Why BuildFolio vs Other Software
Jobber tracks jobs—we track profit. ServiceTitan charges 10x more for the same features. Housecall Pro has no voice quoting, no instant measurements, no AI. BuildFolio gives you everything at $39/mo.
Real contractor results
What happens when contractors switch to Voice-to-Quote:
- 73% higher close rate — speed creates urgency and trust
- 3x more quotes per day — same hours, more opportunities
- 2-3 hours saved daily — no office admin time for estimates
- Faster collections — customers who sign fast pay fast
The compounding effect
When you can quote 3x more jobs in the same time, you don’t just close more—you can be more selective. Take the higher-margin jobs and pass on the ones that don’t pencil out.
Frequently asked questions
How accurate is the voice recognition?
BuildFolio uses industry-leading speech recognition trained on construction terminology. It understands trade jargon, brand names, and common abbreviations. Accuracy is typically 95%+ in normal conditions—higher than most people expect.
Does Voice-to-Quote work offline?
Yes. You can record voice notes without cell service. The app stores recordings locally and processes them when you’re back online. Perfect for basements, rural job sites, or areas with spotty coverage.
What trades does it support?
Voice-to-Quote works for roofing, HVAC, plumbing, electrical, general contracting, remodeling, landscaping, painting, and most other trades. The AI learns trade-specific terminology and material names.
Can I customize the estimate templates?
Yes. You can upload your logo, customize colors, add your terms and conditions, and modify the estimate layout. Make it look exactly like your brand.
How does the AI know my material costs?
You can import your price list or connect to supplier pricing. The AI uses your actual costs to calculate accurate estimates. You can also set default markups by material category.
Can I edit the quote before sending?
Absolutely. Voice-to-Quote creates a draft for your review. Change quantities, swap materials, adjust labor hours, or modify pricing—all before the customer sees it.
Does it integrate with my CRM?
Voice-to-Quote is part of BuildFolio’s full contractor platform. Quotes automatically link to customer records, job tracking, and invoicing. No separate systems to sync.
What languages are supported?
Currently Voice-to-Quote supports English and Spanish. Both languages understand trade-specific terminology. Additional languages are on the roadmap.
Is my voice data stored or shared?
Voice recordings are processed to create quotes, then deleted. We don’t store audio files or share voice data with third parties. Only the resulting text and quote data are retained.
How do customers receive the quote?
You can email or text the estimate directly from the app. Customers get a professional PDF and an online link where they can view, ask questions, and accept the quote electronically.
Related Features & Resources
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