Renovation estimates in Excel or Bulido?

Excel is often one of the first tools a renovation company uses to prepare estimates. You can enter services, quantities and prices, while a well-prepared spreadsheet can also calculate the total value of the work.

At the beginning, this way of working is often enough.

You have one template, you know how it is arranged and you know where the important formulas are. When a new job comes in, you copy the previous file, replace the customer details and adjust the list of work.

Over time, the number of files grows. Price lists exist in several versions, quotes have similar names, and information from an accepted quote has to be entered again in the contract, work list and payment records.

There are also dates, site photos, deposits, material costs and customer arrangements to manage. Each of these may be stored in a different spreadsheet, folder or app.

The question is no longer simply whether to use Excel or estimating software. It is also about how much manual work is needed to manage the entire job.

Bulido connects customers, estimates, quotes, contracts, work and payments. Information entered at the beginning remains useful in the following stages, without being copied into a new document each time.

Bulido is a complete tool for renovation businesses that supports a job from the first customer conversation through to final settlement.

Why many renovation companies start with Excel

Excel lets you decide how the spreadsheet should be structured. You can add your own columns, formulas and totals. For an unusual job, you can change the layout to suit your needs.

Many people already know the basics and use Excel in their business. There is no immediate need to learn a new tool or move an existing price list.

For a few straightforward quotes each month, a spreadsheet may work well.

Difficulties begin when the number of quotes and active jobs increases. You then need to keep track of:

• current prices,
• working formulas,
• quote numbers,
• customer details,
• different versions of documents,
• job dates,
• deposits and further payments,
• material costs,
• site photos,
• arrangements made with the customer.

Excel helps calculate a quote, but it does not manage the entire job. The business has to connect spreadsheets, documents, folders, messages and notes itself.

One Excel sheet or a Bulido quote organised by room

In Bulido, a quote can be divided by room. Work in the bathroom, kitchen and living room appears in separate sections. Materials, work covering the whole property and additional services can also be shown separately.

This structure makes the quote easier to prepare and discuss with the customer.

Instead of receiving one long spreadsheet, the customer receives a document showing which work will be completed in each room. It is easier to understand where the final price comes from and what will change if a service is added or removed.

Services are selected from a price list containing prices and units such as m², linear metres, items, sets, kg or litres. You can use ready-made services or create your own price list based on the work your company provides.

Excel formulas or calculation support in Bulido

Preparing an estimate often means converting room measurements into quantities for individual services.

In Excel, you create your own formulas for wall area, floor area, ceiling area and room perimeter. You then subtract windows and doors and enter the results against the correct services.

A well-prepared spreadsheet can calculate these values correctly. Problems begin when a cell is accidentally overwritten, the wrong formula is copied or one window is missed.

In Bulido, you enter the room measurements and the app can calculate:

• wall area,
• floor area,
• ceiling area,
• room perimeter.

It can also subtract the area of the entered windows and doors from the wall area.

For each service, you decide how the quantity should be calculated. Painting can use the wall area, flooring can use the floor area, and skirting boards can use the room perimeter.

The calculated quantity can be adjusted when the actual amount of work differs from the result based on the room measurements.

Automatic calculations are only one convenience. The greater value comes from connecting the measurements with an up-to-date price list, prepared services and a customer-ready document.

→ automatically calculate areas in a quote

Prices in old Excel files or an up-to-date price list in Bulido

When working in Excel, prices are often copied from previous quotes. One rate may be in the main price list, another in the latest quote and another in notes from a customer conversation.

Preparing a new quote then begins with checking which price is still current.

In Bulido, services, units and prices are stored in a price list. When preparing a quote, you use the current rates but can adjust them for a particular customer or job.

Changing a price in the main list does not alter quotes that have already been created. An older document keeps the amounts and currency used when it was prepared.

An existing price list does not need to be entered service by service. It can be moved from Excel, a PDF or a photo. Before saving, you review the recognised service names, prices and units.

You can also download the price list to a spreadsheet, change multiple prices together and upload it back to Bulido.

→ move your existing service price list

Copying work from old Excel quotes or using service sets in Bulido

Many types of work repeat regularly.

A bathroom renovation may include removal work, surface preparation, waterproofing, tiling and fitting sanitary items. Painting jobs often include protecting the room, repairing walls, applying primer and painting.

In Excel, you usually copy the relevant rows from an older quote. You then remove services that are not needed and check whether the copied prices are still current.

In Bulido, you can create your own sets of frequently used services. You add a set to the selected room, and the app takes the services and prices from your price list.

Every service can still be changed or removed from a specific quote. A prepared set makes it easier to begin, but it does not lock the final list of work.

An Excel printout or a clear PDF from Bulido

Excel works well for calculations, but a spreadsheet does not always look like a finished quote for the customer.

A wide table may be split across several pages. Columns can be cut off, and small text is difficult to read on a phone.

Some contractors therefore copy the information into Word or a separate template. This means entering prices, service names and customer details again.

Bulido creates a PDF directly from the prepared quote. The document can include:

• company details and logo,
• customer details,
• the work address,
• work divided by room,
• prices and the final amount,
• an introductory message,
• terms of cooperation,
• a closing message.

There are three document styles to choose from. The customer receives a well-organised quote, while you do not need to correct column widths and page breaks before every send.

Bulido can also display prices in a way that matches your business. It works for both VAT-registered and non-VAT-registered businesses.

An attachment prepared in Excel or sending directly from Bulido

After preparing the estimate in Excel, you save the document as a PDF, open your email, write a message and attach the correct file.

When the customer responds by phone or email, you record the decision in a spreadsheet, calendar or notes.

In Bulido, the quote is sent directly from the app. You can change the subject line and message. The customer receives the document and chooses whether to accept or reject the quote.

The quote status is updated automatically after the decision.

The list shows which quotes are:

• being prepared,
• sent,
• accepted,
• rejected,
• expired.

Bulido also records important dates and shows when changes have been made after the quote was sent.

Multiple Excel files or a clear history of changes in Bulido

Changes are a normal part of preparing a quote.

The customer may remove one service, choose a different material or add more work. In Excel, this usually means creating another copy of the file.

After several changes, the folder may contain files such as:

• smith_quote.xlsx,
• smith_quote_updated.xlsx,
• smith_quote_final.xlsx,
• smith_quote_final2.xlsx.

After some time, it becomes difficult to tell which version the customer received and which work was actually accepted.

Bulido keeps previous versions of the quote and a record of changes. You can return to an earlier work list, prices and final amount.

When speaking with the customer, you can refer to a saved version of the document rather than a filename that was meant to be final.

Customer details in Excel or a full customer history in Bulido

In Excel, customer details are often stored in a separate spreadsheet or directly in quote files. Information about conversations, changes and payments may be spread between email, phone messages and notes.

When a customer returns after several months, you need to find previous quotes and remember which work was completed before.

In Bulido, you store customer details, addresses and notes against the customer. You can also see their quotes, current and completed jobs, and recorded payments.

You do not need to remember the name of the file or folder containing the previous job.

More files after an Excel quote, or reusing the same information in Bulido

In Excel, an accepted quote often ends work on one file and starts the creation of several new ones.

Customer details, the address and work list are copied into a contract, calendar, task list or another app. Site photos remain on the phone or are moved to a separate folder.

In Bulido, you can create a contract from the company details, customer details and accepted quote. Names, addresses and key arrangements do not need to be entered again.

The accepted quote also becomes the basis for managing the job. Customer details, the address and services are already filled in, while the quote items create the work list.

During the renovation, you mark completed work and add site photos. You can give the customer a dedicated page showing progress, photos and the current payment position.

The planned start and finish dates appear in the calendar. This makes it easier to judge when another job can begin.

→ manage renovation jobs in Bulido

A separate cost spreadsheet or job settlement in Bulido

The value of an accepted quote does not yet show how much the customer has paid or how much the business has spent on materials.

Deposits, later payments, purchases and other costs also need to be recorded. In Excel, this usually requires another spreadsheet that has to be updated manually.

In Bulido, payments and expenses are recorded against the relevant job. Labour and material amounts can be separated, and you can see how much the customer has already paid.

A receipt or invoice can be added using a photo. Bulido reads the basic information from the document, which you review before saving.

The purchase is no longer recorded only on a paper receipt or in the phone’s photo gallery.

Notes from a site visit or information saved directly in Bulido

During a site visit, many contractors write down measurements and arrangements on paper or in a phone note. They only enter the information into the correct Excel file after returning.

Excel can be opened on a phone, but working with a wide table and many cells is rarely convenient. Measurements therefore often remain outside the actual quote until they are entered again on a computer.

In Bulido, you can record the customer, address, rooms, measurements, planned work and photos during the visit. The information is immediately assigned to the correct quote.

The entire quote does not need to be finished on site. When you return, the main details are already available, so you can select services, confirm prices and prepare the customer document.

The same renovation in Excel and Bulido

Assume that a customer wants their flat painted, a few wall repairs completed and the skirting boards replaced.

Preparing and managing the job in Excel

After the site visit, you open a previous quote or your own template. You remove the earlier customer’s details, enter the new address and adjust the work list.

You then look for current prices. Some may be in the main price list, some in the latest quote and others in your notes. You copy the required services and check whether every rate is still valid.

You enter the room measurements and calculate the quantities. Formulas help, but you still need to check that they use the correct cells and include windows and doors.

When the estimate is ready, you adjust the spreadsheet layout, set page breaks and save the document as a PDF. You then write an email and attach the correct file.

When the customer asks for a change, you create another version of the file, save a new PDF and send the revised document.

After acceptance, you move the customer details and work list into the contract, calendar, notes or another spreadsheet.

During the renovation, photos remain on the phone, completed work is marked on a separate list, and deposits and material costs are entered into another file.

Preparing and managing the job in Bulido

During the site visit, you save the customer, address, rooms, measurements and photos. When you return, the information is already assigned to the correct quote.

You select services from your own current price list. There is no need to search previous files for prices or copy entire rows from an older quote.

For work you carry out regularly, you can use a prepared set of services and remove anything that is not needed. Prices and quantities can still be adjusted for the specific job.

Bulido helps calculate quantities from the room measurements. You can review and change the results where a service needs to be priced differently.

Once the services and prices are confirmed, the app creates a clear PDF with company details, customer details, the work address and a room-by-room breakdown.

The document is sent from Bulido, and the customer can accept or reject it. The app shows the current quote status and recorded changes.

After acceptance, you do not begin with blank documents. You create the contract from the customer and quote details, and use the quote items as the work list.

During the job, you record progress, photos, payments and expenses. The customer can receive a page showing the renovation progress, photos and current payment position.

The main difference is therefore not simply the calculation of wall areas. Bulido makes it easier to prepare the quote and continues using the same information for the contract, the work and the final settlement.

When Excel is still enough

Excel can be a good solution when:

• you prepare two or three straightforward quotes each month,
• you use one proven template,
• you can reliably keep prices up to date,
• you do not need previous quote versions,
• you manage only a small number of jobs at the same time,
• you can keep track of the remaining information through notes and folders.

A spreadsheet allows you to change the structure and formulas freely. It can be adjusted for unusual jobs and extended with your own calculations.

However, the cost of working in Excel rises with the number of manual tasks. It does not always appear on an invoice. More often, it means evenings spent correcting documents, finding the right file and entering the same information again.

When it makes sense to move from Excel to Bulido

A change becomes worthwhile when the estimate is only one of many files needed to manage a renovation job.

Bulido is suitable when you want to replace spreadsheets, documents and additional apps with a complete tool for running a renovation business, particularly when:

• customer details, quotes, photos and arrangements are stored in different places,
• quotes should be prepared more quickly from your own price list,
• customer details are entered again into the contract and work list after acceptance,
• several renovations are running and it is difficult to monitor dates and progress,
• you want to see a customer’s previous quotes, work and payments,
• deposits, payments and material costs are recorded in separate spreadsheets or notes,
• site photos remain in the phone gallery and are difficult to match to the correct job,
• you want to give the customer a page showing progress, photos and the current payment position,
• receipts and invoices are collected on paper or copied manually,
• measurements are written down during a visit and entered again later on a computer.

Bulido replaces the tools used for day-to-day job management. You manage customers, prepare quotes and contracts, oversee work, record costs and keep track of payments.

→ Bulido features for renovation businesses

Excel or Bulido? Frequently asked questions

Is Excel enough for renovation estimates?

Yes, particularly for a small number of simple quotes and one proven template. With more jobs, however, more time is spent managing prices, changes and information stored across different files.

Can an Excel price list be moved to Bulido?

Yes. An existing price list can be transferred to Bulido. Before saving, you can review the recognised services, prices and units.

→ move an Excel price list to Bulido

Is Bulido only used for preparing quotes?

No. Bulido is a complete job management tool for renovation businesses. It covers customers, estimates, quotes, contracts, work, photos, payments, expenses and final settlement.

Can Bulido replace Excel and other tools used to manage jobs?

Yes. Bulido connects quotes, customers, contracts, work, photos, payments and costs. Instead of using several spreadsheets, documents and apps, you manage the renovation from the first customer conversation through to final settlement in Bulido.

Can a customer accept a quote from Bulido?

Yes. The customer can accept or reject the received quote. Its status is then updated in Bulido.

Can the customer follow the renovation progress?

Yes. You can give the customer access to a page showing the work progress, site photos and the current payment position.

Does Bulido work on a phone?

Yes. Bulido can be used through the mobile app and in a browser during site visits and while working on site.

The entire job is managed in Bulido

You can begin using Bulido by moving your existing services and prices. These become the basis for the quote and the document sent to the customer.

After acceptance, the same information is used for the contract, work, costs and payments. Separate spreadsheets and documents do not need to be created for each stage.