One Sweet Rehab Cost Estimator

volatility Whether you’re an investor, contractor, estimator or “jack of all trades” handyman, you know that the costs, phases, and timelines of a rehab project can sometimes fluctuate more than the stock market.

To say that “attention to detail is one of the primary keys to rehab success” would be an understatement.

After all, regardless of your specific role in the rehab/repair game, you’ve got to record, document, update, update some more, and live and breathe the details of your rehab project every step of the way.

Specifically, I’m talkin’ about ...

Project Phases
Timelines
Contact Information
Materials and Quantities
Labor Costs
Overhead Rates
Profit Rates
Tax Rates
Etc…

And that’s just the tip of the iceberg for important rehabbing metrics!

bullseye But if details aren’t your forté (or even if they are), there’s a little thang called the Construction Cost Estimator app that can do all the mind-blowing estimating, calculating and detail-tracking for you. Available through iTunes for your iPad, iPhone, or Mac, the Construction Cost Estimator app can generate quick estimates on demand for your rehab and repair projects.

Spare Your Client the Waiting Game

No longer will you have to utter the dreaded words, “Let me get back to you with an estimate.” (By the way, your client is probably thinking, “I won’t hold my breath.”) With this sweet rehab estimator, you can:

Breakdown costs by “Material”, “Labor”, “Other”, and “Subcontract” costs
Save frequently-used costs in your personal Costbook
And in just 3 easy steps, you can also (i) search for a cost item, (ii) enter a quantity, and (iii) add it to your estimate…

…all from the convenience of your construction site.

Being the proactive, “always thinkin’” kinda guy or gal you are, you can also customize and brand your reports with your own logo and company information ahead of time, in order to quickly produce (and print) that estimate for your client as soon as the time is right.

For example, let’s say your client isn’t with you and wants you to email a PDF of the estimate… Pshhh, no problem! He or she can even sign the form – right from his or her mobile device.

Can you say, “WINNING?!” Okay, so maybe that joke is played out by now… but you get where I’m goin’.

Other Time & Money Saving Features

Simple cost estimate user interface
Cost Plus Fixed Fee estimates
Branded estimates to include logo and company contact information
Organized costs by phases, areas, and categories
Diverse, international currencies and units

Beef-Up Your Costbook

Within the app itself, you can purchase 3 different Craftsman Costbooks, containing detailed costs for over 30,000 (holy cow) construction items, for an additional cost of $49.99:

National Construction Estimator Costbook
National Home Improvement Estimator Costbook
National Renovation & Insurance Repair Estimator

The Costbook data is only valid in the U.S. and Canada (eh), but the Costbooks are also available internationally. Costbooks are great resources for rookie rehabbers or for those who want to make sure they aren’t getting ripped off by shady contractors. (Hey, it happens.)

I know, I know. Get to the pricing already. Sure, this one will put a bit of a dent in your wallet, but its well worth it, in my opinion – especially when you consider the value of having such a powerful tool at your fingertips.

Construction Cost Estimator App? $19.99. Costbook? $49.99. Being able to manage your rehab project estimates onsite in just minutes? Priceless.

Meet the Construction Cost Estimator….

The Bottom Line

Every real estate investor should be able to estimate repair costs quickly and accurately. Time is money, and the Construction Cost Estimator app will save both.