Estimating software for general contractors
Estimating Software for General Contractors
Quote the job, get every change order signed before scope creeps, and see what you actually made when it's done — free, built for GCs who still run the crew.
The real problem general contractors face
GC jobs are especially vulnerable to scope creep — a homeowner asks for 'one more thing' repeatedly across a multi-week job, and each request feels too small to formalize.
Without a documented change order trail, a GC can lose thousands in unbilled extras across a single project, and never see exactly where the profit went.
How TradeShield works for GC jobs
- 1
Quote the job
Price the full scope — labor, materials, and subs — and send a clean estimate the homeowner can approve from their phone.
- 2
Get every change order signed before scope creeps
When the homeowner asks for 'one more thing,' build a change order, send it, and get a signed approval first. Stack as many as the job needs — each one is documented and added to the total.
- 3
See your actual profit in Insights
When the project closes, the Insights tab shows quoted vs. actual cost across the job and every change order so you know whether you made money — not just whether the quotes went out.
The TradeShield difference
See your real profit in the Insights tab
Most quoting apps stop once the estimate is sent. TradeShield keeps going: the Insights tab rolls up the original quote plus every signed change order and compares it against what the project actually cost — labor, materials, and subs — so you can see in plain numbers whether the job made money. It's the only tool in this category built to tell a working GC that.
What you need vs. what generic quoting apps give you
| What you need | TradeShield | Generic quoting apps |
|---|---|---|
| Quote built for multi-trade scopes and crew labor | Yes | Varies |
| Multiple change orders stacked on one job, each signed before work | Yes — built-in dual sign-off | Rarely a dedicated workflow |
| See if the project was actually profitable across all change orders | Yes — Insights profit tracking | Not typically included |
| Free to use | Yes | No — typically $39+/month |
Frequently asked questions
How do I stop scope creep on a multi-week project?
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Make every addition a signed change order before the work happens. TradeShield requires dual sign-off, so 'one more thing' becomes a documented, priced, approved line instead of unbilled work — and the Insights tab shows you the running profit so you catch erosion early.
How many change orders is too many before I should re-quote the whole job?
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There's no hard limit — TradeShield lets you stack as many change orders on a job as it needs, each signed before work. If the Insights tab shows the original scope has changed so much that profit is slipping, that's your signal to pause and re-quote the remaining work rather than keep adding.
How do I track profitability across a long project with several change orders?
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The Insights tab rolls up the original quote plus every signed change order and compares it against actual cost — labor, materials, and subs — so you see real profit for the whole project, not just one estimate. It's built so a GC running the crew can see whether the job paid.
Is TradeShield free for general contractors?
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Yes. TradeShield is free during our ongoing beta — no credit card, no trial expiry, and no login required to build your first quote.
Quote your next project free
Build a professional quote in minutes, lock in every change order as scope grows, and see your real profit in Insights — free during beta.