Budgeting For Very Detailed Jobs

codybumpus
New Contributor III

We're an a-typical ST customer. One of the business units we have does hardscapes and installs paver patios. The jobs themselves aren't very detailed, but the options are and I'm trying to figure out the best way to put things into ST so that we can get accurate budgets.

The problem I have is that even for a simple job, the options and price points associated can vary, even with the same paver the price can change based on the color selected, let alone if a different type of paver is picked, and the square footage covered with each paver varies. 

In addition to that, there are more details such as if a bar with built in appliances is wanted, or maybe a fire pit with a seating wall. The seating wall requires multiple materials as a base, and then the actual wall and a row of capstones to finish it off. The price for all of this varies based on square footage and linear footage. 

An extra level of detail is edging the patio. It may be a 500 sq ft patio but the perimeter of it is 150 linear feet that will have a different paver lining it that reduces the total square footage that will be the main paver. 

Not to mention that the labor rate for each of these options is different. Flat work is a set price per square foot, where the price to install a fire pit is a flat rate, etc. 

Any thoughts or ideas to get this convoluted process into ST?

1 REPLY 1

MirandaMel
ServiceTitan Certified Administrator
ServiceTitan Certified Administrator

You may want to set basic levels of service that have set labour points to each and then manually input materials in order to budget the project accurately.  You could also implement dynamic pricing so that as you add materials/labour to the estimate that it calculates it better with what margin you want on it.  I think it would be similar to how plumbing companies would set up ST...it is a lot to input all the small components, but you want to make sure to account for everything.

Miranda Melnychuk, RSE
Acclaimed! Heating Cooling and Furnace Cleaning