Estimate, quote or bid? Know what you're committing to.
An estimate is your calculation of likely cost. A quote is a price you offer, usually with conditions and an expiry. A bid is a formal offer in a competitive process, often binding if accepted. A ballpark is an estimate with wide uncertainty, and should be labeled that way.
Send one plan set. See what the AI extracts and what it flags for review. No obligation.
- Commitment levels
- Ballpark vs. firm
- Labeling language
Four terms, four commitments.
| Term | What it is | Binding? | Typical basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ballpark estimate | Rough order of magnitude | No | Historical $/unit, incomplete info |
| Estimate | Calculated expected cost | Usually no | Takeoff + pricing |
| Quote | Offered price with conditions | Often, within validity and terms | Estimate + markup, scope letter |
| Bid | Formal offer in a competitive process | Often, per bid documents | Full takeoff, bid form, bonds if required |
Whether a document is binding depends on its wording, the bid documents and applicable law, not just its title.
From plan set to reviewed quantities.
AI-powered, human-approved. Each stage records what ran, what changed and who approved it.
Send one plan set
Upload the plan set, legends and schedules, the spec sections for your scope and any addenda. Add an addendum if you have one.
AI proposes quantities
Counts, lengths and areas come back with the source sheet and location attached to every row.
Estimator review
Low-confidence items surface first. Your estimator accepts, corrects or rejects each one.
Map to your assemblies
Approved quantities map to your items, assemblies and estimating assumptions.
Price reviewed rows
Labor units, material pricing and supplier quotes apply only to rows that passed review.
Hand off with evidence
Approved quantities move on to pricing and visual CPQ with the evidence trail still attached.
Supported files and tasks depend on your trade and implementation. Confirm them in the free sample run.
The AI drafts. Your estimator decides.
Speed is easy to promise. Defensible numbers are the job, so RenderDraw keeps the estimator in control of every quantity that gets priced.
- Source on every row. Each quantity keeps its source sheet, location and reviewer decision.
- Lowest confidence first. The review queue shows the drawing tile with the detection highlighted and the extracted value.
- Uncertain items flagged, not hidden. Anything the AI can't confirm goes to the estimator rather than being guessed.
- Nothing priced before approval. Rows move on to pricing only after they are accepted.
Questions estimators ask
What is the difference between an estimate and a quote?
An estimate approximates cost; a quote offers a price, usually with terms and a validity period.
Is a bid legally binding?
Often, once submitted and accepted per the bid documents; consult your attorney for specifics.
What is a ballpark estimate?
A rough order-of-magnitude figure, not a commitment.
How do I avoid confusion?
Label documents clearly, state assumptions, exclusions and validity.
See what the AI reads on your own drawings.
Send one representative trade plan set. RenderDraw reviews it and follows up with what the AI extracted and what it flagged for review. Your files remain private while the request is assessed, and there is no obligation.
- Upload the plan set, legends and schedules, the spec sections for your scope and any addenda.
- RenderDraw reviews the set and the scope you want tested.
- We follow up with extracted quantities, flagged items and next steps.