Guides
Flooring quoting guides
How experienced estimators measure and price a builder's house, written down with worked examples. The method works with a calculator and a spreadsheet as well as it does in Squaro.
Measuring and pricing
Each guide covers one part of a flooring quote, with the reasoning behind the method and a worked example using made-up but realistic numbers. Start with the first guide for the whole method, then go deeper on the parts that cost you the most when they go wrong.
- How to quote flooring from builder plansThe full method, from the builder's pack to a priced quote, with a worked hybrid example.
- Flooring waste percentage, and when to round up to packsChoosing a waste figure, applying it in the right order, and rounding to whole packs.
- Carpet lineal metres and roll width, explainedWorking out carpet off a 3.66 m or 4 m roll, choosing the cut direction, and pricing what you buy.
- How to measure stairs for hybrid flooringTreads, risers, nosing, landing steps and box steps, with a worked pricing example.
- Flooring trims and transitions at doorwaysFinding every opening that needs a trim, and pricing trims per item or per metre.
- Robes, recesses and kitchen kickboards in a flooring takeoffMeasuring robes to the door line, flooring recesses, and allowing for the kickboard recess.
- How to quote blinds from a window scheduleReading window sizes, pricing from a supplier grid, and adding markup, install and check measure.
- The flooring quote checklist: what to check before you sendDocuments, scope, measurements, materials, trims, extras and wording, checked in a few minutes.
Calculators, templates and pricing
Tools and references for the parts of quoting that sit around the takeoff: working out the order, laying out the quote, setting your rates, and choosing software.
- Hybrid flooring calculator: how many packs do I need?A pack calculator with waste, stairs and a spare pack, and the method behind it.
- How to do a vinyl plank takeoff from plansMeasuring LVP, perimeter trims, underlay and adhesive from a set of plans.
- Flooring takeoff vs measure-upWhen to quote from plans, when to measure on site, and how to word the quote.
- Flooring quote template: what to put on a builder quoteThe details, scope lines, exclusions and terms a quote needs, with an example.
- How to price flooring installationBuilding a supply and install rate per square metre from your real costs.
- Flooring estimating software: what it does and how to chooseThe main kinds of software, what each is good at, and how to test one on your own plans.
About the examples
The houses, sizes, pack sizes and rates in these guides are examples to show the arithmetic, not recommended prices. Your own rates, waste figures and allowances should come from your suppliers, your installers and your past jobs. The conventions are Australian and metric, with notes where the UK, Ireland, the US and Canada work differently.
The software side
Squaro follows these methods when it reads a plan and prices a quote, using your own rules. If you want to see how, these pages explain each part:
- Flooring takeoff softwareReading plans and selections, and measuring every space from the printed dimensions.
- Flooring quoting softwareYour waste, packs, trims, stairs, extras and rates, with line by line checking.
- Carpet quoting softwareCutting each room along the roll and pricing lineal metres.
- Blinds quoting softwareListing the windows that get blinds and pricing them on the same quote.
Questions about Squaro itself are answered on the FAQ page.
Quote your next plan set with Squaro
Squaro is open to a small group of flooring contractors first. Tell us how you quote and we will set up your rules with you and run your first plan.
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