We don’t claim that the prices listed in our manuals are the “right” prices for every contractor.
The best price book for your company would be based on your own actual costs — your crews, jobs, materials, suppliers, and subcontractors. Since every contractor operates differently, every company’s prices will also be different and should be updated regularly.
In practice, most home improvement contractors don’t have the time to maintain current installed prices for thousands of repair and remodeling items. That’s why our manuals are designed to serve as a practical starting point for estimating.
Using the prices in the manual and included software can help reduce common estimating mistakes, but you may need to adjust them for your business. For example, if your labor costs are higher or your crews are less productive than average, you may need to increase the listed selling prices to make a reasonable profit.
There will also be jobs where actual costs exceed what any reasonable estimate could have predicted.
Our manuals are estimating tools, not a substitute for good judgment. The final price you charge should reflect your actual costs, circumstances, and business needs.