Custom Deck Estimatorby Ground Up Digital Media

Built by a deck contractor, for deck contractors

Draw the deck once. Get the takeoff, the price and the proposal.

Custom Deck Estimator turns your deck layout into a material list, labor and installed price, a branded proposal your customer approves online, and a build packet for your crew.

Start your 7-day free trial See how it works

No credit card. After the trial you keep a free plan with 2 estimates a month.

Step 1 of 8 Draw the deck layout Start with the actual project shape and dimensions.

  • Material takeoffFraming, decking, fascia, fasteners and railing parts, ready to order.
  • Installed priceMaterials and labor with your margin, tax and fees built in.
  • Branded proposalYour logo, colors, license and terms on every estimate.
  • Online approvalCustomers approve or decline from the email. You hear about it right away.
  • Build packetA PDF your crew can build from, made from the same estimate.

How it works

Four steps, one estimate. Nothing gets retyped between the drawing, the price and the proposal.

  1. 1

    Draw the deck

    Set the size and shape, mark the house side, railing edges and stairs. Stair geometry is calculated for you.

    Deck layout editor with dimensions, railing edges and stairs
  2. 2

    Choose the build

    Pick framing, decking by manufacturer, collection and color, picture-frame borders, fascia, fasteners and railing.

    Decking selection with manufacturer, collection, color and picture-frame settings
  3. 3

    Let it calculate

    CDE builds the material takeoff and purchase list, railing sections and posts, labor, and the installed price. Framing that needs a change under the IRC is flagged for you.

    Material takeoff and purchase list with categorized quantities and IRC adjustment notices
  4. 4

    Send it and get a decision

    Email the proposal straight from the app. Your customer approves or declines online, you get an email, and your dashboard shows the new status. Print the build packet when it's a go.

    1. Proposal emailedSent to your customer from the estimate
    2. Customer approvedThey clicked Approve on their proposal
    3. You're notifiedEmail alert and updated dashboard status
    4. Build packet readyPrint it for the crew

Everything that goes into a deck estimate

Made for decks from the start, so the details you'd normally add by hand are already part of the estimate.

Layout and structure

  • Visual deck layout with dimensions, house side and stairs
  • Framing and structure inputs
  • IRC span adjustment notices when framing needs to change
  • Stairs with calculated geometry

Materials

  • Decking by manufacturer, collection and color
  • Picture-frame borders, fascia and risers
  • Railing sections, posts and stair rail calculated from the layout
  • Fasteners and hardware in the takeoff
  • Custom line items for anything extra
  • Material takeoff and purchase list

Pricing

  • Your own material prices and labor rates
  • Profit margin or markup, your choice
  • Sales tax and card or ACH fees built in
  • Price and profit sheet for every job

Proposals and jobs

  • Proposals with your logo, colors, license and terms
  • Email proposals straight from the estimate
  • Customers approve or decline online
  • Email alert and live status on your dashboard
  • Contractor build packet PDF
  • Up to 3 users, on computer, tablet or phone

Some features are part of the paid plan. Every trial includes all of them. See the plans below.

Start free. Upgrade when it's paying for itself.

Every account starts with a 7-day trial with everything unlocked, no credit card. When it ends you move to the free plan automatically and keep everything you built.

Free plan

$0 forever

  • 2 real deck estimates a month (the sample doesn't count)
  • Full estimating workflow: layout, structure, decking, stairs, railing
  • Your own material prices and labor rates
  • Material takeoff and installed price
  • Email proposals your customers approve online

Contractor plan

$59 per month, up to 3 users

or $590 a year, two months free

  • Unlimited estimates
  • Print and save proposals as PDF
  • Contractor build packet PDF
  • Price and profit sheets
  • No "Sent with Custom Deck Estimator" line on your proposals
Start your 7-day free trial

Launch offer: upgrade within 30 days of your trial ending to lock in $59 a month for your first year, and your second month is free.

Why not a general estimating app?

General estimating apps like Joist, from $10/mo
Good for simple estimates and invoices, but deck quantities and structure become manual line items. No layout drives the numbers.
Takeoff platforms like STACK, from $249/user/mo
Strong plan takeoff for estimating teams, at a price built for them rather than for a deck company.
Construction platforms like Buildertrend or Fieldwire
Project management, scheduling and field tools. Deck estimating isn't the core engine.
Custom Deck Estimator $59/mo, up to 3 users
The deck itself drives the takeoff, price, proposal and build packet. If it saves one estimating hour a month, it's already doing its job.

Competitor pricing and positioning come from publicly available plan information and can change.

Questions

What happens when the trial ends?

Your account moves to the free plan automatically. You don't need to do anything, and your company settings, pricing and estimates stay saved. On the free plan you can build up to 2 real deck estimates a month with your own prices and labor rates, and email the proposals to your customers to approve online. Upgrading adds unlimited estimates, printing and saving proposals, the build packet, and price and profit sheets.

Is the free plan really free?

Yes. No credit card and no time limit. Your 2 free estimates reset on the 1st of every month, and the sample estimate doesn't count toward them. Free accounts with no sign-in for 90 days are archived, and signing in brings yours right back.

When does my free trial begin?

Your 7-day trial begins after you create your account, confirm your email, complete Company Setup, and select Save and Start Estimating.

What is launch pricing?

The Contractor Plan is $59/month or $590/year for up to 3 users. If you upgrade within 30 days of your trial ending, your $59/month rate is locked for your first year and your 2nd month is free. The price for new contractors will go up after launch. Renewal pricing after your first year will be provided in advance.

Does the estimator guarantee code compliance?

No. It can assist with planning and system-based adjustments, but contractors remain responsible for verifying applicable codes, site conditions, engineering requirements and final specifications.

Does it support every decking and railing manufacturer?

No. Available selections depend on the products and catalogs currently configured in the application.

Is QuickBooks integration available?

Not currently. QuickBooks integration is planned for a later release.