AI Estimation Software
By Phazahn Odom | Founder of Phixmo | Former bookkeeper for residential GCs | Former NFL tight end, Pittsburgh Steelers
Most residential GCs build estimates the slow way. Open a spreadsheet, remember every cost category, look up material prices, calculate labor hours, add overhead and contingency, and hope you didn't forget anything. It takes hours, and one missed line item comes straight out of your margin.
Phixmo's AI estimation works differently. Describe the job in plain English and get a complete cost breakdown in seconds. Labor, materials, subcontractors, permits, overhead, and contingency. And once you've completed jobs in Phixmo, the numbers come from your own actuals: your labor rates, your hours, your sub costs, with regional data filling the gaps.
You type a description, the AI returns a structured estimate. Three steps.
Type something like "200 square foot kitchen remodel in San Diego, semi-custom cabinets, quartz countertops, new LVP flooring, subway tile backsplash, sink stays in place." The more detail you give, the more accurate the estimate. But even a rough description gets you a useful starting point.
The AI returns a full estimate organized by category: demolition, cabinetry, countertops, plumbing, electrical, flooring, finishes, permits, overhead, and contingency. Each line item has a quantity, unit cost, and total, and each is tagged with its source: your history when it's priced from your own completed jobs, or a regional estimate where history doesn't cover it.
Every line item is editable. The AI gives you a complete first pass, you apply your judgment. Maybe you know the plumbing on this job will cost more because the house is on a slab. Adjust the numbers, then send it for e-signature or download it as a branded PDF: your logo, categorized line items, and totals, the same document your client receives.
A complete residential estimate, not just a rough number.
Broken down by task and trade. Once you've completed jobs in Phixmo, hours and rates come from your own actuals; regional rates cover the rest.
Quantities and unit costs for every major category.
For specialized trades like electrical, plumbing, and HVAC.
Based on typical requirements for the project type.
Calculated as a percentage markup, typically 12 to 18% for residential GCs.
To cover the surprises that show up behind walls and under floors.
The AI is trained to include the categories that contractors most often forget: drywall repair, dumpster rental, appliance installation, and the small finish items that add up to thousands across a project.
AI estimation and AI takeoffs solve different problems, and Phixmo has both.
You upload a PDF, the AI extracts measurements (room dimensions, wall lengths, door and window counts, square footage), and generates an estimate from those measurements. Use this when you have plans.
No plans needed. You describe the job in words and get a cost breakdown. Use this for quick ballpark numbers when a homeowner calls, or for projects where you don't have formal drawings yet.
Most GCs use both. AI estimation for the initial phone call ("roughly what would a kitchen like this cost?") and AI takeoffs once the architect delivers plans and you need a precise number for the bid.
AI estimation gets you a structured, complete first pass. Your experience makes it precise.
The AI is good at covering all the categories and doing the math. It will not forget the dumpster rental or the contingency. It will not miscalculate the markup. And the pricing gets sharper the more you use it: when you have completed jobs in Phixmo, estimates are priced from your own actuals and say so, like "Priced from your 3 completed kitchen remodels." New accounts start on regional pricing and improve with every completed job.
What the AI doesn't know is the specifics of your situation. It doesn't know that this particular client's house has knob-and-tube wiring that needs replacing, or that the driveway is too narrow for a standard dumpster, or that you get materials 15% cheaper from your supplier. That's where your review matters.
The value is starting from a complete, organized estimate instead of a blank spreadsheet. You spend your time adjusting for specifics, not remembering categories and looking up prices. From there it flows straight into job costing, so the estimate becomes the budget you track actuals against.
Residential general contractors who quote multiple jobs a month and don't have a dedicated estimator.
You're the owner who does estimates at night after being on job sites all day. A homeowner calls wanting a rough number for a bathroom remodel. Instead of saying "let me put something together and get back to you next week," you describe the job, get a breakdown in seconds, refine it, and send a professional estimate the same day.
Faster estimates mean more bids. More bids mean more jobs. And accurate estimates mean you're not losing margin to forgotten line items.
AI estimation is included on Pro ($169/mo) and Growth ($299/mo). No per-estimate fees. Phixmo itself is free to start, free forever.
Free
$0/mo
Free forever. Unlimited projects, field workers free.
2 office seats
+ unlimited free field workers
Pro
$169/mo
Full AI estimation, no per-estimate fees.
5 office seats + $25/extra
+ unlimited free field workers
Growth
$299/mo
Everything in Pro, for larger teams.
10 office seats + $25/extra
+ unlimited free field workers
Pro and Growth include the full platform: AI takeoffs, job costing, contracts, invoicing, change orders, customer portal, and verified reviews. Field workers are always free.
The more detail, the better the estimate, but even a rough description works. "Bathroom remodel, 80 square feet, new tile, new vanity, keep the layout" gets you a useful starting point. Adding details about finishes, fixtures, and scope makes it more accurate.
Yes. Every line item is editable. The AI gives you a complete first pass and you adjust quantities, prices, and categories based on your knowledge of the specific job.
Better than that: it knows your prices. Once you've completed jobs in Phixmo, estimates are priced from your own actuals, your real labor rates, your hours per square foot, your sub costs. Regional pricing fills the gaps and covers new accounts. Every line item is tagged with its source, your history or a regional estimate, and the estimate states its basis, like "Priced from your 3 completed kitchen remodels." Estimates sharpen with every job you complete.
AI estimation works from a text description. The blueprint takeoff works from an uploaded PDF plan and extracts actual measurements. Use estimation for quick numbers without plans, takeoffs for precise numbers with plans.
Yes. Once you finalize an estimate, you can generate a contract from it, send it for e-signature, and create a project. The estimate becomes the project budget for job costing.