Just Started with Buildxact? Here's Your Quick-Start Guide

Feeling overwhelmed by Buildxact? You’re not alone. But you’re in the right place.

Once you master the basics, Buildxact becomes a powerful tool that helps you quote faster, more accurately, and with less stress. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the essential first steps: setting up your account, building your first estimate, and avoiding common mistakes that cost time and money.

Let’s dive in.

What is Buildxact?

Buildxact is an all-in-one estimating and job management software designed for builders, tradies, and professional estimators. It allows you to:

• Quote jobs
• Track costs
• Order materials
• Manage projects — all from one platform

Whether you're a solo builder or managing a team, Buildxact helps streamline your workflow and improve your bottom line.



Step 1: Setting Up Your Workspace

Before you start quoting, make sure your workspace is properly configured. This is your foundation.

✅ Account Settings

• Add your business name, logos, and tax rates.
• These details appear on your quotes and invoices — accuracy here builds trust.

✅ Cost Categories

• Think of these as folders for your pricing.
• Organize by trade (e.g., framing, plumbing) to save time later.

✅ Live Pricing Integration

• Connect Buildxact to suppliers like The Home Depot or local dealers.
• This keeps your quotes competitive and up-to-date.

✅ Upload Supplier Price Lists

• Import your own price lists for tailored accuracy.
• You can even use Excel to upload and manage catalogues.

Step 2: Building Your First Estimate

You’ve got options — choose what suits your workflow best:

🛠️ Option 1: Start from Scratch

• Create a blank estimate.
• Add cost categories, quantities, and unit rates manually.

🧩 Option 2: Use Your Own Template

• If you’ve built a custom template, great!
• It speeds up quoting and ensures consistency.

📋 Option 3: Use a Buildxact Template

• Buildxact offers starter templates to guide you.
• These show how costs and line items are structured.

🔥 Option 4: Subscribe to Pre-Built Templates

• Our team has crafted templates based on thousands of hours of estimating.
• These include recipes and price lists tailored for builders and trades.
• Subscribe here to access them.

Pro Tip: Always double-check your Unit Cost — it’s the easiest place to make a mistake that throws off your entire quote.

Step 3: Master the Takeoff Tool

The Takeoff Tool is your secret weapon.

• Upload your plans.
• Use AI to set the scale.
• Measure directly on-screen.

If you’ve set up recipes, Buildxact will auto-calculate quantities as you go.

Important: Confirm your scale before measuring — a wrong scale means inaccurate estimates.

Step 4: Save & Send Your Estimate

Once your estimate is ready:

• Export it as a professional PDF.
• Email it directly to your client.
• Your branding is included — it looks sharp and builds credibility.

This polished presentation helps you win more jobs.

Final Thoughts & Next Steps

You’ve now:

✅ Set up your Buildxact account
✅ Built your first estimate
✅ Learned how to send it off like a pro

In the next episode, we’ll cover time-saving shortcuts that can cut your estimating time in half.

📣 Checklist / To-Do List

1. Sign up for Buildxact using our referral link - It costs you nothing extra and helps us create more content
2. Download our free Buildxact Starter Checklist using the below form
3. Like, subscribe , and comment on our Youtube video with topics you want covered next.