How I Finally Delegated Estimating (Without Hiring Another Person)
For years, estimating was the one thing I couldn’t take off my plate. We changed the org chart. We hired roles. Delegated everything we could. But estimating? That was always me. Even if I wasn’t doing anything else in the business... I was still stuck quoting jobs. It was the bottleneck I couldn’t fix—until now. I built a ChatGPT-powered estimator trained with my systems, my pricing, and my language. It asks the right questions, runs the math, and delivers estimates like I would—without me being involved. Now I’m no longer the bottleneck. Customers get quick answers. I get my evenings and weekends back. Want to build your own? Map out your estimating logic. Plug it into ChatGPT. Test and refine. If you're stuck working all day and doing estimates at night and on Saturdays anddddd, sometimes even Sunday mornings when everyone's sleeping—this might be your way out. Heres my direct Zoom link if you'd like to learn more: https://calendly.com/ryaan-besthandymancompany/bh-plan-phone-consultation
🚨FEATURE REQUEST: Tiered Pricing on Products & Services 🚨
Hey Jobber Team and Fellow Pros, Let’s talk about a feature that could seriously boost close rates and make Jobber even more competitive for all of us who quote services, manage inventory, and work in price-sensitive markets. What we need: Tiered Pricing on Products and Services — customizable pricing where the unit cost automatically adjusts based on quantity ordered. Why this matters: We already price materials like mulch, sod, and stone this way in real life. It would speed up quoting, improve estimate accuracy, and help us win more jobs. It mirrors how customers expect to see pricing — more they buy, less they pay per unit. How it would work: Let users define pricing tiers for any product/service: 1–10 units = $10/unit 11–50 units = $8/unit 51+ units = $6/unit These price breaks should auto-calculate during estimate creation and carry through to invoicing. Why Jobber Should Care: Makes Jobber more competitive vs. other platforms offering advanced pricing features. Helps your users convert more jobs = more usage and more loyalty to Jobber. Reflects real-world pricing logic we already use outside the app. If you'd use this — drop a comment or like to help get this in front of Jobber’s dev team. Let’s get this done together!How Referral Systems Are Changing the Home Improvement Game
Referral programs aren’t new, but they’re becoming a huge part of the home improvement world. Homeowners want trusted pros, and contractors want more jobs—referrals make that happen. Why They Work People trust word-of-mouth over ads. A referral from a friend or neighbor carries weight, and when companies reward that, it’s a win-win for everyone. How People Are Using Them Homeowners save money – Discounts or perks for referring friends. Contractors grow their business – More jobs without spending big on ads. Loyalty programs – Earn rewards for multiple referrals. Community referrals – Nextdoor, Facebook groups, and forums are full of trusted recommendations. Make It Work for You If you're a contractor, a solid referral program can bring in quality leads without the heavy marketing costs. Try something simple—offer $50 off the next project for both the referrer and the new client when they book. It’s an easy way to keep customers coming back while bringing in new ones who already trust your work. Are you currently using a referral program with your business? Drop a comment!
Feeling Stuck in the Busy-But-Broke Zone – How Did You Break Through?
Hey folks, I’m hoping to get some insight from those of you who’ve already muscled through this phase of business. I’m currently in that painful zone where the jobs are coming in steady—so much so that I’m completely maxed out—but the numbers aren’t quite adding up to confidently bring someone else on board. I’ve got the workflow, the drive, and the service quality dialed in, but when it comes to scaling by hiring help, I feel like I’m staring at a wall I can’t quite climb. The catch-22 is real: can’t afford help without more time, and can’t get more time without help. For those of you who made it past this threshold: - What did you do to shift the equation? - How did you find the confidence (or capital) to invest in that first team member? - Any creative pricing or scheduling tactics that helped balance the load in the meantime? Appreciate any stories, hard-learned lessons, or nuggets of advice. Trying to work smarter, not just harder.Milwaukee vs DeWalt Tools, which one?
We’re Lock Nerds Locksmith, a Buffalo, NY-based company that’s always relied on Milwaukee tools. But we’re curious—what tools do other pros trust? We're looking for honest pros and cons between Milwaukee and DeWalt to see if it's time for us to reconsider our setup.Seeking ideas for developing power partnerships to better work with clients & grow our biz?!!
Hi all, We are a local fire protection company here in Los Angeles and we do both sales and service of fire extinguishers, as well as specialty fire equipment and resources. I am putting this question out there both for connections and suggestions on best developing power partnership with other local companies that work with residences, properties and businesses, to help collaborate on our services provided and add more value to them and more revenue to both partners. Example of our power partners are roofers, GC's, management companies, HOAs, solar companies, fire and water damage companies, Security and locksmith companies, Insurance agencies... Would love to hear your feedback and suggestions and love to work with you as well, if we could benefit from partnership. This, would be a more effective way to grow our businesses than social media or other passive ways I believe! Payam. Lavi | Supervisor PalFirePro.comWho Was Your First Hire?
I’ll never forget mine! My first hire was a foreman. I needed someone who could run the job while I focused on running and growing the business. That was the moment it stopped being just me and started becoming something bigger. Scary? Of course. Exciting? Absolutely. That first hire teaches you the hard stuff. How to train. How to lead. How to TRUST someone with your name and your clients. You don’t always get it right, but that’s how you grow. What I learned: Hire sooner than you think you’re ready Character beats skill every time Being a boss is a completely different trade than doing the work So let me ask you… who was your first hire, and what did they teach you?How Much Should You Really Be Charging?
The number one question I receive is tied directly to the fact, most contractors are still guessing when it comes to pricing. Overhead. Profit. Labor rate. Trip fees. They think just because they throw a number they hear their competitors use, thats all that they need. It may work, but how and what do you divide these funds is just as important for your business health. If you don’t know how to do the math, you’re not building a business. You’re surviving check to check and think you need more work, when you do not. So here’s the plan: This Tuesday & Thursday on IG, I’m walking you through our Contractor Price Builder Worksheet FREE on instagram live. We will cover: - How to calculate your real hourly rate - The difference between markup and margin - Why profit is a non-negotiable - And how to price with confidence Join the session. Bring your numbers.
In Search of Increased Customer Base
I'm running my own in home cleaning business and I'm starting from the ground up. I have few clients that I gained through friends and family referrals but I'm wanting to expand my business full time. Are there any suggestions on how I can go about gaining more routine customers?
