See how outdoor and deck contracting businesses are using Bolster's AI estimating to double their win rate and estimate in minutes.
Outdoor and decking contractors using Bolster are, on average, winning 15% bigger jobs, 20% more often.
"Now that we're using Bolster, just the professionalism and the presentation it gives our quotes, we're taking business from our more established competitors."
Save time, win more jobs, increase profit, and get paid faster with Bolster.
Deck estimating software takes the dimensions of a deck and turns them into a full material list, labour cost and priced quote. In Bolster you draw the deck footprint, choose the framing, decking, railing and stairs, and the joists, beams, posts, footings, boards, fasteners and labour are calculated for you. Composite, PVC, wood and aluminum options can sit side by side in one quote so the homeowner picks the material and sees the price change.
Decks are one of the most option-heavy jobs in residential construction. Board line, colour, railing style, lighting, stairs and pergolas all change the price. Deck builders who can show those choices clearly, and price them instantly, win more of the jobs they quote and sell bigger decks.
A reliable deck price is built from the structure up. Here is the sequence most experienced deck builders follow.
Illustrative example: a 12 x 16 ft deck, 4 ft off the ground, with 2x8 joists at 16 inches on centre, one beam on three posts, 192 sq ft of composite decking plus about 10% waste, 40 linear feet of railing, and a four-step stair. Each line has its own quantity and cost, and swapping composite for pressure-treated wood or adding a picture frame border reprices the whole deck instantly. These numbers are an example only; use your local code, spans and supplier pricing.
Bolster estimating works like a spreadsheet with deck formulas already attached. Enter the length, width and height once and every linked item, from joist count to railing length, updates. Takeoff includes a joist and beam tool for framing calculations and lets you measure on plans, photos or satellite imagery. AutoCost fills in live, region-specific pricing for lumber, composite and hardware so your quotes keep up with the market.
You build each deck type as an assembly once, including your own labour rates and markup, then reuse it on every job. Your estimates stay consistent no matter who builds them.
Every Bolster estimate becomes an interactive presentation. Show composite colours with photos, offer a railing upgrade, add lighting or a pergola, and let the homeowner decide. With upgrades and options pricing adjusts to the deck's actual dimensions, and the client signs online when they are ready. Taylor Hix of Bigfoot Decks and More presents more than 30 decking material options this way and cut estimating time by 50%.
When the quote is signed, Bolster creates the build schedule, the material list for your lumber yard, and a budget that tracks actual costs. Request deposits and progress payments online through Bolster Payments, and keep the homeowner updated in their client portal.
Not every deck job is new construction. Resurfacing an existing frame with new boards and railing, replacing stairs, or repairing rotten joists all need their own assemblies with inspection allowances. Price the frame inspection up front, include a unit price for joist or beam replacement, and use a change order if you find more damage once boards come off.
Pergolas, privacy screens, built-in benches, lighting and skirting are where deck builders grow job size. Set them up as optional items in your Bolster quote so the homeowner can add them with a tap and see the new total immediately. It is easier to say yes to an add-on in the quote than in a separate conversation weeks later.
A good deck spreadsheet can calculate joists and boards, but it rarely keeps up with material prices, it breaks when someone edits the wrong cell, and it cannot show the homeowner three decking lines side by side. Deck estimating software keeps your framing rules, materials, labour rates and markups in one place, prices them with current costs, and turns the result into a quote the client can interact with and sign. That is the difference between sending a number and selling a deck.
Smaller and newer deck builders often compete with companies that have been around for decades. A fast, clear, professional quote with real options closes much of that gap. As Bigfoot Decks and More put it: "The professionalism and presentation from Bolster quotes helps us win business from more established competitors." The same applies to deck builders bidding against larger outdoor living companies: a clear quote with real choices often decides the job.
Many deck builders use a design tool for 3D drawings and an estimating tool to price and sell. Bolster is built for the pricing and selling side. Book a demo and we will build one of your standard decks with you.
The best deck estimating software calculates framing, decking, railing and stairs from the deck's dimensions, keeps material prices current and lets clients compare material options in a professional quote. Bolster does this and also handles scheduling, material lists and payments.
Price materials from the structure up (footings, framing, decking, railing, stairs and hardware), add labour by production rate, add demolition, permits and access costs, then apply overhead and profit. The right number depends on your region, materials and crew, which is why live pricing matters.
Divide the deck area by the coverage of one board, then add waste. Straight layouts typically need less waste than diagonal or picture-frame layouts. In Bolster the board count updates automatically when the deck size changes.
Yes. Bolster presentations let homeowners switch between materials, colours, railing styles and add-ons, with prices that update to the deck's dimensions.
Yes. Bolster Takeoff includes a joist and beam tool for framing calculations, and your deck assemblies can calculate joists, beams, posts and footings from the dimensions you enter.
Bolster focuses on estimating, quoting and running the job rather than 3D design. Many deck builders pair a design tool with Bolster for pricing, proposals, scheduling and payments.
