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Good Morning,
Welcome to Bids & Bots. Each week we show you one simple way to save time with AI. No tech skills needed. If you can send a text, you can do this.
This week: turn your job-site notes into a neat estimate your customer will actually read.
Why bother?
You already know your prices. What eats your evening is the writing. AI is good at the writing. It is not good at pricing. So you still set every price.
What you need: your phone and the free ChatGPT app. Search "ChatGPT" in the App Store or Google Play. Look for the one made by OpenAI.
Step by step
1. Open the ChatGPT app.
Open the app. The message box is at the bottom.
2. Tap the message box at the bottom.
3. Tap the microphone and say your job notes out loud, like you'd tell your helper. Example: "Mrs. Lopez, old gas water heater in the garage, leaking. Replace with a 50-gallon. Needs a drain pan. Haul the old one away."
First time using the mic? Tap Allow.
4. Copy the message in the gray box below. Paste it right under your notes.
5. Tap the send arrow.
Tap the arrow to send.
6. Read what comes back. Wherever it says [PRICE], type your own price.
7. Press and hold the answer, tap Copy, and paste it into a text or email to your customer.
Press and hold the reply, then tap Copy.
Time: about 5 minutes once you've done it twice.
Cost: $0.
Copy and paste this
I'm a [your trade] contractor. Using my job notes above, write a short estimate for the homeowner. 1) A 2-3 sentence summary of the problem in plain words. 2) A numbered list of the work. Put [PRICE] next to each item. Do not make up prices. 3) A short "Not included" list. 4) My terms: [deposit, payment, warranty, how long the estimate is good for]. Keep it under 250 words. Then list any questions I should answer before I send it.
That last part matters. It might ask "Who pulls the permit?" Those are the details that turn into arguments later if nobody writes them down.
Before and after (made-up example)
This is a made-up job, just to show you the idea.
Before (your notes):
"Lopez, garage water heater leaking, old. Swap for 50 gal gas. Drain pan. Haul away. Permit."
After (what ChatGPT gives you):
Summary: Your water heater is leaking and near the end of its life. We recommend replacing it with a new 50-gallon gas unit.
1. Remove old water heater and haul away — [PRICE]
2. Install new 50-gallon gas water heater — [PRICE]
3. Install drain pan — [PRICE]
4. Get permit and schedule inspection — [PRICE]
Not included: drywall repair, work outside the garage.
That "Not included" line alone can save you a fight.
⚠️ Watch Out
Never let it set prices. It will make up numbers. You set the prices.
Check any "code says" claims. It doesn't know your local rules.
Keep private info out. No full addresses, phone numbers, or gate codes. "Mrs. L., water heater" is plenty.
Your turn
Try it on your next estimate. Then hit reply and tell us how it went. Your replies help decide what we cover next.
Next Thursday: an automatic text when you miss a call, plus the texting rules most people skip.
— The Bids & Bots Team