Blog
Tips for contractors.
Practical advice to help you get more jobs online, win more bids, and run a tighter business.
Roofing Materials Takeoff: Everything Besides the Shingles
Drip edge, starter, ridge cap, ice and water, underlayment, flashing. How to count everything on a roof besides the shingles, with a worked example.
How Many Deck Boards Do I Need? The Takeoff Math
Width covered in inches divided by board width plus gap. Deck board counts for common deck sizes, plus waste, butt joints, picture frames, stairs and screws.
How Deep Should a Fence Post Be? Cold Climate Chart
How deep to set fence posts by fence height and frost depth, with a quick chart. Why posts heave in cold climates and how to stop it.
Are Angi, Thumbtack & HomeAdvisor Worth It for Contractors?
What contractor lead sites actually cost per booked job, why most leads are shared, and when they make sense. An honest look from the contractor side.
Roof Pitch Multiplier Chart: How to Figure Actual Roof Area
Footprint area times the slope multiplier equals actual roof area. Full multiplier chart from 1/12 to 18/12, the hip and valley numbers, and how to get from there to squares.
How to Measure a Fence and Figure the Materials
Posts equal bays plus one, per run. Pickets depend entirely on the gap. The five counts that make up a fence takeoff, with the math and the stuff nobody puts on the list.
What a Contractor Lead Actually Costs: The Math Behind Angi, Thumbtack, and HomeAdvisor
A $50 lead at a 10 percent close rate costs you $500 per booked job, not $50. How Angi, Thumbtack, and HomeAdvisor charge, and the math that tells you if it works.
How Many BTU Per Square Foot for Heating in Cold Climates
Cold climates need roughly 45 to 60 BTU per square foot for heating, not the usual 30 to 35. Full BTU chart by square footage, the reverse chart, and what changes the number.
Deck Board Spacing and Gapping in Cold Climates
Wet treated lumber goes down tight. Composite gaps by install temperature. Here's how to space deck boards so they still look right in year three, and what winter does to them.