How to Build Construction Quotes in Google Sheets & Excel

From Late-Night Spreadsheets to Click-Free Quotes

If you run a construction business, you’ve probably had this evening: plans open on one screen, supplier emails on another, and a half-finished Excel or Google Sheets quote in the middle. Every new job means copying an old file, wrestling formulas, and praying you didn’t miss a line item.

The good news: you can tame this in two steps. First, build a solid construction quote template. Then, let an AI computer agent like Simular handle the repetitive work of filling, updating, and organizing those quotes across Google Sheets and Excel.

Below are the top ways to do it—starting manually, then scaling up with automation.

Method 1: Build a Manual Construction Quote Template

Step 1: Design the Structure

In Google Sheets or Excel:

• Create a header section: client details, site address, quote date, validity, and project name.
• Add separate tables for:
  • Materials (item, description, quantity, unit cost, subtotal)
  • Labor (role, hours, hourly rate, subtotal)
  • Miscellaneous (permits, equipment rental, contingencies)
• Add a Summary section: materials total, labor total, overhead, profit margin, tax, and grand total.

Step 2: Add Calculations

• Use quantity × unit cost formulas for each line.
• Sum each section with SUM() formulas.
• Create cells for markup or margin. For example, in Excel or Google Sheets:
  • Cost subtotal in B20
  • Profit margin cell in B21 (e.g., 20%)
  • Final price = =B20 / (1 - B21)

Step 3: Protect and Duplicate

• Lock formula cells to prevent accidental edits.
• Turn the file into a master template: save it in a shared folder or Drive.
• For each new project, duplicate the file, rename it, and fill in project-specific details.

Pros (Manual):

• Full control over structure and pricing logic.
• Easy to audit—every formula is visible.
• No new tools to learn if you already use Sheets/Excel.

Cons (Manual):

• Time-consuming to copy data from emails, PDFs, and supplier sites.
• Prone to copy-paste errors.
• Does not scale when you’re handling dozens of bids at once.

Method 2: Semi-Automate With Built-In Tools

Before bringing in AI agents, squeeze more out of Sheets/Excel themselves.

In Google Sheets

• Use Data Validation (dropdowns) for standard items like units, tax rates, and payment terms.
• Use Named Ranges so formulas are easier to maintain.
• Connect to price lists in other tabs and use VLOOKUP() or XLOOKUP() to pull current prices.
• Share the Sheet with your estimator or PMs and collect updates in real time.

In Excel

• Use Tables (Ctrl+T) so formulas auto-extend for new rows.
• Use PivotTables to analyze historical quote data by trade, client, or project type.
• Build templates with input cells in blue and formula cells in gray to guide your team.

Pros (Semi-Automated):

• Faster quoting without changing your core tools.
• Better consistency across your team.

Cons (Semi-Automated):

• You still do all the clicking.
• Integrations are fragile; someone breaks a formula, and the template misquotes.

Method 3: Fully Automate With an AI Computer Agent

This is where things get interesting. Instead of hiring another estimator, you teach an AI computer agent like Simular to do the computer work for you.

Simular’s Pro-grade agents can:

• Open Google Sheets or Excel on your desktop.
• Read emails or RFQs from clients.
• Copy quantities and specs into your construction quote template.
• Look up supplier pricing on the web or in your internal files.
• Apply your standard markups and terms.
• Save and organize quote files in the right folders.

Example Workflow With Simular

1. You receive a bid request by email with attachments.
2. You trigger your Simular agent (manually or via webhook).
3. The agent:
   • Opens the right template in Google Sheets or Excel.
   • Extracts scope, quantities, and deadlines from the email and attachments.
   • Fills the materials and labor tables.
   • Applies your predefined markups, tax rules, and payment terms.
   • Saves the file with a standardized name and sends you a summary.
4. You review the numbers, adjust strategy if needed, and send the quote.

Because Simular agents work like a disciplined digital estimator—clicking, typing, and navigating just as a person would—you don’t need to rebuild your systems. Your existing templates become the brain, and the AI becomes the hands.

Pros (AI-Automated):

• Massive time savings on repetitive quoting work.
• Fewer manual errors and missed line items.
• Works across the whole desktop stack: Sheets, Excel, email, portals.
• Transparent execution: you can replay and inspect what the agent did.

Cons (AI-Automated):

• Requires an initial setup and onboarding period.
• You still need human review for edge cases and high-stakes bids.

Which Path Should You Start With?

If you’re still quoting in ad-hoc spreadsheets, start by designing one solid construction quote template in Google Sheets or Excel. Once that’s stable and your team trusts it, layer on an AI computer agent like Simular to handle the repetitive filling and organizing.

The goal isn’t to replace your judgment. It’s to free you from late-night spreadsheet work so you can focus on winning the right jobs, not just typing faster.

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