STOP LEVELING BIDS IN SPREADSHEETS
Every GC starts with a spreadsheet. Copy numbers from PDFs, build formulas, hope nothing breaks. It works until it does not — a missed line item becomes a $20,000 change order. There is a faster, more reliable way.
2-3 hrs
Time saved per bid package
~30 sec
AI extraction speed
Automatic
Scope gaps caught
YOUR OPTIONS TODAY
Step 1: Open each PDF and copy numbers
You open 3-5 contractor PDFs and manually type line items, quantities, and prices into your spreadsheet. One bid at a time, one cell at a time. A 50-line-item bid takes 20-30 minutes to enter.
Step 2: Build formulas and normalize
Each contractor formats their bid differently — different units, bundled items, varying descriptions. You build formulas to normalize everything so you can compare apples to apples.
Step 3: Scan for issues manually
You eyeball the numbers looking for outliers, missing items, and scope gaps. With 150+ line items across 4 bids, things slip through. The ones that slip through become change orders.
Step 4: Hope the formulas are right
Only one person understands the spreadsheet. If they are busy, sick, or leave, the file is a black box. There is no audit trail, no version history, and no way to verify the analysis is correct.
HOW ESTIMATEHAWK STANDS OUT
AI reads your bid PDFs directly — no manual data entry, no copy-paste, no transcription errors
Line items are normalized automatically across different contractor formats, units, and terminology
Missing scope items are flagged instantly — items in one bid but absent from another are highlighted with cost estimates
Every extraction includes a confidence score so you know which line items to double-check
SIDE-BY-SIDE COMPARISON
| Feature | ESTIMATEHAWK | SPREADSHEETS |
|---|---|---|
| Data entry | AI extracts from PDF (30 sec) | Manual copy-paste (20-30 min per bid) |
| Transcription errors | Reduced retyping risk | Common (human error) |
| Scope gap detection | Automatic cross-bid analysis | Manual eyeballing |
| Pricing anomaly flagging | Automatic with market data | Manual formula building |
| Time per bid package | 2-5 minutes | 2-4 hours |
| Audit trail | Full extraction + comparison history | None (file-based) |
| Works when you are out | Anyone on the team can run it | Only the person who built it |
| Export to Excel | Yes (Project Pass and above) | Already in Excel |
| Cost | $39 per project (one-time) | $0 (your time is the cost) |
Data entry
Transcription errors
Scope gap detection
Pricing anomaly flagging
Time per bid package
Audit trail
Works when you are out
Export to Excel
Cost
FREQUENTLY ASKED
- Can I import my existing bid tab spreadsheet?
- EstimateHawk works directly with the original bid documents (PDF, Excel, CSV) — not with your existing spreadsheet. Upload the contractor bids themselves and the AI creates the comparison from scratch. This ensures nothing is lost in translation from your manual tab.
- How long does it take to switch from spreadsheets?
- There is no migration. Sign up, upload your first bid PDF, and you will have an AI-extracted comparison in under 2 minutes. You can run EstimateHawk alongside your spreadsheet process until you are confident in the results.
- What if I still want to export to Excel?
- Project Pass and Professional plans include Excel, CSV, and PDF export. You can run the AI comparison in EstimateHawk and export the results to a spreadsheet for further analysis, sharing, or record-keeping.
- Is this accurate enough to replace manual review?
- EstimateHawk extracts line items from Xactimate reports, contractor bids, and multi-page estimates, and attaches a confidence score to every one so you can see exactly which items to double-check. You can review and edit any extracted data before running comparisons. It replaces the data-entry step, not your judgment.
READY TO RETIRE YOUR SPREADSHEET?
Upload one of your existing bid PDFs and see what AI extraction looks like. Takes 30 seconds, no credit card required.