Creating a component

Walk through it once and you have the pattern for every component you will ever add. Most components take under a minute to set up.

Where to find it

Components > Add component.

The fields

Component name. Short and recognisable - "25 MPa pour - 100mm slab", "SL72 mesh", "Timber formwork".

Component type. Main for normal job items. Extra for call-outs, pump hire, allowances, or anything you want hidden from the customer quote.

Measurement method. How your component is normally measured:

• Volume - the primary measure for concrete pours, measured in m³. Use this for ready-mix.
• Area - slab area in m², mesh sheets, finishing, sealer.
• Irregular Area - non-rectangular slabs, paths with curves, multi-shape pours.
• Lineal - kerbs, edges, expansion joints, sawn cuts, perimeter strip.
• Multiple Kerb/Edge Runs (multi_lineal) - several kerb or edge runs added together.
• Curved Kerb/Edge (curved_line) - curved kerb following a driveway or radius.
• Count - individual items - dowels, anchors, joints.
• Fixed - pump hire, delivery, excavation, allowances.
• Hours / Days - labor on the pour or finishing days.

Material pricing. Tell the app how the product is sold so it can convert your measurement into the right number of units.

• Pack by volume - the standard for ready-mix concrete. e.g. priced per m³ from the supplier, with a minimum truck/order size.
• Pack by area - mesh sheets sold by sheet coverage (e.g. SL72 sheet = 6 m × 2.4 m = 14.4 m²).
• Pack by length - formwork timber, expansion joint material sold by metre.
• Pack by count - rebar bars, joints, dowels.
• Single unit - per-bag, per-sheet pricing.

Labor price. Per m³ placed, per m² finished, per metre of edge/joint, per hour, per day, or fixed per pour.

Waste type. For concrete a percentage (3-5%) covers overpour and formwork bulge. For mesh use either a percentage or fixed allowance per pour. For formwork timber, 5% covers cuts.

Pitch multiplier. Only relevant when your plan area is the flat plan view but the slab has a designed fall to drainage and you want surface area / sealer / mesh corrected for slope. Turn on rafter pitch (the only available pitch type) - it converts plan area to actual sloped surface area. For most slabs the fall is too small to matter; only use it when the drainage fall is significant.

Material orders. Decide whether the order quantity rounds up to whole m³ (truck increments often round to 0.5 m³), whole sheets, or stays exact.

Walked example: 25 MPa pour - 100mm slab

1. Component name: 25 MPa pour - 100mm slab.
2. Component type: Main.
3. Measurement method: Volume.
4. Material pricing: pack by volume, $245/m³ ready-mix.
5. Labor: $48/m² (place + screed + power-trowel).
6. Waste: 5% overpour.
7. Pitch multiplier: off (fall is minor).
8. Material orders: round up to 0.5 m³ increments.

Walked example: Timber formwork

1. Component name: Timber formwork - 100mm.
2. Component type: Main.
3. Measurement method: Lineal.
4. Material pricing: pack by length, $14/m (timber + stakes).
5. Labor: $22/m (set, brace, strip).
6. Waste: 5% (offcuts and reuse limits).
7. Pitch multiplier: not applicable.
8. Material orders: round up to whole metres.

Walked example: Pump hire (extra)

1. Component name: Concrete pump hire.
2. Component type: Extra.
3. Measurement method: Fixed.
4. Material pricing: $0.
5. Labor: $850 fixed (full day pump + operator).
6. Waste: none.
7. Pitch multiplier: not applicable.
8. Material orders: not applicable.

After you save

The component is in the dropdown when you add components in Manual Quote or digital takeoff. You can edit or delete it any time; editing does not change quotes you have already built.

Related

• Components vs Extras
• Waste and pitch
• Plan vs Actual