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 - "90×45 H2 stud", "20 MPa footing pour", "Electrical PC sum".

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

Measurement method. How your component is normally measured. Construction is the umbrella trade, so every measurement type is available:

• Area - cladding, sheeting, roofing, decking, lining.
• Irregular Area - non-rectangular roof or wall sections.
• Lineal - framing, fascia, gutter, trim, formwork.
• Multiple Lines (multi_lineal) - several runs of the same material added together.
• Wall Length × Height (multi_lineal_lxh) - several walls measured plan-view with a shared height.
• Wall Height × Length (length_x_height) - a single wall measured length × height.
• Volume - concrete pours, fill, bulk material.
• Curved Line (curved_line) - curved framing, fascia, decorative trim.
• Count - windows, doors, fixtures, hardware items.
• Fixed - subcontract allowances, PC sums, site costs.
• Hours / Days - labor.

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

• Pack by length - timber, formwork by metre.
• Pack by area - sheet cladding (e.g. 2.4 m × 1.2 m sheet = 2.88 m²).
• Pack by volume - ready-mix concrete by m³.
• Pack by count - bars, bolts, fixings.
• Single unit - per-item pricing for windows, doors, fixtures.

Labor price. Per m², per metre, per item, per hour, per day, or fixed per quote.

Waste type. A percentage covers most construction waste (5-10% for timber and sheet, 3-5% for concrete, 5% for cladding). For subcontract allowances and fixed items, waste is usually zero.

Pitch multiplier. Construction is the umbrella trade and pitch is not applied at trade level. If you have a specific roof or framing component that needs pitch (e.g. rafter framing measured plan-view), turn on the per-component pitch multiplier. Leave it off for everything else.

Material orders. Decide whether the order quantity rounds up to whole packs, sheets, lengths - or stays exact for items billed by the unit.

Walked example: 90×45 H2 stud

1. Component name: 90×45 H2 stud - 2.7m.
2. Component type: Main.
3. Measurement method: Lineal.
4. Material pricing: pack by length, $8.20/m (sold in 2.7m lengths).
5. Labor: $4/m (fix in place).
6. Waste: 8% (offcuts).
7. Pitch multiplier: off.
8. Material orders: round up to whole 2.7m lengths.

Walked example: 9mm fibre cement cladding

1. Component name: 9mm fibre cement cladding.
2. Component type: Main.
3. Measurement method: Area.
4. Material pricing: pack by area, 1 sheet = 2.88 m² (2.4 × 1.2 m), $68/sheet.
5. Labor: $26/m² fix.
6. Waste: 7% (sheet cuts).
7. Pitch multiplier: off (wall cladding).
8. Material orders: round up to whole sheets.

Walked example: Electrical PC sum (extra)

1. Component name: Electrical PC sum.
2. Component type: Extra.
3. Measurement method: Fixed.
4. Material pricing: $0.
5. Labor: $4,500 fixed (subcontract allowance).
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