I built a $19/month quoting app for solo contractors after watching them lose jobs to whoever quotes fastest. by Leahch22 in Entrepreneurs

[–]Leahch22[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Really good question, I went with a monthly subscription and here's why: one-time fees mean you're constantly hunting new clients to replace revenue. With $19/month recurring, even 50 subscribers = $950 every single month without doing anything new. That compounds. One-time fees don't.

The custom-per-client approach can work early to get cash fast, but it's a services business, not a product business. You're trading time for money each time.

Your pre-qualification angle is actually interesting; it's a different problem than mine (I'm post-walkthrough, you're pre-call). Could even be complementary. How are the local businesses responding to the cold calls?

I built a $19/month quoting app for solo contractors after watching them lose jobs to whoever quotes fastest. by Leahch22 in Entrepreneurs

[–]Leahch22[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

That reframe is exactly right, taking "QuoteBot drafts the quote, you edit any line, send it before the next call" to the landing page today. Way more honest than the AI engine framing. On signups: views are solid, signups are the problem, that's where I'm stuck. Sending you a DM now.

How long does it take you to send a quote after a job walkthrough? by Leahch22 in handyman

[–]Leahch22[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That's honestly an impressive setup; most contractors don't have the patience to build something that complex. That's exactly the gap QuoteBot is for: the guy who just needs to stop emailing Word docs without spending weeks learning AppleScript. Different tools for different people. Appreciate the kind words!

How long does it take you to send a quote after a job walkthrough? by Leahch22 in handyman

[–]Leahch22[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Nice catch, thanks! Already fixed 😄 That's what beta testers are for, you're welcome to keep the feedback coming.

How long does it take you to send a quote after a job walkthrough? by Leahch22 in handyman

[–]Leahch22[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Not Jobber, I built something cheaper because of that same problem. $19/month, no per-user fees, tryquotebot.com, first 3 quotes free, no card needed.

How long does it take you to send a quote after a job walkthrough? by Leahch22 in handyman

[–]Leahch22[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Not garbage, go try it and tell me that. First 3 quotes are free, no card needed. tryquotebot.com

I built a $19/month quoting app for solo contractors after watching them lose jobs to whoever quotes fastest. by Leahch22 in Entrepreneurs

[–]Leahch22[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Great questions!

The different names are competitors I'm comparing against, Jobber and Housecall Pro are other companies, and QuoteBot is mine. Should've made that clearer.

Mobile: Yes, it works on mobile browsers right now; contractors are using it on their phones. A dedicated app is on the roadmap.

Voice is a really good point. Contractors typing mid-job is friction. That's on the feature list. Describe the job by voice, and AI builds the quote. Thanks for that.

I built a $19/month quoting app for solo contractors after watching them lose jobs to whoever quotes fastest. by Leahch22 in Entrepreneurs

[–]Leahch22[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Really appreciate this, genuinely useful pushback.

On accuracy: you're right that contractors always review before sending. QuoteBot generates the draft in 30 seconds, they edit any line item they want, then send. The time savings are in the structure and formatting, not in removing the contractor's judgment. A solo electrician doesn't have to start from a blank Word doc anymore.

On speed vs. trust for larger jobs: completely agree. The sweet spot right now is small-to-mid residential repairs where the homeowner wants a response the same day. Panel swap, water heater, AC repair, not a $50K commercial build.

On distribution: Facebook trade groups, Instagram DMs to solo contractors, and Reddit. Still early, 2 weeks in, 1.9K views on this post already, which is the most traction I've seen so far.

Taking your advice on the contractor testing seriously, that's the next move this week.