Standard + custom code list
Start from a sensible default list. Add or rename codes to match how your business tracks today, by trade or phase.
Feature · Cost Codes
Drill into job cost by trade, phase, or line item.
BuilderSwift Cost Codes give you apples-to-apples visibility into every job — estimated vs. actual, by trade and phase. Protect the margin on the project today. Bid more accurately on the next one.
Estimated vs actual
By trade or phase
Smarter bids, every cycle
Why Cost Codes
The level of detail that wins bids and protects margin.
Categories tell you what's over budget. Codes tell you why — and what to fix before the next bid. BuilderSwift tracks estimated vs. actual down to the phase and the line, so every job teaches the next.
Bid with data, not guesses.
Track estimated vs. actual by code across every job. After a few projects, you know exactly how a kitchen tile backsplash runs on a 2026 job — and you scope it accordingly. The margin you protect compounds across the year.
Apples-to-apples across jobs.
Same code, every time. Compare Demo on Job A to Demo on Job B with the same yardsticks, so patterns — under-estimating tile, over-estimating demo — become obvious.
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Standard + custom codes
BuilderSwift ships with standard codes (Demo, Rough-in, Finish) and you can add or rename to match how you track today.
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Estimated vs actual
Every code carries its estimated and actual cost — with variance flagged the moment it goes off-plan.
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Cross-job trends
See which codes are consistently over- or under-estimating across your last 10, 20, or 50 jobs.
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QuickBooks in sync
Codes map to QuickBooks Items and Jobs so the books are organized the same way as your operational data.
What you get
Capabilities built for bid accuracy and margin protection.
Estimated vs. actual variance
Every code carries both numbers. Variance is flagged in real time so you see issues long before the job closes.
Bid-accuracy insights
Cross-job reports show which codes you consistently under- or over-estimate — and how much. Bid with data next time.
Line items from codes
Pull proposal line items straight from your cost-code catalog. Estimate and actual stay apples-to-apples end to end.
QuickBooks mapping
Codes map to QuickBooks Items and Jobs. Books are organized the same way as your operational data — no rework.
Cross-job reporting
Reports roll up by code, by trade, by category, by job type. Spot patterns that affect margin — and bid smarter.
Outcomes
Every job teaches the next.
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Cleaner bids
Estimated vs. actual data sharpens every bid you write. Margin compounds across the year.
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Apples-to-apples
Same codes, every job. Comparing tiles, demo, or rough-in across the year tells a story you can act on.
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One source of truth
Cost books, proposals, and job costs all use the same codes — so nothing gets lost between estimating and accounting.
From the field
What contractors tell us about this feature.
“After a year of running this, we're bidding tile, demo, and rough-in on real data — not last decade's feel. Margin on kitchens is up 11 points and we know exactly why.”
Designed for
Built for estimators who refuse to guess twice.
Estimators writing tight bids
Stop guessing tile, cabinets, or rough-in labor. Bid with the actual costs of your last 5 kitchens.
Owners chasing margin
See exactly which trades and phases erode margin. Adjust processes, vendors, or estimating before next year closes.
Accountants who want clean maps
Codes map directly to QuickBooks Items and Jobs — books stay organized, no rework at tax time.
FAQ
Cost Codes questions, answered.
What's the difference between cost categories and cost codes?
Cost categories are the big buckets — Labor, Materials, Subs, Permits, Overhead. Cost
codes drill into them — by phase (Demo, Rough-in, Finish) or by trade (Carpentry, Plumbing, Tile).
Together they make your job costing apples-to-apples.
How do cost codes help me bid better next time?
When you track estimated vs. actual by code, you learn where your estimating is too
generous or too tight. After enough jobs, you bid with data — not guesses — and the margin you protect
compounds across the year.
Can I import my existing cost-code list?
Yes. Start from the standard code list and rename or add codes to match how you track
today. Codes can be imported as CSV if you already maintain a list.
Do cost codes sync to QuickBooks?
Yes. Codes map to QuickBooks Items and Jobs so the books are organized the same way as
your operational data. Accountants see clean categorization without rework.
How fine-grained should my codes be?
Start coarse, refine later. Phases work well: Demo, Rough-in, Trim, Finish. Then add
trade or material codes where they're worth tracking (Cabinets, Tile, Countertop). The system supports as
much detail as you want.
Bid with data
Protect margin. Bid with data, not guesses.
Start your 4-month free launch period today — every feature included, no credit card required.
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