For deck builders
A deck estimate and invoice app
Walk the boards, say what's going, and the customer has a price before you're off the deck.
Settle fits deck work because the price comes from the square footage, the boards and the railing. Say it out loud and Settle writes a priced estimate from your own rates. Text the estimate from your own phone, the customer approves from a link, and when the job's done they pay by card or bank to your own Stripe account. Sending unlimited estimates and invoices is free. It's iPhone only and doesn't do scheduling.
What a deck estimate looks like
On the deck you say: "Twelve by sixteen. Pull the old boards and railing, replace two joists, composite boards with hidden fasteners, twenty-eight feet of composite railing." Settle writes:
| Line | Qty | Price | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Remove and haul old deck boards and railing | 192 sq ft | $2.50 | $480.00 |
| Inspect frame, replace damaged joists | 2 ea | $85.00 | $170.00 |
| Install composite deck boards with hidden fasteners | 192 sq ft | $18.00 | $3,456.00 |
| Composite railing | 28 ft | $65.00 | $1,820.00 |
| Total before tax | $5,926.00 |
Example prices only. Settle uses your own rates, and marks any price it had to guess with an orange dot.
What matters in deck estimates
- Name the board and fastener. "Composite, hidden fasteners" plus the square footage is a price the customer can compare.
- Price joists each. You won't know how many are bad until the boards are off.
- Railing by the foot. Railing often costs as much as the boards. Its own line avoids sticker shock.
- Stairs, lighting and skirting are separate. They take more time than their size suggests.
- Permits. Say who pulls them and whether the fee is included.
What Settle does for deck builders, and what it doesn't
Walk the boards, say the square footage, the board and the railing, and check any price marked with an orange dot. The estimate goes out from your own number. If you find bad joists after tear-off, get the customer's OK in writing before you replace them. You see when the customer opens and approves it. Payments land in a Stripe account in your name; Settle takes no cut and never holds the money.
Settle doesn't do deck design drawings, material takeoffs, or crew scheduling. There's no Android or web version. If you run several crews, a field-service tool like Jobber is built for that; compare them on the comparison page.
Deck questions
What is the best estimate app for a deck builder?
For a solo deck builder or small crew on an iPhone who prices on site, Settle is free to send unlimited estimates and invoices, writes the estimate from what you say using your own rates, and pays to your own Stripe account. For design drawings and takeoffs, a deck design tool is built for that.
Should I take a deposit on a deck job?
Usually, to cover materials, within your state's limit. California caps home improvement down payments at $1,000 or 10%, whichever is less. See the deposit limit calculator.
How do I bill a deck job that takes a week?
Bill in stages: deposit, materials delivered, completion. See progress billing.
Can Settle draft an estimate from photos?
Yes. Take up to 3 photos and Settle uses them, along with what you say, to draft the estimate. The photos stay with the job in the app; they aren't added to the PDF or the estimate page your customer sees.
Quote your next deck by talking.
Free on iPhone. Unlimited estimates and invoices. 7 days of Pro to try the voice drafts, and you cancel in two taps.
Download on the App StoreiPhone, iOS 17 or later. Questions? Text Nina: (818) 945-9686