Estimator Engine — Service Pricing Calculator

Overview

A deterministic pricing engine for a service business. Takes property/job details and returns a structured estimate with line items, ranges, and confidence levels. Designed for agent-mediated use: owners text property details, agent returns instant estimate.

When to Use

• Website estimator form — visitor enters sqft, gets instant price range
• Referral qualification — quick ballpark before site visit
• Agent creates formal estimate — detailed line items for QuickBooks
• Insurance claim scoping — severity tier mapping to pricing multipliers

Don't Use For

• Dynamic pricing / demand-based surges
• Multi-trade construction estimates
• Recurring subscription pricing

Configuration

All pricing is config-driven. Copy the config block below into a pricing_config.json file or environment variables, then plug in your own rates. The numbers shown are EXAMPLES — replace them with your real rate card.

# Example configuration — REPLACE ALL VALUES with your own rates
PRICING_CONFIG = {
    "regions": {
        "standard": {
            "label": "Standard Region",
            "counties": ["[REGION_1]", "[REGION_2]"]  # list your service areas here
        },
        "premium": {
            "label": "Premium Region",
            "counties": ["[PREMIUM_REGION_1]"]  # e.g., further travel, higher costs
        }
    },
    "residential_commercial": {
        "standard": {
            "tiers": [
                {"max_sqft": 1000, "rate_per_sqft": 1.55, "minimum": 1200, "cigarette_ext_addon": 350},
                {"max_sqft": 1500, "rate_per_sqft": 1.30, "minimum": 0, "cigarette_ext_addon": 450},
                {"max_sqft": 2500, "rate_per_sqft": 1.25, "minimum": 0, "cigarette_ext_addon": 550},
                {"max_sqft": 5000, "rate_per_sqft": 1.20, "minimum": 0, "cigarette_ext_addon": 650},
                {"max_sqft": 10000, "rate_per_sqft": 1.15, "minimum": 0, "cigarette_ext_addon": 750},
                {"max_sqft": 999999, "rate_per_sqft": 1.10, "minimum": 0, "cigarette_ext_addon": 850}
            ],
            "addons": {
                "pet_trauma_per_sqft": 0.35,
                "surface_defense_per_sqft": 0.35,
                "high_rise_flat": 350
            }
        },
        "premium": {
            "tiers": [
                {"max_sqft": 1500, "rate_per_sqft": 1.70, "minimum": 1500, "cigarette_ext_addon": 450},
                {"max_sqft": 2500, "rate_per_sqft": 1.55, "minimum": 0, "cigarette_ext_addon": 550},
                {"max_sqft": 5000, "rate_per_sqft": 1.50, "minimum": 0, "cigarette_ext_addon": 650},
                {"max_sqft": 10000, "rate_per_sqft": 1.45, "minimum": 0, "cigarette_ext_addon": 750},
                {"max_sqft": 999999, "rate_per_sqft": 1.40, "minimum": 0, "cigarette_ext_addon": 850}
            ],
            "addons": {
                "pet_trauma_per_sqft": 0.35,
                "surface_defense_per_sqft": 0.35,
                "high_rise_flat": 350
            }
        }
    },
    "apartments": {
        "standard": {
            "rates": {"1_bed": 900, "2_bed": 1000, "3_bed": 1100},
            "addons": {"pet_trauma_flat": 150, "surface_defense_flat": 100}
        },
        "premium": {
            "rates": {"1_bed": 900, "2_bed": 1000, "3_bed": 1100},
            "premium_surcharge_flat": 500,
            "addons": {"pet_trauma_flat": 150, "surface_defense_flat": 100}
        }
    },
    "estimate_number_prefix": "EST",
    "estimate_valid_days": 30,
    "range_uncertainty_pct": 0.15  # ±15% around calculated total
}

⚠️ The numbers above are EXAMPLES. They show the structure of a tiered pricing model (per-sqft rates, minimums, add-on surcharges, region differentials). Replace every value with your own business's actual rates.

Pricing Model Structure

Location Tiers

• Standard Region: Your local/primary service area (lower travel cost)
• Premium Region: Further service areas with higher travel cost

Property Types

1. Residential / Commercial — priced by square footage tiers
2. Apartments — flat rate by bedroom count

EXAMPLE Pricing (Standard Region)

Residential / Commercial — Base Treatment

Add-ons (Standard):

• Pet/Trauma: +$0.35 psf
• Surface Defense: +$0.35 psf
• High Rise Condo: +$350 per job

Apartments — Base Treatment

Add-ons (Standard Apartments):

• Pet/Trauma: +$150
• Surface Defense: +$100

EXAMPLE Pricing (Premium Region)

Residential / Commercial — Base Treatment

Add-ons (Premium):

• Pet/Trauma: +$0.35 psf
• Surface Defense: +$0.35 psf
• High Rise Condo: +$350 per job

Apartments — Base Treatment

Same base rates as Standard, plus a Premium Region surcharge of +$500 to each tier.

Add-ons (Premium Apartments):

• Pet/Trauma: +$150
• Surface Defense: +$100

CALCULATION RULES

1. Determine location: Standard or Premium (based on configured region mapping)
2. Determine property type: Residential/Commercial or Apartment
3. For Res/Comm: find sf tier → multiply rate × square footage (apply minimum if applicable)
4. For Apartments: use flat rate by bedroom count
5. Add applicable surcharges: Pet/Trauma, Surface Defense, Ext (cigarette >5yrs), High Rise
6. Premium apartments: add the configured premium surcharge to the flat rate

Minimums (from pricing tables)

• Standard Res/Comm ≤1,000 sf: $1,200 minimum (example)
• Premium Res/Comm ≤1,500 sf: $1,500 minimum (example)
• Apartments: flat rates already include minimums

API Interface

Input Schema

class EstimateRequest:
    property_address: str          # Full address (used to determine region/location)
    property_type: str             # "residential_commercial" or "apartment"
    sqft: int = 0                  # Required for residential_commercial
    bedrooms: int = 0              # Required for apartment (1, 2, or 3)
    is_premium_region: bool = False  # Auto-determined from region config, but can override
    add_ons: List[str] = []        # ["pet_trauma", "surface_defense", "cigarette_ext", "high_rise"]

Output Schema

class EstimateResponse:
    estimate_number: str           # EST-YYYY-NNNN
    line_items: List[LineItem]
    subtotal: float
    total: float
    range_low: float               # -15% for uncertainty
    range_high: float              # +15% for uncertainty
    confidence: str                # high/medium/low
    assumptions: List[str]
    valid_days: int = 30

Line Item Structure

class LineItem:
    description: str
    quantity: float
    unit: str                      # "sf", "each", "job"
    unit_price: float
    total: float
    notes: str

Quick Start

from estimator import estimate_job

# Residential/Commercial example (Standard pricing)
request = {
    "property_address": "123 Main St, [CITY], [STATE] [ZIP]",  # Standard Region
    "property_type": "residential_commercial",
    "sqft": 2500,
    "add_ons": ["pet_trauma"]
}

result = estimate_job(request)
# Returns structured estimate with line items, ranges, total

# Apartment example (Premium Region)
request = {
    "property_address": "456 Ocean Dr, [CITY], [STATE] [ZIP]",  # Premium Region
    "property_type": "apartment",
    "bedrooms": 2,
    "add_ons": ["surface_defense"]
}

result = estimate_job(request)
# Returns structured estimate

Agent Integration Patterns

Website Estimator Form → Instant Range

User: "2500 sqft house, [CITY], pet odor, add surface defense"
Agent: Determines Standard Region, Res/Comm tier 1500-2500 = $1.25/sf
       Base: 2500 × $1.25 = $3,125
       Pet/Trauma: 2500 × $0.35 = $875
       Surface Defense: 2500 × $0.35 = $875
       Total: $4,875 → Returns "Estimated $4,100–$5,600 (est. $4,875)"

Formal Estimate for QuickBooks

User: "Create estimate for John Smith, 123 Main St [CITY], 2500 sqft house, pet trauma, surface defense"
Agent: Creates estimate record in CRM, generates QuickBooks estimate with line items, emails PDF

Quick Quote

User: "Realtor needs ballpark for 2-bed apartment, cigarette smoke >5yrs"
Agent: Premium Region, Apartment 2-bed = $1,000 + $500 Premium + $150 cigarette
       Total: $1,650 → Returns "$1,400–$1,900" + disclaimer

Common Pitfalls

1. Region misclassification — Make sure your region mapping is configured correctly and matches across estimator-engine, website, and CRM
2. Property type confusion — Apartments use flat bedroom rates, NOT square footage pricing
3. Premium apartment surcharge — Must add the configured premium surcharge to the flat rate for Premium Region apartments
4. Cigarette >5yrs — Only applies as "Ext Add-on" flat fee per tier (not per sf)
5. Minimums — Check configured minimums for small square footage tiers
6. High Rise Condo — Flat fee per job (applies to both Standard and Premium)
7. Pet/Trauma + Surface Defense — Both are per-sf for Res/Comm, flat fee for Apartments

Verification Checklist

• Region correctly maps to Standard vs Premium (from your config)
• Property type determines pricing method (sf tiers vs bedroom flat rate)
• Square footage tier lookup returns correct rate
• Minimums enforced (from your config)
• Add-ons calculate correctly (per-sf for Res/Comm, flat for Apartments)
• Cigarette >5yrs uses tier-based flat fee (not per-sf)
• Premium apartments add surcharge to flat rate
• High Rise Condo adds configured flat fee
• Range ±15% around calculated total
• Estimate number format: EST-YYYY-NNNN (sequential)
• Output includes assumptions list for transparency

One-Shot Recipes

"Quick ballpark for website (Standard Res/Comm)"

from estimator import quick_quote
quick_quote(property_type="residential_commercial", sqft=2000, is_premium_region=False, add_ons=["pet_trauma"])
# → "Estimated $3,400–$4,600" (2000 × $1.25 = $2,500 + 2000 × $0.35 = $700 + 2000 × $0.35 = $700 = $3,900)

"Full estimate for QuickBooks (Premium Apartment)"

from estimator import formal_estimate
estimate = formal_estimate(
    customer_name="Jane Doe",
    property_address="456 Ocean Dr, [CITY], [STATE] [ZIP]",
    property_type="apartment",
    bedrooms=2,
    is_premium_region=True,
    add_ons=["cigarette_ext", "surface_defense"]
)
# → Creates CRM estimate record, returns QB-ready line items
# Base: $1,000 (2-bed) + $500 (Premium) = $1,500
# Cigarette ext: +$150, Surface Defense: +$100 = $1,750 total

"Batch quote for realtor list"

from estimator import batch_quote
properties = [
    {"address": "456 Palm Ave [CITY], [STATE] [ZIP]", "property_type": "residential_commercial", "sqft": 3200, "add_ons": ["cigarette_ext"]},  # Standard Region
    {"address": "789 Ocean Dr [CITY], [STATE] [ZIP]", "property_type": "apartment", "bedrooms": 2, "add_ons": ["pet_trauma"]},  # Standard Region
    {"address": "1000 Collins Ave [CITY], [STATE] [ZIP]", "property_type": "residential_commercial", "sqft": 2800, "is_premium_region": True, "add_ons": ["high_rise"]},  # Premium Region
]
for prop in properties:
    print(batch_quote(prop))