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Rehab estimating: Scopebase vs your spreadsheet.
Spreadsheets work when you already know the scope and have contractor quotes. They fail when you are working from an inspection report and need to make a decision before your option period runs out.
Where spreadsheets break down
These are not edge cases. They happen on most deals when you are working from an inspection report rather than a finished contractor bid.
You have to translate the inspection yourself
Inspector writes 'settling floors and uneven thresholds.' You have to figure out that means pier-and-beam leveling, look up costs by city, and enter a number. That number reflects your knowledge, not data.
One number hides the risk
You enter $60,000. The real range is $42,000–$85,000. Your spreadsheet shows one MAO. But the deal breaks at $85,000, and you won't know that until you are under contract.
No confidence indication
Your spreadsheet does not tell you which line items are assumptions and which are based on actual data. Foundation uncertainty looks the same as paint cost on a spreadsheet. It is not the same.
Regional pricing is manual
You have to research Houston vs Dallas vs Phoenix labor rates yourself, or use national RSMeans and adjust manually. Most investors skip this step. The number suffers for it.
Feature comparison
| Capability | ScopebaseRepair-risk underwriting | Spreadsheet |
|---|---|---|
Inspection report input Upload PDF — scope extracted automatically | ||
Repair scope derivation Maps inspection language to trade line items | ||
Regional pricing data RSMeans with city-index multiplier — no manual lookup | ||
Low / Mid / High range Three cost tiers, not one number | ||
Confidence level per item Shows where the estimate is solid vs uncertain | ||
Risk flags (foundation, HVAC, plumbing) Deal-killer items surfaced automatically | ||
MAO at 3 scenarios Conservative / standard / aggressive built in | ||
Monte Carlo P10 / P50 / P90 10,000 simulation risk bands | ||
Verification checklist What to confirm on site before closing | ||
Shareable link and PDF export Send to partners, sellers, and lenders | ||
Actuals vs estimate tracking Learn where your estimates were off deal by deal | ||
Time from inspection report to decision Speed under option-period pressure |
When to use each
Use a spreadsheet when
- You already have contractor quotes for every trade
- The scope is fully defined and verified on site
- You are building a final construction budget, not screening a deal
- You are doing simple MAO math with numbers you already trust
Use Scopebase when
- You have an inspection report and need to know what it costs
- You are working against an option period and cannot wait for bids
- You need to explain the scope to a lender, partner, or seller
- You want a range — not a number — to negotiate from
- You need a verification checklist for pre-close due diligence
Frequently asked questions
When does a spreadsheet work for rehab estimation?
Spreadsheets work well when you already have contractor quotes for each trade and you are doing simple MAO math. If you know the scope with high confidence and just need to organize numbers you already have, a spreadsheet is fast and sufficient.
When does a spreadsheet fail for rehab estimation?
Spreadsheets fail when you are working from an inspection report, rough property notes, or a seller's description — before you have contractor quotes. You have to manually translate inspection language into scope items, look up costs by trade, and input a single number. That number is usually optimistic and carries no confidence indication.
How does Scopebase replace the spreadsheet workflow?
Scopebase replaces the manual steps: it reads the inspection report or property notes, maps findings to trade-level line items, prices each item from regional data, and outputs a Low/Mid/High range with risk flags. The MAO math is built in.
Related tools
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