Charlotte, NC
WINDOWS ESTIMATING.

## Window Estimating in Charlotte Moves Fast — Your Bids Need To Match Charlotte's construction market doesn't slow down. The metro added over 15,000 housing units in 2023, and that pace keeps window contractors buried in back-to-back site visits. Spending two hours building a quote after a walkthrough is time you don't have. Estimate.Pro cuts that to 8 minutes — from walkthrough to a sendable bid your customer can sign. --- ## What Makes Window Estimating Different in Charlotte **Code compliance is specific here.** North Carolina enforces the 2021 North Carolina Energy Conservation Code (NC ECC), which aligns with IECC 2021. For Charlotte's climate zone (Zone 4A), residential fenestration requirements set maximum U-factors and Solar Heat Gain Coefficients (SHGC) that vary by window orientation and frame type. Every estimate you produce needs to reflect the right spec — not a generic national default. Estimate.Pro lets you build material cost workspaces with the exact product lines you carry. You set the U-factor, SHGC, frame type, and unit cost. The app pulls those into your scope-of-work automatically so you're not re-typing specs on every bid. **Labor rates in Charlotte are climbing.** Glazier and window installer wages in the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia MSA have risen alongside the broader construction labor market. Your estimate needs to reflect current rates, not what you paid two years ago. Your saved cost workspace in Estimate.Pro is yours to maintain — update labor rates once, and every future estimate uses the current number. **Permit requirements vary by job type.** A like-for-like replacement window in an existing Charlotte residential structure typically doesn't require a permit if the rough opening doesn't change. But any structural alteration, egress window installation, or new window opening in a load-bearing wall requires a Mecklenburg County building permit. Getting this wrong costs you inspection delays and credibility with the homeowner. Estimate.Pro's AI scope-of-work flags permit-relevant scope items so you can call them out clearly in the bid. **HOA and historic district restrictions add scope.** Charlotte has active HOA communities across Ballantyne, SouthPark, and University City, plus historic districts in Dilworth and Fourth Ward where exterior window style, divided light patterns, and frame color are regulated. Your estimate should document what's being installed and why — both for the homeowner and to satisfy review boards. The AI-generated scope-of-work in Estimate.Pro produces that documentation as part of the standard bid output. --- ## How the App Works for Window Contractors **Start with a walkthrough.** Walk the job with your phone. On supported devices, ONNX-assisted live AR measurement captures window openings in real time. On any device, photo measurements give you documented estimates you can reference when writing the bid. **AI builds your scope.** The app reads your measurements and walkthrough notes, then drafts a scope-of-work covering unit counts, opening sizes, removal and disposal, installation method, flashing, trim, and any egress or code-compliance items you flagged. **Pricing pulls from your workspace.** Your saved material costs — by product line, frame type, glazing spec — populate the line items automatically. You review, adjust if needed, and send. **No platform fee on Pro+.** If you collect payment through Stripe Connect integrated in Estimate.Pro, the platform fee is 0% on Pro and Elite plans. On the free tier it's 3%. Invoice exports are available on Elite. --- ## Pricing That Fits Solo Operators and Crews - **Free tier** — no credit card, no time limit. Good for getting started. - **Pro** — $39 per seat per month. Includes AR measurement and saved cost workspaces. - **Elite** — $79 per seat per month. Adds Stripe Connect with 0% platform fee and invoice exports. - **Crew** — $399 per month flat for unlimited seats. Built for window companies running multiple installation crews across the Charlotte market. --- ## Built for 25 Trades, Precise for Windows Estimate.Pro supports 25 trades. The windows workflow is specific: it handles single-hung, double-hung, casement, awning, sliding, fixed, and egress configurations. Frame types, glazing packages, and installation methods each have their own line-item logic. If you're a Charlotte window contractor quoting new construction in Steele Creek, replacements in Myers Park, or egress upgrades in a University City basement, the app produces bids that reflect the actual job — not a generic template you spent 20 minutes editing. Start free. No card required.