San Diego, CA
WINDOWS ESTIMATING.

## Window Estimating in San Diego Runs on Tight Margins and Strict Code San Diego's building stock is a mixed bag — 1950s ranch homes in El Cajon, high-rise condos in Little Italy, coastal bungalows in Ocean Beach, and new construction tracts in Otay Ranch. Each job type carries different scope, different glazing requirements, and different inspectors. Quoting off gut feel on a coastal replacement job or a Title 24-triggered upgrade is how you leave money on the table or lose the bid entirely. Estimate.Pro gives you a field operating system that handles the estimating work while you run the job. --- ## What's Different About Window Work in San Diego **Title 24 Energy Compliance is not optional.** California's Title 24 Part 6 sets mandatory U-factor and Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC) requirements for fenestration. In San Diego's Climate Zone 7 (coastal and inland valleys) and Zone 10 (inland desert fringe), those numbers differ. A window that passes in Pacific Beach won't necessarily pass in Santee. Your estimate needs to spec the right product from the start, not after the inspector flags the job. **CPUC and utility rebates change the sales conversation.** SDG&E periodically runs rebate programs tied to qualifying ENERGY STAR windows. When a homeowner asks whether the windows you're quoting qualify, you need a fast answer. Estimate.Pro's saved material cost workspace lets you tag products with qualifying specs so that conversation happens at the bid table, not two days later. **Coastal corrosion adds scope.** Within a mile of the coast — Coronado, Mission Beach, La Jolla, Point Loma — aluminum frames corrode faster and hardware specs need to reflect marine exposure ratings. That's extra line items: marine-grade hardware, sill pan flashing upgrades, and sometimes stucco repair. If your estimate template doesn't account for these, you're eating the cost on every coastal job. **HOA approval timelines affect your schedule.** Communities from Carmel Valley to Chula Vista run active HOAs with architectural review committees. If the windows you spec don't match the community's approved color or grid pattern, the homeowner has to go back to committee before you can pull a permit. Build that contingency into your scope-of-work notes on the estimate so the customer understands what can delay the start date. --- ## How Estimate.Pro Works for Window Contractors **Walkthrough → AR measurement → priced estimate in 8 minutes.** On supported devices, Estimate.Pro's ONNX-assisted live AR measurement captures rough opening dimensions directly from your phone camera. On other devices, photo measurements are captured and marked as estimates. Either way, you're not hand-keying numbers on a notepad and re-entering them at the office. From the field capture, the AI scope-of-work generator builds out the line items: window unit, installation labor, exterior trim, interior casing, sill pan flashing, disposal, and any trade-specific notes (coastal hardware, Title 24 spec callout). You review, adjust, and send. **Saved material cost workspace** stores your supplier pricing from Pella, Andersen, Milgard, or whoever you buy from locally. Update it when your distributor sends a new price sheet. Every estimate that pulls from it stays current without manual editing. **Stripe Connect invoicing** is available on Elite — $79/seat/month. Collect deposits and final payments without a separate invoicing tool. The platform fee is 0% on Pro+ plans. On the Free tier it's 3%. **Pricing that matches how window contractors actually work:** - Free forever — no credit card, full estimating workflow, 3% Stripe fee - Pro — $39/seat/month, 0% Stripe fee - Elite — $79/seat/month, Stripe Connect + invoice exports - Crew — $399/month flat for the whole company --- ## San Diego Permit and Licensing Reality The City of San Diego Development Services Department requires a building permit for window replacements that change the rough opening size or require structural work. Like-for-like replacements in the same rough opening are typically permit-exempt, but you should verify per jurisdiction — the City of Chula Vista, County unincorporated areas, and the City of Escondido each have their own thresholds. California requires window installers to hold a C-17 (Glazing) contractor license issued by the CSLB, or the work must fall under the scope of a B (General Building) license. Bidding without the right license classification is not just a fine — it voids your contract and your ability to enforce a mechanic's lien. Estimate.Pro's scope-of-work output includes a notes field where you can flag permit-required scope for the customer so there are no surprises on the permit line item in the budget. --- ## Start Bidding Faster Set up your account in under five minutes — no credit card, no sales call. Walk your next San Diego window job, measure with your phone, and have a sendable bid before you're back in the truck.