Quote extensions you actually make money on.
Long projects are where margin disappears. MarginPal seeds every job with your quoted estimates, then tracks expenses and invoices as the build runs — so you see the cost overrun while you can still do something about it.
What's eating your margin as a builder?
By the time you know you're over budget, the job's nearly done
Builds run for months. Without live margin tracking, the only place you find out you underquoted is at the end — when there's nothing you can do. MarginPal flips the budget-health badge to At Risk in week 4, not week 13.
Materials inflation eats fixed-price quotes
You quoted timber at last year's price. Twelve months later you're absorbing a 20% increase. MarginPal compares actual receipts to your quoted estimates so the next quote is priced from real numbers.
Subbie invoices land late and surprise you
Subcontractor bills arrive after their work is done — sometimes weeks after the job has wrapped. MarginPal logs every subbie invoice as an expense against the right job, so the final margin reflects everything that came in.
Long-job visibility that protects long-term margin.
MarginPal's budget-health badge updates with every receipt and invoice you log. On Track means you're under 80% of estimated cost. At Risk is 80–100%. Over Budget is past 100%. On a 14-week build, that signal arrives weeks before it's too late.
- Live budget-health badge on every active job
- Snap any builders-merchant receipt — OCR reads every line in seconds
- AI insights (Business tier) flag patterns across your jobs in plain English
- Subbie costs log as expenses against the job, just like materials
Fair, flat pricing. Scans that scale with you.
AI receipt scanning and live quoted-vs-actual tracking on every tier. AI margin insights unlock on Business. Need more scans? Pay only for what you use.
Solo
For sole traders getting organised.
- Up to 3 members
- Manual quote management
- AI receipt scanning
- Quoted vs actual tracking
Pro
Everything a one-van operation needs.
- Up to 10 members
- Branded quote PDFs
- Send quotes by email
- Customer accept/decline
- AI receipt scanning
- Quoted vs actual tracking
Business
For small crews running multiple jobs.
- Up to 20 members
- Branded quote PDFs
- Send quotes by email
- Customer accept/decline
- AI receipt scanning
- Quoted vs actual tracking
- AI margin insights
- Priority support
Prices in GBP, VAT not included. Cancel anytime.
Questions builders ask.
Can I split a build into stages on the quote?
Yes — quote line items let you itemise each stage (groundworks, frame, second-fix) with their own prices and cost estimates. The KPI strip then shows live whole-job margin against everything you quoted, with the line items documenting the cost split.
Does it work for design-and-build jobs where I run my own subcontractors?
Yes. Subcontractor invoices come in as expenses against the job — exactly like materials receipts. Their bill becomes part of your Actual Cost, so the margin you're tracking is the margin after subbies are paid.
How do I handle CIS deductions for subcontractors?
MarginPal tracks the gross subcontractor cost as an expense against the job, so the cost side stays accurate. Direct integrations with Xero, FreeAgent and QuickBooks are coming in 2026 to make CIS reporting smoother.
Can I see all the receipts and invoices for one build in one place?
Yes — every job is the home for everything you log against it. Receipts roll up into Actual Cost, invoices into Actual Revenue, and the KPI strip shows live margin against the original quote. One build, one screen, every number.
Built for the rest of the trades too.
Same engine, tuned to whichever trade you're in. Each one gets patterns specific to its work.
- MarginPal for Electricians Itemise rewires, CU upgrades and EV charger installs, then watch material cost track against your quote — live, on every job.
- MarginPal for Plumbers Boiler installs, leak fixes and bathroom fits all have different margins. See which jobs are really paying.
- MarginPal for Tilers Tile waste, adhesive and grout creep up. MarginPal flags when materials are running over before the job ends.
- MarginPal for Painters & decorators Track paint, prep and materials cost against your quote — and let the AI surface patterns once you have a few jobs in.
- MarginPal for Joiners Itemise bespoke pieces, then track every timber and ironmongery receipt against the quote.
- MarginPal for Roofers Track tile, felt, scaffolding and labour costs against your roofing quote — live, on every job.
- MarginPal for Plasterers Track bag count, beads, prep and labour against your plastering quote — and stop second-coat creep eating your margin.
- MarginPal for Gas engineers Boiler installs, annual services, breakdowns — all different margins. See which jobs are really paying.
- MarginPal for Kitchen fitters Track every unit, worktop, appliance and labour against your kitchen quote — and know if it's paying before you fit the last cabinet.
- MarginPal for Landscapers Patios, planting, lawns, full re-designs — track plant, paving and labour cost against the quote.
- MarginPal for Locksmiths Emergency callouts, planned lock changes, security upgrades — see which jobs are really paying.
- MarginPal for Glaziers Track glass, frames, beading and labour against your quote — and stop custom-cut waste eating your margin.
- MarginPal for Handypeople Small jobs, every kind, all different. MarginPal shows which ones are really paying.
Ready to see what your jobs really earn?
Quote, track, and compare — all in one app. 7-day free trial on Pro, set up in the time it takes to boil the kettle.