Price your projects with Confidence

KWIKest is a rate build-up tool for Contractors, Subcontractors and Quantity Surveyors. Make use of the built-in library with over 1000 built-up rates and materials, or create and maintain your own library. Materials and projects are all location based, so your pricing is project specific. Update your rates real time from your local suppliers, with your own specific labour rates. Apply building cost escalation to your rates, taking into account the programme of your project and specific items of work.

Import and export Bills of Quantities for pricing. Extract cost breakdowns and supplier shopping list, with online ordering.

Try the free demoSee how it worksOne rate build-up per trade, no card, no time limit. Subscribe when you want the full library.

How it works

From a blank project to a priced tender in minutes, not evenings.

Setup your project

Add your project name and location of the site. Define the start and completion dates. Define your monthly building cost escalation rate for the project.

Add quantities

Import the Bill of Quantities for your project, or manually add your own quantities from the takeoff or measurement pad.

Price quantities

Select your rates from the built-in library, or add your own unique rates. Enter the start and completion dates for each item.

Cost breakdown and shopping list

Extract a cost breakdown for your project, split into labour, subcontracts, material, wastage, plant, delivery, sundries, profit/markup and provision for building cost escalation. Extract a shopping list by supplier.

Monthly valuation

Calculate and prepare monthly valuations, based on value of work executed.

Built for the way contractors actually estimate

Every number is editable. Every rate shows its working.

430 rate build-ups

A complete library across earthworks, concrete, formwork, reinforcement, masonry, waterproofing, roofing, carpentry, ceilings, ironmongery, plastering, tiling, plumbing, paint and glazing. Change any figure or build your own.

Live supplier prices

Prices read straight from supplier websites and price lists for the town the job is in, converted to your VAT basis. Different sites, different prices, kept per project.

Delivery worked out

Give suppliers an address and delivery pricing, and every project shows costs including or excluding delivery to site.

Rates that build on rates

Cart-away inside excavation, concrete inside slabs: link rates together and they stay in step when a price moves.

Progress tracking

Enter percentage complete per item and see value to date and materials still to buy.

Your whole team

One subscription, as many logins as you need. Everyone works from the same library and projects.

Library of over 1000 rate build-ups and materials

Each build up, with its own labour category, labour output, materials, delivery and waste. Edit the standard library to suit your company and project requirements.

TradeBuild-upUnit
Site & EarthworksClear site - by handm2
Site & EarthworksExcavate for trenches < 800mm widem3
Concrete20MPa in Footings - Premixedm3
Concrete25MPa in Surface Beds - Premixedm3
ReinforcementMesh Reinforcing 193m2
MasonryHalf-Brick wall in superstructure (GF)m2
MasonryExtra over brickwork for facings — Topaz Satinm2
AlterationsHack up existing floor tiling & screedm2
TilingLay ceramic floor and wall tiles (labour Only)m2
Carpentry & JoineryDouble hollow core doorNo
Carpentry & JoineryMeranti framed, ledged & braced door, hungdoor
Ceilings & PartitionsPolystyrene Cornice 75mmm
Roof CoveringsIBR Roof Sheetingm2
Roof CoveringsConcrete Roof Tilesm2
PlumbingGutter 125x100mm, galvanised steelm
PlumbingDownpipe 100mm, galvanised steelm
WaterproofingTorch-on bitumen membrane 4mm (e.g. Derbigum)m2
MasonryDampcoursem2
PaintworkPVA emulsion, two coats, to plastered surfacesm2
PaintworkEnamel paint on timberm2
MasonryPrecast concrete wall 2.1m highm
MasonryClay paving bricks on sand bedm2
WaterproofingFibreglass waterproofing to plantersm2
AlterationsRemove sanitary fitting (toilet, basin, urinal)No
AlterationsDemolish one brick wallm2
Carpentry & JoinerySupply and erect timber roof trussesm2
AlterationsTake off and remove timber roof trussesm2
PaintworkPaint to structural steelworkkg
MasonryBuild in steel window not exceeding 5m2m2
Site & EarthworksStrip 150mm topsoil and stock pilem2
Site & EarthworksCart away surplus rubblem3
Site & EarthworksCart Away By Wheel Barrowm3
Site & EarthworksCart away surplus earthfilling < 8km radiusm3
Site & EarthworksExcavate for trenches > 800mm widem3
Site & EarthworksExcavate for bases ne 2m deepm3
Site & EarthworksBulk Excavation to reduce levels to stock pilem3
Site & EarthworksBulk Excavation to reduce levels to spoilm3
Site & EarthworksBack excavate to vertical sides n.e 2mm3
Site & EarthworksBack excavate to vertical sides exc 2mm3
Site & EarthworksEarthfilling around foundationsm3

Try the free demo

Plans that fit the size of your business

Every plan starts with 14 days free. Prices exclude VAT. Scans beyond a plan's allowance cost R3 each, so you're never stopped mid-job.

Solo

R449 / month

For the sole trader pricing his own jobs

  • 1 login
  • Full rate library, 3 active projects
  • 60 price scans a month from the retail shop feeds
  • Cost breakdowns, purchase lists, delivery and escalation
  • Quote requests by email, CSV price lists
  • Print & download
Subscribe Free demo
Most popular

Team

R1,299 / month

For the small builder with an estimator or site manager

  • 3 logins included, +R249 each after
  • 20 active projects, project-specific prices
  • 500 scans a month from every source — BUCO, Leroy Merlin, Google Shopping and more
  • AI unit conversion and AI web search
  • Supplier quotes and PDF price lists read by AI; trade-account logins
  • Shared team library
Subscribe Free demo

Business

R2,999 / month

For the established contractor with a tender office

  • 10 logins included, +R199 each after
  • Unlimited projects
  • 3,000 scans a month, all sources, AI included
  • Everything in Team
  • Priority support and onboarding of your own rates
Subscribe Free demo

Practice

from R6,500 / month

For QS practices, developers and assessors

  • 25 logins included
  • Unlimited projects, 10,000 scans a month
  • White-label printed reports
  • Single sign-on, dedicated support
  • Custom supplier integrations
Contact us

Every plan starts as a free demo — one rate build-up per trade, your own rates and projects, no card. Subscribing unlocks the full library; payments are processed securely by Paystack and you can change plan or cancel at any time.

Questions

Where do the prices come from?

KWIKest reads prices from the websites and price lists of building suppliers that serve the project's town, and from any price list a supplier gives you. Every imported price shows its source and when it was read, and you can override any of them.

Can I change the rate build-ups?

Yes — every labour output, material quantity, waste percentage and sundry is editable, and you can copy a rate for one project only so the library stays intact.

What does the free demo include?

Everything KWIKest does — projects, take-off, bills of quantities, cost breakdowns, purchase lists — with one rate build-up per trade from the KWIKest library, 20 price scans a month and no AI features. It never expires and nothing is charged. Subscribe under Team & billing and the full library of rates unlocks straight away; your own rates and projects stay as they are.

How do extra logins work?

The person who signed up is the account owner. Under Team they set how many logins the company has and invite people by email. Each login is added to the monthly bill.

Is my data safe?

Data is stored per company in a managed database, with passwords hashed and card details held by Paystack — KWIKest never sees your card number.

Price your next job with KWIKest

Free demo, no card, no time limit. Subscribe for the full library when you're ready.

Try the free demo