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Estimating / CRM
DeckSketch vs Buildxact
Cloud estimating, on-screen takeoff, and job-management software for residential builders and remodelers that turns plans into quotes, purchase orders, and schedules.
Buildxact pricing
Free 'Go' tier; paid from $199/mo (Foundation), Pro $399/mo, Master $599/mo (US, monthly)
Source (verified 2026-07-19)Feature comparison
| Capability | DeckSketch | Buildxact |
|---|---|---|
| Auto structural framing (joists, beams, posts, footings) | YesGenerated automatically from the outline you draw. | NoNo auto joist/beam/footing generation; you provide the design |
| Code-based span / member sizing | YesMembers sized to span tables with live span diagnostics. | NoNo span or structural code calculations |
| Automatic material BOM / takeoff | YesItemized BOM derived from the structural plan, not hand-counted. | PartialBOM from manual takeoff + user-built recipe templates, not structural geometry |
| Instant priced estimate | YesPriced from your org's catalog and updates as the design changes. | YesLive supplier price integration feeds current material costs into estimates |
| Deck-specific (railings, stairs, ledger logic) | YesPurpose-built for residential decks end to end. | NoGeneral residential builder/remodeler tool, not deck-focused |
| 3D visualization | Yes3D deck view alongside the framing plan. | NoNo 3D deck model or rendering for design review |
| Contractor workflow (orders, labor, org pricing) | YesMaterial orders, labor estimate, and per-org pricing built in. | YesFull builder workflow: quotes, POs, scheduling, cost tracking, invoicing |
What Buildxact does well
- Fast digital on-screen takeoff — measure off uploaded PDF/plan files straight into an estimate
- Strong estimating-to-quote workflow with client-ready proposals and templated cost libraries
- Live supplier price integration (incl. Home Depot US) so estimates reflect current material costs
- End-to-end builder job management: quoting, POs, scheduling, cost tracking, invoicing, accounting sync
Where DeckSketch wins
- No structural engineering — no auto joist/beam/footing generation and no code span calculations
- Takeoff is manual on-screen measurement, not automatic geometry-driven material generation
- General whole-home builder tool, not deck-specific; no deck outline drawing or stair/railing code logic
- Material BOM accuracy depends entirely on the recipes/templates you build and maintain
Pick Buildxact if…
- You're a general builder/remodeler needing one system for takeoff, estimating, POs, scheduling, invoicing
- Your priority is client-ready quotes with live supplier pricing and accounting integration
- You already have plans or an engineer and just need to measure and price the job quickly
Pick DeckSketch if…
- You want the tool to auto-generate the deck's framing with code-based span checks, not estimate from scratch
- You want a BOM and instant pricing derived automatically from the deck geometry you draw
- You design decks specifically and want deck-aware drawing, railings/stairs, and 3D review
Sources
Pricing and features can change; figures were human-verified on 2026-07-19. Found something out of date? Tell us and we'll fix it.