Re-quote before you lock the job
See material unit-cost spikes early enough to revise the bid or call the yard—not after the contract is signed.
IndustriesTrades & contractors
CostBeacon for trades
Catch material cost spikes on job quotes before they eat job margin
Lumber, fasteners, and consumables move with commodity markets; quotes go stale fast.
30-day free trial · No credit card required
Common suppliersLumber yards · Electrical & plumbing wholesalers · Fastener / consumables houses · Jobsite delivery invoices
The problem
Job quotes go stale while invoices sit in the truck
Trades buy the same lumber, fittings, and consumables again and again. Commodity swings and yard price lists move between estimate and pickup. A spreadsheet updated “when someone has time” is already behind the last delivery ticket.
Try a sample
Watch the unit-cost spike on a sample invoice
Upload material invoices and CostBeacon tracks recurring SKUs—so a spike on 2x4s, MC cable, or fasteners shows up before you send the next bid or absorb it on a fixed job.
Interactive sample
Invoice spike chart
Scrub three yard tickets. Lumber and fasteners spike before the bid goes stale.
2x4 studs 8ft$4.35 → $4.80 · +10.3%
On this ticket: +$0.45 each · Re-quote the job before you lock the contract.
What changes for your team
Invoice evidence your team can act on
Consumables stop being invisible
Fasteners, blades, and chemicals add up across jobs; line history makes the quiet increases visible.
How it works
From supplier PDF to a buying decision
Photograph or upload supplier invoices, extract the lines you buy every week, and get alerted when unit costs move before the next quote goes out.
- Upload invoicesDrop PDFs, email attachments, or scans from your usual suppliers.
- Extract line itemsCostBeacon reads unit costs, quantities, vendors, and product names.
- Review what movedOpen alerts with the source invoice attached—then reprice, renegotiate, or accept on purpose.
Signals to watch
What good review looks like
Operators usually check a short alert queue after each buying cycle—not a full re-type of every invoice.
| Signal | Typical range | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Dimensional lumber / sheet goods | +8–15% between quote and buy | Re-quote the job early |
| Wire, fittings, fasteners | +3–6% on familiar SKUs | Update takeoff allowances |
| Delivery / fuel on the ticket | Per order add-on | Include in job cost before you bill |
FAQ
Common questions
No. Any business with recurring supplier invoices and rising input costs can use CostBeacon—including trades and contractors.
Yes. Upload the PDF or photo of each ticket. CostBeacon builds history on the SKUs you buy repeatedly from those suppliers.
Job-cost tools allocate spend to jobs. CostBeacon watches whether the unit price on the supplier invoice moved versus your own history—so estimating stays honest.
Browse industries
Same product. Different buying rhythm.
Catch supplier cost moves before they become your new normal
CostBeacon turns supplier invoices into line-item history and price-change alerts for trades.