What Is BuildaDraft?
BuildaDraft is construction planning and cost-understanding software for property owners — and the contractors who build for them. It turns a building idea into a defined specification, a planning cost estimate, a material list, a buy list, and supplier quotes you can compare, all in one place.
Whether you're planning a shed, a garage, a workshop, a carport, a pole barn, or a larger outbuilding — or quoting one for a client — BuildaDraft walks you through the process step by step, without a spreadsheet.
Who BuildaDraft Helps
BuildaDraft supports two kinds of builds: your own, and the ones you build for someone else.
Property Owners
Homeowners, landowners, retirees, first-time builders, DIY planners, and property investors. BuildaDraft helps you define the project, understand the cost, plan the materials, and know what to ask before you sign a contractor's proposal.
Contractors
Builders, remodelers, and estimators. BuildaDraft helps you move faster from a client's ask to a defined scope, a planning estimate, and a professional proposal — without a spreadsheet.
Same platform, same underlying engine. Different starting point.
Built From a Real Construction-Planning Problem
John T. Weaver III — Founder
I didn't start BuildaDraft because I wanted to build estimating software. I started it because I wanted to build a shed.
I've worked in construction for well over a decade, and in my off hours I'd taught myself software development. When I decided to put up a shed on the five acres my family calls home, the first question was the obvious one — what would it cost? But that question didn't stay simple. It turned into a long list of others: how big should it be, how many studs and sheets of plywood would it take, what lumber lengths would waste the least, what roofing and siding and doors and windows and insulation and house wrap should go into it.
Before I could get a real number, I had to define the building. Before I could ask a supplier for a meaningful price, I needed actual quantities. And once I had a plan, I realized the same structure would help me read a contractor's quote and know what to ask if something looked missing.
I looked for something that could carry me through all of it. What I found was calculators that stopped at square footage, spreadsheets I had to build myself, and professional estimating software priced and built for companies with a dozen people on staff — not for one person planning one project, or one small crew without a back office. There was no affordable middle ground.
So I built one. BuildaDraft is that middle ground — a structured way to go from an idea to a defined project, a planning estimate, a material list, and a set of supplier quotes you can actually compare, before you commit real money to it.
From One Question to a Complete Build Plan
“What will this cost?” turns out to depend on dozens of smaller decisions — dimensions, framing system, lumber lengths, sheet goods, openings, roofing, siding, insulation, house wrap, and waste. BuildaDraft walks you through those decisions in order, generates a planning estimate from them, and carries the same information forward into a material list, a buy list, and supplier quote requests — so you're not starting over at each step.
Why Existing Tools Were Not Enough
Before BuildaDraft, the options were calculators that stop at square footage, spreadsheets you build yourself, or professional estimating software priced and designed for companies with dedicated staff. None of it was built for a property owner planning one project, or a small crew without a back office. BuildaDraft is the affordable middle ground.
Our Mission
To help ordinary property owners understand an expensive construction decision before they commit their money — and to help the contractors who build for them move faster, with plain language, visible assumptions, and no requirement to already know construction or estimating terminology.
We believe good software should be invisible. It should make your life easier, not add complexity. It should work the way you think, not force you to think the way it works.
What BuildaDraft Helps You Do
Before You Build
Define your project and its specifications.
Before You Buy
Understand the materials it will likely require and what they'll likely cost.
Before You Order
Prepare supplier quote requests and compare what comes back.
Before You Sign
Use your Build Plan as a structured reference when reviewing a contractor's proposal.
Before You Spend Thousands
Know what the project includes and what questions still need answers.
Our Values
Plain Language, First
No unexplained jargon — construction and estimating terms are explained where they appear, not assumed.
Built for the Person Doing the Planning
Every feature responds to real user feedback from property owners and contractors alike, not assumptions about who “should” already know this.
Privacy & Data Ownership
Your data is yours. We don't sell it, share it, or use it for marketing. Ever.
Fair Pricing
Pay for what you use. No hidden fees. No surprise charges. No annual contracts you're locked into.
Trust and Limitations
BuildaDraft is a planning tool. It is not an engineering service, an architecture service, a contractor-verification service, a permit-review service, or a guarantee of pricing.
Estimates are planning estimates, not guaranteed final prices. Material quantities are planning quantities, not a certified takeoff. Supplier quotes are third-party information provided directly by the supplier — BuildaDraft does not verify or guarantee them. Location-based cost adjustments use state-level data, not ZIP-code-specific pricing, so final prices vary by supplier, contractor, availability, and local market conditions.
Always independently verify pricing, quantities, and project requirements with qualified suppliers, contractors, and local professionals before you build.
Questions?
Is my data safe?▼
Yes. We use SSL/TLS encryption in transit and regular backups of your data. We never access your data without permission. BuildaDraft is in beta and has not completed a formal SOC 2 or other third-party security certification at this time.
How is BuildaDraft's pricing data sourced?▼
BuildaDraft uses state-level construction cost adjustments rather than a single national flat rate. This makes planning estimates more relevant to your area, but they're not a substitute for actual supplier and contractor pricing, which will vary by market and availability.
Will BuildaDraft always be free to try?▼
Yes. The Free plan always includes 1 active Build Plan (you can create up to 3 new Build Plans every rolling 30 days) and 1 free planning estimate per build — no credit card needed. A Build Pass ($24.99) permanently owns one specific plan, or upgrade to Pro for ongoing project work.
What's the roadmap? What's coming next?▼
We're focused on the core platform first: clarity, accuracy, and ease of use for both property owners and contractors. We build based on feedback from the people actually using it — if there's something you need, let us know.
Know what you're building before you pay to build it.
Start your first Build Plan free. No credit card required.