Build an estimate
Review what the interview produced, catch what it missed, and see how much to trust the numbers.
The Estimate tab shows all Install Cards added to the project. You can also manually add cards here without going through the interview.
Estimate confidence
A confidence badge next to the Check Estimate button gives a single at-a-glance read on how much to trust the current numbers, combining three signals DarkBird already tracks separately: how well the interview matched your card library, what fraction of the cards on this estimate are backed by real historical calibration data (versus an unvalidated template guess), and whether the completeness check found any gaps. Hover the badge for the specific reasons behind the score — for example, "Only 20% of cards have historical calibration data" or "3 potential scope gaps flagged."
Accuracy warnings
If an Install Card has historically run outside your variance tolerance (set in Settings → Reporting, default ±5%), it shows a pulsing caution icon and a colored outline — gold, dark orange, or red as the drift gets worse. You will see the same flag in the card library on the left while you are building, and a warning toast appears the moment you add a card that is a known over- or under-estimator. It is an at-a-glance signal that the estimate may need a second look before the project ships — not after.
Grouping cards
Use the Group by toggle at the top of the Estimate tab to organize cards by Category or by Site. Each group shows a subtotal of hours and price. Groups are collapsible.
Checking for missing items
Click Check Estimate (top-right of the Estimate tab) to scan your current card list for common cost categories that are often overlooked. This part of the check runs instantly — no AI call, no waiting. It looks for four things:
- Travel — Is there a Travel card covering technician drive time or mileage?
- Per Diem — Is there a Per Diem card for overnight stays or daily allowances?
- Project Management — Is there a PM or coordination card?
- Procurement / Staging — Is there a card covering materials handling or staging labor?
If any category appears to be missing, the dialog lists it with a short note explaining when it typically applies. You can then add the appropriate card from the library on the left. If a category is intentionally excluded from this estimate, dismiss the dialog — the check does not save state, so it will not reappear unless you click the button again.
The check is based on the cards in your library — if you have not built Travel or Per Diem cards yet, go to Library → Install Cards and create them with the appropriate Behavior type set. Once those cards exist, the check will detect them automatically.
Hardware compatibility
The same dialog also screens the estimate's bill of materials for hardware pairing problems — also instant, also no AI call. It flags things like cameras with no recorder or VMS in the BOM, PoE-powered devices (cameras, access points, phones) with no PoE switch or injector, access-control readers or locks with no controller, and a note when a camera/recorder mix spans more than one manufacturer. These are advisory, not blocking — some are genuinely fine (client-provided recording, ONVIF cross-brand setups) and it is on you to judge which apply.
Below the findings, an optional Run Expert compatibility review button sends the BOM to the Bird for a deeper interop check — ecosystem/licensing fit, protocol mismatches, and capacity issues the instant scan cannot catch. This does make an AI call, so it is opt-in rather than automatic. It also reads your organization's expert guidance and knowledge base, so its judgment reflects how your team actually reasons about compatibility.
Editing quantities
Click any quantity badge on a card to edit it inline — no dialog required. Use the + / − buttons or type directly. The project totals in the header update immediately. Press Escape to cancel without saving.
Site mapping
If your project has multiple sites, each card has a site selector. Assign cards to specific locations to see per-site breakdowns. Cards default to "All Sites."
Materials tab
The Materials tab shows the consolidated Bill of Materials across all cards. If any product prices have changed since you added the card, a warning appears. Click Update All to refresh to current catalog prices, or leave the snapshotted prices in place to honor your original quote.