Overview
Dirt Face quotes get faster when your catalog and fence templates are in place. This public guide explains the idea: load the parts you install, define the fence systems you sell, then create estimates that reuse that structure instead of reinventing every material list.
What you will get
- Consistent material lists across estimators
- Faster second and third quotes after setup
- Fewer missing posts, gates, and hardware on proposals
Step 1: Build a working catalog
Your catalog is the parts library behind every takeoff: posts, panels or fabric, rails, gates, hardware, concrete, and specialty items. Dirt Face is designed around a real contractor catalog, not a one-off spreadsheet per job.
Step 2: Define fence templates
Templates describe how a fence system is built from catalog parts. Once a vinyl privacy or chainlink system is templated, new quotes can start from that system instead of blank rows.
Step 3: Create the first real quote
With catalog and templates ready, create a customer estimate, apply the right system, adjust for the site, and send the proposal. The first setup takes effort. The payoff is every quote after that.
Step 4: Improve as you sell
As you win jobs, refine templates and catalog coverage. Dirt Face works best when the library matches what your crews actually install.
Why catalog quality matters
If a part is missing from the catalog, it is missing from takeoffs and templates. Treat catalog setup like loading the truck: leave out hardware and the job is incomplete, no matter how good the sales pitch was.
FAQ
How long does catalog setup take?
It depends on how many fence systems and vendors you use. Many teams import vendor price lists and refine templates over the first weeks rather than waiting for perfection on day one.
Can I quote before the catalog is perfect?
Yes, but quotes get cleaner as the catalog improves. Start with your top-selling systems first.