Introduction
Matthew Dodge has been in construction long enough to trust his gut. As the owner of Lasting Impressions, a Pennsylvania-based remodeling company, he’s used to walking jobs, making mental notes, and quoting from experience.
But on one high-stakes renovation, that experience almost cost him.
During a site visit, he missed an entire bathroom, a $2,500 oversight that would’ve eaten into his profit if left unchecked. What saved him? A single jobsite photo, uploaded to Handoff.
Here’s how one feature helped Matthew catch a costly mistake, protect his margins, and upgrade the way he quotes, all without changing how he works in the field.
Background
Lasting Impressions, based in Pennsylvania, specializes in full-service home remodeling. Led by Matthew Dodge, the company tackles everything from custom cabinetry to whole-home rehabs.
With a growing client base and multiple jobs in motion at once, Matthew needed a way to keep estimates accurate without spending hours behind a desk. His existing process, mental notes, and memory left too much room for things to fall through the cracks.
“We walked it, I took a few mental notes, and somehow, when I went back to estimate, I just completely forgot to include it.”
The Problem
During one walkthrough, Matthew missed an entire bathroom when quoting a home renovation. The mistake? It wasn’t included in the estimate. If the client hadn’t caught it, or worse, if it had been discovered mid-project, he would’ve had to eat $2,500 in costs.
It wasn’t a lack of skill; it was a lack of backup.
“I missed a $2,500 bathroom on a job just because I forgot it was there.”
The Solution: Estimating from Photos with Handoff
Handoff’s estimating tool changed that. Instead of relying on memory or trying to write everything down after the fact, Matt started snapping photos during site visits and uploading them directly into Handoff.
From there, the platform analyzed the image and built a detailed estimate, complete with labor, materials, and relevant line items based on what it saw.
“Now I just take a picture of the area, upload it to Handoff, and boom, estimate generated. No guesswork.”
By building his estimate from an image, Matthew caught the bathroom he had previously missed, and the abatement risks that came with it.
Features That Helped
These are the specific capabilities that made the difference:
- Photo-Based Estimating: Upload a jobsite photo and get line items based on visible details.
- Fast Proposal Creation: No need to start from scratch, Handoff fills in the estimate with local pricing and materials.
- Reduced Human Error: Forgetting something during a walkthrough is no longer a deal-breaker.
- Professional Presentation: Estimates are formatted, detailed, and ready to send.
Results
Using Handoff, Matthew didn’t just avoid a $2,500 mistake; he upgraded his entire workflow.
- $2,500 Saved: Caught a full bathroom scope that had been forgotten
- 50% Less Time Quoting: From hours to minutes with fewer revisions
- Better Client Experience: More accurate estimates built trust
- More Confidence: No more second-guessing proposals
“That alone paid for the subscription several times over.”
Conclusion
Handoff’s image-based estimating feature helped Lasting Impressions move from memory-based quoting to a streamlined, AI-supported process. It saved Matthew from a costly mistake, gave him back hours in his week, and helped him present more professional proposals to clients.
For contractors managing multiple jobs, the value of estimating from visuals isn’t just convenience; it’s protection.
Want to see what Handoff could catch for you?
Start your free trial and upload your first photo today.
