Early-access pricing: plans from $18/mo for one-person shops — 14-day free trial, no credit card. See plans →
Sign in Try live demo Start free trial
Built by a 35-year carpenter & specialty contractor · For owner-operator shops up to ~20 people

Bid, track, and get paid on specialty jobs — without the $500/month bloat.

XTM8R replaces fragile Excel workbooks and napkin quotes with one clean workflow from first estimate to final invoice. Price by true unit cost + your own margin, keep every option and alternate under one job number, and never roll a crew until the deposit clears — whether your client is a GC, a designer, or a homeowner.

Start 14-day free trial → Watch 60-second walkthrough Book a 15-minute demo
✓ 14-day free trial · No credit card required ✓ Works on desktop, iPad & phone ✓ One-click full data export
app.xtm8r.com — Demo Specialty Co (Today Queue) Live App
XTM8R Today dashboard for Demo Specialty Co showing active specialty jobs, deposit alerts, and workflow counts
Client Proposal PDF — Zero Cost/Margin Shown
Branded client proposal PDF generated by XTM8R for Demo Specialty Co Job 26-001
Built for specialty trade & interiors shops:
Carpentry & Trim Acoustics & Ceilings Drywall & Framing Flooring & Tile Architectural Millwork Glass & Glazing Designers & Decorators Handyman & Repairs
Three Non-Negotiable Shop Rules

Built around how specialty shops actually win work and protect margin

Generic invoicing apps don't understand alternates, deposits, or progress draws. Enterprise construction suites charge $600/month and still leave you in spreadsheets. XTM8R enforces the three rules that protect your shop — whether you're a one-truck carpenter or a 20-person interiors crew.

Proof Point 01 · Margin Protection

Your margin stays yours — and never prints on the proposal.

Every line item in XTM8R tracks your true unit cost and your manual margin percentage side-by-side. There are no hidden auto-markup overrides — when material quotes change, you see the exact dollar impact on your gross profit before you send.

  • Manual margin control per line item: Set 40% on panels, 38% on field labor, and 25% on lift rentals without fighting rigid global formulas.
  • Internal cost stripped from the PDF: The client proposal PDF shows only scope, quantities, and sell prices — never your unit cost or margin percentage.
  • Send Gate check before download or email: XTM8R blocks $0 proposals and warns if scope inclusions, exclusions, or validity dates are missing.
Client Proposal PDF — Job 26-001 (Demo Specialty Co) Cost & margin columns excluded by design
Demo Specialty Co proposal PDF for Job 26-001 showing clean client pricing without internal unit costs or margins
Job 26-001 — Multi-Option Versioning Under One Job Option A Approved · Option B Alternate
XTM8R Job 26-001 screen showing Option A approved with client PO number alongside Option B value-engineered alternate
Proof Point 02 · GC Alternates & Revisions

Options stay under one job number — no duplicate jobs cluttering your board.

Clients rarely buy the first number on the first try. A GC wants a base bid, a value-engineered alternate, and an Addendum 2 revision; a homeowner or designer wants “good, better, best.”

  • Unlimited options & revisions inside one job: Keep Option A — Baffles + Wall Panels ($27,000) and Option B — Clouds Only VE Alternate ($15,200) under Job 26-001.
  • Clone & tweak in seconds: Duplicate an existing option to price an addendum without re-typing client, rep, or architectural sheet references.
  • PO-locked approval: Record the GC's purchase order number on the winning option so invoicing and crew scheduling lock to that exact scope.
Proof Point 03 · Cash-Flow Gatekeeping

No job starts until the deposit is in.

Specialty shops get burned when materials are ordered or a crew is dispatched before the deposit arrives. XTM8R puts an explicit Deposit Gate right in the job checklist.

  • Enforced Deposit step on the job checklist: Awarded jobs stay held at the Deposit step until the deposit payment is recorded.
  • Built for both deposit jobs & Net-30 GCs: Require a 40%–50% fabrication deposit, or explicitly waive the deposit requirement on approved Net-30 general contractor contracts with a logged audit trail.
  • Tied directly to material orders & crew calendar: Know at a glance which awarded jobs are cleared to book Crew 1 and which are still waiting on checks.
Job 26-002 — Franklin Tech Commons Held at Deposit Gate 50% Deposit ($7,425) Pending
XTM8R Job 26-002 detail showing an awarded project held at the Deposit Gate awaiting payment before crew scheduling
60-Second Tour & Live Sandbox

See how a specialty job moves from first estimate to final invoice

Click through the 6-step workflow below using real screens from Demo Specialty Co (our fictional specialty shop), or sign straight into the read-only demo database.

app.xtm8r.com/ 0:00 – 0:10
Demo Specialty Co Today screen showing open bids, deposit reminders, material arrivals, and crew starts
Open Demo Specialty Co and see every item waiting on you today: Cumberland Medical Pavilion ready for payment, Franklin Tech Commons waiting on its 50% deposit, and Trinity River Law with two GC options pending decision.
Live Read-Only Demo Company · Reset Nightly

Explore Demo Specialty Co in your own browser

Want to click through real jobs, inspect multi-option estimates, and download proposal PDFs yourself? Sign in to our public read-only demo company (Demo Specialty Co) or start your own blank 14-day trial shop in 30 seconds.

Public Read-Only Demo Credentials
Company: Demo Specialty Co
Email: demo@xtm8r.com
Password: DemoXTM8R!2026

Read-only viewer role enforced at the database level; seeded data resets automatically every night at 3:00 AM Central.

For Your Trade

Built for owner-operator specialty shops — commercial or residential

From a one-person carpentry or handyman business to a 20-person interiors crew. Pick your trade during the 60-second setup wizard and XTM8R seeds units, bid checklists, and proposal exclusions — or start general and import your own price list.

Carpentry & Trim

Finish Carpentry, Trim, Doors & Built-Ins

Price door hangs, base and crown runs, wainscot, built-ins, and custom shelving by the LF, opening, or day — with materials and labor on separate lines so your margin stays visible to you only.

  • Units ready: LF, EA, Opening, Hour, Man-Day, LS
  • Bid hints: Paint-grade vs. stain-grade, hardware by owner vs. by you, site-built vs. shop-built
  • Default exclusions: Painting/finishing by others, blocking in finished walls, owner-supplied material defects
Acoustics & Ceilings

Acoustical Ceilings, Wall Panels & Baffles

Built for shops bidding ACT grid & tile, fabric-wrapped wall panels, PET felt baffles, suspended clouds, and wood slat systems.

  • Units ready: SF, LF, EA, Cloud, Panel, Man-Day, Lift
  • Bid hints: Fabric dye-lot lead times, scissor lift access, Z-clip vs. impaling clip mounting
  • Default exclusions: Electrical cutouts, sprinkler drops, HVAC diffuser relocation, night/overtime work
Drywall & Framing

Commercial Drywall, Metal Studs & Shaftwall

Price interior/exterior metal stud framing, fire-rated gypsum assemblies, acoustical sound sealant, and Level 4 vs. Level 5 finish upgrades under one job.

  • Units ready: SF, LF, Board, Man-Day, Floor Phase, LS
  • Bid hints: Deck height & gauge thickness, UL fire-assembly ratings, stocking & scrap allowance
  • Default exclusions: Dumpster provided by GC, temporary heat/power, fire-stopping of MEP penetrations
Architectural Millwork

Casework, Solid Surface & Wood Paneling

Track custom reception desks, P-lam and veneer casework, solid surface tops, and wall paneling with strict shop-drawing and fabrication deposit gates.

  • Units ready: LF, SF, EA, Opening, Shop Hour, Install Day
  • Bid hints: AWI quality grade, veneer matching, hardware sets, 40–50% deposit before mill release
  • Default exclusions: In-wall blocking by others, plumbing/electrical hookups, final field painting
Flooring & Tile

LVT, Hardwood, Carpet, Tile & Floor Prep

Commercial or residential: separate the base flooring or tile install from leveling, moisture mitigation, and demo so clients see a clean base number without eating your prep margin.

  • Units ready: SF, SY, LF (base & trim), Carton, Bag, Man-Day
  • Bid hints: Waste factor & pattern match, tile layout & grout/thinset, slab moisture testing, attic stock
  • Default exclusions: Major slab grinding/leveling, furniture moving, wax/seal maintenance coats
Glass & Glazing

Interior Office Fronts, Storefront & Tempered Partitions

Manage aluminum framing, 3/8" and 1/2" tempered glass, Herculite door hardware, and crating/freight with field-dimension verification before tempering orders.

  • Units ready: SF, LF, Opening, Leaf, Hardware Set, Man-Day
  • Bid hints: Tempered lead times after field measure, crating & boom/glass-rack delivery
  • Default exclusions: Structural header support, access control wiring/card readers, final cleaning
Designers & Decorators

Interior Design, Window Treatments & Finishes

Quote design fees, furnishings, drapery, wallcovering, and installer labor in one proposal — show clients room-by-room options and collect a deposit before you place orders.

  • Units ready: EA, Room, Window, Roll, Yard, Hour, LS
  • Bid hints: Trade vs. retail pricing, freight & receiving, lead times on custom pieces
  • Default exclusions: Electrical/structural changes, wall prep by others, restocking on custom orders
Handyman & Repairs

Punch Lists, Small Remodels & Property Maintenance

Turn a walkthrough into a clean, itemized estimate in minutes. Bundle punch-list items as one job, send a professional PDF, and request a deposit for materials before you buy.

  • Units ready: EA, Hour, Trip, Half-Day, Day, LS
  • Bid hints: Trip/minimum charges, materials at cost + margin, hidden-damage allowances
  • Default exclusions: Licensed electrical/plumbing work, permits, hidden damage found during work
Multi-Trade & Custom

Another trade, or several? Import your own price book

Painting, cabinets, countertops, closets, or division 10 specialties? Run multiple trades in one shop, upload your existing Excel/CSV price book in 30 seconds, and customize every unit and exclusion.

Simple Shop Pricing · Early Access

One flat price per shop — less than the margin on one forgotten line item

Every plan includes a 14-day free trial (no credit card required), unlimited jobs, unlimited multi-option proposals, branded PDF downloads, and full data export.

Early-access rates — provisional and subject to change before general launch. We'll give subscribers advance notice of any change.

Solo

1 user · Owner-operators & one-truck shops
$18 / month
Billed monthly · Or $180/yr (2 months free)
  • 1 user login for owner-operators
  • Unlimited jobs, estimates & GC option versions
  • Branded PDF proposals with your logo & color
  • Send Gate & Deposit Gate enforcement
  • Invoices, progress draws & change orders
  • Crew calendar & material order reminders
  • One-click full JSON/CSV data export
Start 14-day free trial
Most Popular for Small Shops

Shop

Up to 5 users (Owner + Estimators / PMs)
$49 / month
Billed monthly · Or $490/yr (2 months free)
  • Up to 5 team members (Owner + Estimators)
  • Everything in Solo, plus:
  • Team email invites & role-based permissions
  • Shared company price list & CSV bulk import
  • Multi-crew calendar & field photo attachments
  • Client & GC rep relationship history
  • Toggle dealer/rep fields & proposal watermark
Start 14-day free trial →

Crew

Up to 20 users (Multi-Estimator & Field Ops)
$99 / month
Billed monthly · Or $990/yr (2 months free)
  • Up to 20 team members across office & field
  • Everything in Shop, plus:
  • Multi-division estimating & larger crew rosters
  • Priority email support & onboarding review
  • Full audit trail on deposit waivers & PO approvals
  • Encrypted weekly database backup coverage
Start 14-day free trial
Early Access

A real tradesman on the other end of the line

Early-access shops get a free 1-on-1 workflow check-in with founder Robert Zimmerman — tell us what your trade needs and help shape what XTM8R builds next. Book a check-in →

Setup Help Available

Done-With-You Shop Onboarding ($750 – $1,500 one-time)

Don't have time to clean up your old spreadsheets? Send us your current Excel price list and a past proposal PDF. We'll import your items, configure your trade exclusions, upload your logo, and train your estimators live. Request setup help →

What Specialty Shops Need XTM8R ($18–$99/mo) Field Service Apps (Jobber, Housecall Pro, Joist) Heavy Enterprise Suites (Procore, Knowify, Buildertrend)
Multiple options & revisions under 1 job number ✓ Built-in (Option A, B, VE & Addenda) ✗ Clunky — often forces duplicate jobs ✓ Yes, after complex project setup
Manual line-item margin hidden from client PDF ✓ Enforced by design on every PDF Partial (built for flat-rate service menus) Requires custom template engineering
Hard Deposit Gate before ordering or scheduling ✓ Enforced checklist gate + Net-30 waiver log Deposits supported, but no hard gate on scheduling Often split between accounting & field tools
Time to first sent proposal Under 10 minutes Fast, but built for service calls, not bids Weeks of onboarding & consultant fees
Typical cost for a 5-person shop $49 / month flat (Shop plan, up to 5 users) $150–$350/mo + per-user add-ons $350–$1,000+/mo + mandatory annual contract
35 Years in the Trade

From tools-on carpenter to commercial company owner

XTM8R wasn't dreamed up by software marketers. It was built by Robert Zimmerman after three and a half decades on commercial job sites and in estimating offices.

  • Journeyman Carpenter Learned commercial interiors from the slab up — framing, layout, acoustic ceilings, and architectural woodwork in the field.
  • Estimator & Senior Project Manager Priced and ran multi-phase commercial packages, navigating GC addenda, value-engineering rounds, submittal lead times, and progress draws.
  • Specialty Contracting Company Owner Built XTM8R to run a real working specialty shop — where protecting gross margin and collecting deposits on time is the difference between a profitable quarter and working for free.
Why We Built XTM8R

"Spreadsheets break at 9:00 PM on bid night — and $600/month construction software gets in your way."

After 35 years in construction — starting as a journeyman carpenter, advancing to senior project manager, and owning a specialty contracting business — Robert Zimmerman saw the exact same bottleneck in nearly every specialty shop, from one-truck owner-operators to 20-person crews:

Estimators were copying last week's Excel sheet, overwriting a formula by mistake, and creating three separate folders when a client asked for an alternate. Worse, once the job was awarded, nobody had a single screen showing whether the 40% deposit check had actually cleared before materials were ordered and crews were put on the calendar.

XTM8R was built inside a live specialty operation first, then opened up so any carpentry, acoustics, drywall, flooring & tile, millwork, glazing, design, or handyman shop can run with the same discipline on day one.