Frequently asked questions

MyBuildAlly gives UK homeowners an independent second opinion on builder quotes. It checks price fairness against regional benchmarks, identifies scope gaps and missing trades, and flags potential compliance issues — so you can sign with confidence.

Upload your builder's quote as a PDF. We extract every line item, compare costs against professional benchmarks for your region, and flag anything that looks off — missing items, overcharges, or certification gaps. Full report in under 30 seconds. See a sample report for an example.

MyBuildAlly is designed for UK homeowners planning building work — whether it's an extension, loft conversion, new build, or renovation. You don't need any construction knowledge to use it. The tool is especially useful if you've received a quote and want to know whether it's fair before signing.

Most cost calculators give a single number. MyBuildAlly breaks costs down by 14 trades, adjusts for your exact region, compares procurement routes, and analyses your actual builder quotes for scope gaps and overcharges. It's like having a quantity surveyor and a knowledgeable friend rolled into one.

Yes, completely free with no signup required. You get a full trade-by-trade cost breakdown covering 14 categories, regional pricing for your postcode, and a downloadable PDF report.

Quote analysis is £10 per project. Each purchase gives you 1 quote extraction and 1 design assessment. Your first analysis is free when you create an account.

No. Each project is a one-off payment. Pay only when you need another analysis.

Each PDF or image you upload for analysis counts as one extraction. Each project purchase includes one extraction.

Yes. Create a free account and you get 1 quote extraction and 1 design assessment at no cost. No credit card required. Sign up to get started.

You can upload builder quotes as PDFs or images (JPG, PNG). We extract text and line items from the document automatically — no manual data entry needed.

Cost benchmarks are drawn from BCIS data and industry sources, adjusted for your specific region and project type. While no estimate is perfect, the analysis gives you a well-informed baseline to negotiate from and identify potential issues.

We cover 14 trade categories including groundworks, structural, roofing, plumbing, electrical, plastering, joinery, and more. Project types include extensions, loft conversions, new builds, bathroom and kitchen renovations, garage conversions, and individual trade jobs.

Most quote analyses complete in under 30 seconds. Complex multi-page quotes may take slightly longer, but you'll have your full report within a minute.

Yes — that's one of the most powerful features. Upload quotes from different builders, and MyBuildAlly will compare them side by side, highlighting price differences, scope gaps between quotes, and which builder offers the best value.

The report covers price fairness against regional benchmarks, a trade-by-trade cost breakdown, scope gap detection (missing trades or items), design assessment with building regulation references, and specific questions to ask your builder. See a sample report for an example.

Our benchmarks are based on professional cost data and regional pricing, but every project is unique. The analysis gives you an independent second opinion — not a guarantee. If something looks off, use the findings as a starting point for a conversation with your builder. For large or unusual projects, we recommend also consulting a quantity surveyor.

No. The free cost estimator works without any signup. Just enter your project details and get an instant estimate. You only need an account if you want to use the Pro quote analysis features.

Sign up for a Pro account, create a project, and click 'Upload Quote'. You can drag and drop a PDF or image file. The AI will extract all line items automatically and begin the analysis.

Yes. MyBuildAlly is fully responsive and works on mobile phones and tablets. You can upload quotes, view reports, and compare builders from any device with a web browser.

Yes. We don't sell leads, share your details with builders, or monetise your data. Your uploaded quotes are processed for analysis only.

No. We don't sell leads, share your details with contractors, or monetise your data in any way.

Your data is stored securely using encrypted cloud storage. Quote files are processed for analysis and stored so you can access your projects and reports at any time. You can delete your projects and data from your dashboard.

A second quote tells you one builder's price. MyBuildAlly tells you whether any quote is fairly priced against regional benchmarks, whether the scope is complete, and which questions to ask — across every quote you receive.

MyBuildAlly is a fast, affordable first check — not a replacement for a full quantity surveyor on large projects. For projects under £100k, it gives you most of the insight you need. For larger builds, it's a great starting point before engaging a QS.

Checkatrade helps you find builders. MyBuildAlly helps you check their quotes. They serve different purposes and work well together — find trusted tradespeople on Checkatrade, then analyse their quotes with MyBuildAlly.

Yes — getting 3+ quotes is always good practice. MyBuildAlly makes those quotes more useful by helping you compare them intelligently, spot what's missing from each, and understand which offers genuine value.