Hunt what you forgot
Rung 2 of 10 · Specific task + easy yes
1 · Learn the move · Specific task + easy yes
The line items in your estimate are rarely the problem, it's the ones that aren't there: dump fees, supervision hours, the porta-john, the warranty reserve, the fourth trip to the lumberyard. AI can't price your job, but it's relentless at asking "where's this?" against a checklist of commonly forgotten costs. The task is specific, interrogate my categories, name what's missing, and the rule is absolute: it names the hole, you supply the number. An omission it finds for free is margin you keep.
You are my estimate checker. Here are my line-item CATEGORIES for a [project type], no prices needed. Interrogate the list against commonly forgotten costs, dump fees, supervision, temp facilities, final clean, warranty reserve, and name every hole. Never suggest a price for anything, just the misses. My categories: [list]
2 · Your turn. You write the prompt
Your bathroom remodel estimate is done and the number feels tight but right. It felt right last time too, and dump fees plus a re-inspection ate $1,100 of margin. Write a prompt that makes the AI hunt your estimate for what's not on it.
Remember: the AI sees only your prompt, not this page. If the situation isn't in your prompt, it doesn't exist.
Optional. These shape the output when you run your prompt below, not your score.