Choose the Visual Builder when the layout drives the price

The Visual Builder suits jobs where the shape of the fence matters as much as the total metres. A straight replacement boundary with one run can often be priced quickly by entering runs directly in Quote Builder. A job with returns, stepped sections, several openings, or a mix of fence lines is usually cleaner when you draw it first and price it second.

This workflow is commonly handled by the estimator, business owner, or office team member who prepares quotes after the site visit. The goal is to produce a plan that matches the intended install scope closely enough that the generated quote record becomes a strong commercial starting point, not just a rough sketch.

You will get the best result when you already know:

• which lead you are pricing
• the fence model or fence type expected for each boundary section
• the approximate lengths, corners and openings from the survey or marked-up plan
• which gates are required, including their width and position
• any height, colour or slope differences that will change materials or price

Thinking about these decisions up front keeps the visual plan practical. The builder can save time, but only when the run structure reflects the job you actually intend to quote.

Start from a lead that is already ready for pricing

Open the relevant lead first. This matters because the visual plan is tied back to the same customer and site record that will later hold the quote. Before you launch into drawing, review the lead details that affect pricing and layout:

• site address and contact details
• survey notes about access, slope, obstacles and ground conditions
• fence type expectations recorded during qualification or site visit
• any existing quote you are refining rather than replacing

A clean lead makes the rest of the workflow easier because the quote, plan and later proposal all stay attached to the same job story. It also reduces the risk of drawing the right fence layout against the wrong customer record.

Build the fence layout run by run

Once you are in the Visual Builder, treat each run as a priced section of the job rather than a loose drawing line. Set the run details with the same care you would use when entering manual quote runs, because these choices flow into the quote that gets created or updated later.

1. Choose the fence model that matches the section you are drawing.
2. Draw the run to the best available site measurement.
3. Check the run height, colour and slope settings where they affect the build.
4. Repeat for each boundary section until the layout reflects the whole quoted scope.

It helps to think in real fencing terms while drawing. For example, a side boundary in black aluminium slat at one height may need to stay separate from a rear boundary in treated timber at another height, even when the two sections meet. Keeping those runs separate in the visual plan makes the quote easier to review later because materials, rates and gate openings can follow the correct fence model.

As you work, keep your run names and measurements purposeful. Clear naming becomes valuable once the plan lands in Quote Builder, especially on larger jobs where the quote may include several runs and attached gate openings.

Place gates in the right opening and review the measured effect

Gates are where visual quoting becomes especially useful. Single and double gate openings can change the priced fence length, the gate hardware scope and the final commercial total, so add them carefully while the layout is in front of you.

When you place a gate, review three things straight away:

• the gate type and opening width
• whether the opening belongs inside a fence run or should be treated as a separate gate line
• whether the surrounding run still reflects the fence you intend to supply

On many jobs the gate opening should reduce the priced fence length in that run. That is why it is important to review the opening against the boundary measurement, not just the gate item itself. If the gate is placed in the wrong spot, or the width is larger than the practical opening, the priced run length and the gate allowance can both drift away from reality.

A simple example is a 24 metre side return with one 1.2 metre pedestrian gate. The full boundary may still be 24 metres on site, but the priced fence section should reflect the opening you are creating. The closer that relationship is in the visual plan, the less clean-up you need after sync.

Save the plan so you can refine it without starting over

Save the layout once the major runs and openings are in place. This gives the job a stored visual plan that can be reopened later for refinement, comparison or rework after the customer asks for a change.

Saving is useful at several points in the quoting process:

• after the first complete draft of the layout
• after you adjust lengths following a site recheck
• after you add or move gates
• before you sync a revised layout back into an existing quote

For teams, this matters operationally as much as commercially. The saved plan gives the office a visual record of what the estimator intended at that point in time. If the quote is reopened later, the plan can be restored from the same lead or from the quote you are refining, which is far more reliable than rebuilding the layout from memory.

Use that ability deliberately. Save before major changes, especially when the customer is deciding between options or when several staff members may touch the quote over a few days.

Sync the visual plan into the right quote

When the layout reflects the intended scope, push it into a quote. You can use the sync action to create a fresh draft quote for the lead or to update an existing quote for that same job. Pick the target carefully before you proceed so the visual plan ends up in the commercial record you actually want to send forward.

During sync, Fencify carries the visual run structure into the quote and builds the related quote content from the chosen models and openings. In practice, that means the quote picks up:

• the fence runs you drew
• the gate openings and gate items linked to those runs where available
• generated material line items based on the selected fence model and measured lengths
• an updated revision entry for the quote so the change is recorded

If you sync back into the same quote later, Fencify refreshes the Visual Builder runs and gate items already created from that plan. That keeps the visually generated part of the quote current, but it also means you should re-check the surrounding quote afterwards so the full pricing record still reads the way you expect.

Review Quote Builder before the quote goes any further

After sync, open the quote in Quote Builder and do a full commercial review. The visual plan gets you into a much stronger starting position, but it is still the quote record that will be priced, revised, sent and eventually accepted.

Work through the imported quote in order:

1. Check that each run is present and named clearly.
2. Review the measured run lengths against the actual boundary sections you intended to price.
3. Confirm the effect of gate openings on the relevant fence runs.
4. Check the fence model, height, colour and slope details on each run.
5. Review the generated materials and quantities attached to the imported runs.
6. Confirm any gate products that were brought through, then price or refine them where needed.
7. Review supplier-linked products, manual items, labour items and totals before you move on to proposal preparation.

This is the stage where you catch commercial issues that a drawing alone cannot answer. A model may generate the right material structure but still need a manual allowance for a special latch, removal allowance, custom post work or difficult access. A gate may also need attention if the opening exists in the plan but the final gate product needs a more deliberate price review.

Use the quote totals as a final sense check rather than assuming the first sync is the finished answer. If the total feels wrong, trace it back through the run measurements, the gate widths, the selected fence models and any manual additions or omissions.

Watch the areas that most often change the final price

Most Visual Builder quoting problems come from a small group of operational mistakes. Catching them early is what turns the tool into a reliable quoting method.

Measurements that drift from the survey

A rough sketch is useful, but a quoted plan still needs disciplined metres. Recheck any run that was estimated quickly on the first pass, especially where the site slopes, dog-legs or narrows around structures.

Gate openings that distort the run length

Review every opening width against the actual boundary section. A gate that is too wide or placed against the wrong run can move both the fence quantity and the gate pricing.

Fence model choices that do not match the intended build

A run drawn under the wrong model can produce the wrong material mix even when the line length looks correct. Fix the model choice before you rely on the item totals.

Manual gate pricing or extras left unfinished

Some jobs still need a deliberate manual review after sync, particularly where a gate or extra item needs a custom price. Finish that review before the quote leaves drafting.

A practical rule is to compare the final quote against how you would explain the job to an installer. If the layout, openings, materials and allowances would make sense to the crew, the quote is usually close to ready for the customer as well.

Move from visual layout to customer-ready quote

When the Quote Builder review is complete, the visual planning stage has done its job. You now have a quote with structured runs, generated items, gate allowances and revision history tied back to the original lead.

Before you move into proposal sending, make sure the record is ready for customer-facing use:

• the run structure matches the agreed scope
• gate openings and gate pricing are complete
• manual additions are intentional and clearly priced
• materials and totals have been reviewed by the person responsible for margin control
• the quote reads cleanly enough to support the proposal, follow-up and acceptance stages

From there, the next stage inside Fencify is to prepare the proposal presentation, send it to the customer, and manage follow-up or revision requests with confidence that the underlying quote already reflects the intended fence layout.