CostForge is built around a simple idea: construction quoting should be accurate, professional, and fast enough to keep work moving. This update brings that idea deeper into the quoting flow, with better margin control, smoother client delivery, and the groundwork for invoice automation.
The latest improvements focus on the moments where trade businesses often lose time or profit: building margin into the quote, getting a clear client decision, and turning accepted work into the next commercial step.
Margin Quoting: Cost First, Margin Second
A new margin multiplier field has been added to CostForge, giving you a more controlled way to build quotes from the true cost to the business and then apply your required margin on top.
Instead of working backwards from a guessed final figure, you can now price the job properly first: labour, materials, subcontractors, plant, and any other real business costs. Once the base quote is built, you apply a margin multiplier, such as 30%, and CostForge adds that value across the quote items for the client-facing total.
For estimators, contractors, and growing trade teams, this makes margin less of an afterthought. It becomes part of the quoting workflow: visible, deliberate, and consistent.
Email Quote Sending and Client Acceptance
Alongside the margin multiplier, CostForge now supports sending quotes to clients by email. This makes the quoting journey cleaner from both sides: your business can send a professional quote directly, and the client can review it through the quote portal.
From there, the client can sign and then accept or decline the quote. Their decision is reflected straight away in the portal, so you are not left chasing scattered email replies, unclear verbal approvals, or manually updated statuses.
When a quote is accepted, CostForge sends a clear acceptance email, giving you the signal to move into the next stage of the job and prepare the invoice workflow. It is a more seamless way to move from quote issued to quote approved, with less admin sitting in between.
In the Works: Xero and Invoice Automation
The next area being planned is invoice service integration, including Xero. The goal is to reduce the gap between a signed quote and the first invoice being created.
The planned workflow will allow you to define how invoices should be handled for each job. For example, you could choose an upfront amount followed by a final invoice on completion, or allow the client to pay the full amount straight away.
Once a client accepts and signs a quote, CostForge would then be able to create the invoice in Xero and have Xero send it to the client automatically. This feature is still in planning, but it is an important step toward making CostForge a stronger commercial operating system for construction businesses.
A Cleaner Path From Estimate to Paid Work
These updates are connected by one theme: fewer manual handovers. Margin quoting helps you price with more confidence. Email quote sending helps clients respond faster. Signed acceptances give you a clearer point of approval. Invoice integration will help close the loop once the job is ready to move forward.
For construction teams, estimators, quantity surveyors, and contractors, the value is practical: better margin discipline, reduced admin, clearer quote status, and a more professional client experience from first price to accepted work.
