BidBud Estimating

Estimate a home-improvement project

estimate_project

Read-onlyIdempotent

Estimate the cost of one or more home-improvement services for a US home.

When to use: the homeowner wants to know what a job should cost, for
example before asking contractors for bids.
Limits: US residential homes only, one property per call. A planning
estimate from national cost data with metro-area or state labor rates, not
a bid; actual prices depend on the site, the scope and the local market.

Args:
    home_sqft: Finished square footage of the home (200-20000).
    num_rooms: Number of rooms (1-50). Used to derive wall area.
    services: Services to price, e.g. ["painting", "roofing"].
    quality_tier: "economy", "medium" (mid-range) or "high" (premium).
    zip_code: 5-digit US ZIP code of the property. Applies metro-area (or
        state) labor-rate adjustments; strongly recommended.
    state: Two-letter state code, used when the ZIP is unknown.
    stories: Above-grade stories (1, 1.5, 2 or 3; default 1). Drives roof
        area, siding area and gutter length for exterior services.
    flooring_type: For flooring only: carpet, tile, vinyl, hardwood or mix.
    num_windows: For windows only: actual window count, if known.
    ceiling_height_ft: Override the default 8.5 ft ceiling height.
    roof_sqft: Override the roof area derived from home size.
    include_permits: Add estimated permit fees as separate lines.
    include_contingency: Add a 10% contingency line for conditions found on site.
    include_line_items: Include itemized quantities and unit costs.
    roof_pitch: Roof slope if known: low, standard, steep or very_steep.
        Steep roofs add area and a steep-slope labor surcharge.
    roof_shape: gable, hip or complex; sets the gutter/eave length.
    home_type: detached, townhouse_end, townhouse_middle or condo; shared
        walls reduce siding, trim and gutters (condo exteriors are flagged
        as usually the HOA's responsibility).
    year_built: Year the home was built. Before 1978 adds EPA lead-safe
        (RRP) work practices to painting, windows and drywall.
    Each property detail you pass narrows the likely range for the
    services it affects.

Returns totals per service, a confidence range, the main assumptions, and
questions to ask the homeowner that would tighten the estimate.

Input Schema

Name	Required	Default
`state`	No
`stories`	No
`services`	Yes
`zip_code`	No
`home_sqft`	Yes
`home_type`	No
`num_rooms`	Yes
`roof_sqft`	No
`roof_pitch`	No
`roof_shape`	No
`year_built`	No
`num_windows`	No
`quality_tier`	No	medium
`flooring_type`	No
`include_permits`	No
`ceiling_height_ft`	No
`include_line_items`	No
`include_contingency`	No

Output Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
No arguments

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

First observedOct 18, 2026

TDQS

A4.5/5.0

Behavior4/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

Annotations already establish read-only, idempotent, non-destructive, closed-world behavior, and the description adds genuinely new context: national cost data with metro/state labor-rate adjustments, the confidence-range nature of the output, and caveats that actual prices depend on site, scope and local market. It also notes condo exteriors may fall to the HOA, a useful behavioral nuance.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness4/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

Front-loaded purpose, then When to use, Limits, Args and Returns — a structure that scales to 18 parameters. It is long, but nearly every line carries decision-relevant information; a few entries (e.g. the closing 'each property detail narrows the likely range') are restatements.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness5/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

For a complex 18-parameter estimation tool, the description covers scope, estimation methodology, limitations, per-parameter semantics and optional add-ons. An output schema exists, so the brief mention of returns (totals, confidence range, assumptions, follow-up questions) is sufficient rather than redundant.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters5/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema description coverage is 0%, so the description carries the whole burden — and it does: each of the 18 parameters gets meaning, units, valid ranges, defaults, or derived effects (e.g. num_rooms drives wall area, stories drives roof/siding/gutter length, year_built pre-1978 adds RRP practices, roof_pitch steep adds a labor surcharge). This is meaning the bare schema cannot convey.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose5/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

Opens with a specific verb and resource ('Estimate the cost of one or more home-improvement services for a US home'), and the scope statement (planning estimate, not a bid) distinguishes it from check_quote and compare_tiers without needing their schemas.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines4/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

Explicit 'When to use' trigger (homeowner wants to know what a job should cost before soliciting bids) plus clear limits (US residential only, one property per call, planning estimate not a bid). It doesn't explicitly name or route against the sibling tools, so it stops short of full alternative guidance.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

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