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.

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

TableJSON 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

TableJSON Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
No arguments

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

First observedOct 18, 2026

TDQS

A4.4/5.0

Behavior4/5

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

Annotations already declare readOnly/idempotent/non-destructive, so the safety profile is covered, and the description goes further by disclosing derivation behavior (stories drives roof/siding/gutter areas, pre-1978 adds RRP lead-safe practices, shared walls reduce siding, condo exteriors flagged as HOA responsibility) and the shape of the result (totals, confidence range, assumptions). It stops short of stating numerics like rate limits or precision/rounding details.

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

Conciseness5/5

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

Front-loaded with a one-sentence purpose, then a scannable per-argument list with no repeated or filler text. The remaining sentences — output shape and the note that each detail narrows the range — each add distinct information, which justifies the length given zero schema coverage.

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?

With 18 parameters, no schema descriptions, and an output schema already present, the description fills precisely the gaps an agent needs: argument semantics, required-vs-optional weighting, and behavioral effects of inputs. Nothing needed to invoke it correctly is missing.

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 full burden — and it documents essentially all 18 parameters, including valid ranges (200-20000 sqft, 1-50 rooms), enum meanings ('medium' = mid-range, 'high' = premium), units, defaults, and the downstream effect of each ('Drives roof area, siding area and gutter length'). This is exactly the compensating case where prose must stand in for schema docs.

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

Purpose4/5

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

The opening sentence gives a specific verb (estimate), resource (cost of home-improvement services) and scope (US home), which is materially clearer than a bare 'estimate' tool. It does not explicitly contrast itself with siblings such as check_quote or compare_tiers, so an agent gets no direct routing signal, but the purpose itself is unambiguous.

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?

The description supplies clear usage context: services are gated per tipic ('For flooring only', 'For windows only'), zip_code is flagged 'strongly recommended', and state is described as the fallback when ZIP is unknown. There are no explicit when-not-to-use rules or named alternatives, which keeps it short of a 5.

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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