The homeowner field guide
How to use
HomeScope Guide.
A project idea. A contractor estimate. Work already underway. Start with what you have, and leave with a clearer next step.
Find my starting pointStart where you are
What do you have right now?
I have a project idea
Find a planning range, then describe the work you want priced.
Estimate my project 02I have one estimate
Review the proposal wording and turn missing details into questions.
Check my estimate 03I have multiple bids
Compare the same work, products, exclusions, and payment terms.
Compare my bids 04My project is underway
Keep payment, change-order, and project records within reach.
Open project recordsOnly looking for local requirements? Go straight to the permit directory →
The six-step route
A clear path.
At your own pace.
Start at the decision in front of you. Each step turns what you know into something you can use.
Estimate
What could this project cost?
Start in cost planning or a project guide. Choose the project and community, enter the quantity, and review the assumptions the calculator shows.
- Check the unit: floor area, roof area, and linear feet describe different things.
- Adjust the available options to match the work. Keep undecided selections and any reserve visible.
Keep in mind
A contractor still needs to price your actual scope and site conditions.
Verify locally
Who handles permits for this address?
Use the Michigan permit directory to find the responsible city, township, or agency. Follow its official links before relying on a requirement.
- Confirm the jurisdiction for the property; a mailing city alone may not settle it.
- Use the permit preparation checklist to record questions, the official source, and the response you receive.
Keep in mind
HomeScope will not invent a local requirement. Ask the responsible office about your specific work and address.
Describe one job
Are all bidders pricing the same work?
Open the project scope builder before asking for prices. Explain the result you want, the work included, and what remains undecided.
- Include quantity, products or allowances, demolition, protection, cleanup, and exclusions where relevant.
- Print or save the description. Give each bidder the same version and ask them to identify differences in writing.
Keep in mind
An allowance is an amount included for an undecided item. Ask how a higher or lower selection cost changes the total.
Review written bids
What is clear, missing, or different?
Use the completeness checker for one proposal. When you have two to four bids, use bid comparison to put their scope and terms side by side.
- Mark only the details the full proposal clearly states. The paste assistant below is an optional first pass.
- Request written clarification on missing work, products, exclusions, permits, payments, and warranty before comparing totals.
Keep in mind
A completeness score measures what you marked clear. It does not verify a contractor or pick the best bid.
Pressure-test the agreement
What could change the price or timing?
Choose the tool for the uncertainty in front of you. Review unfinished selections, payment milestones, and questions to resolve before signing.
- Use the allowance calculator for product selections and the contingency calculator for a separate planning reserve.
- Review payment stages with the payment-schedule checker. If work changes, record additions, credits, and time in the change-order calculator.
Keep in mind
Confirm the actual terms in the written agreement. Bring unresolved professional questions to the appropriate expert.
Keep one return point
How will I come back to this project?
Use My Project Records to reopen the worksheet you need. Connected links can carry your community, project, and quantity into the next tool.
- Check those values on arrival. Reopening a project does not necessarily restore detailed calculator assumptions or worksheet answers.
- Use each tool's print or save action for a copy. Choose Save as PDF in your browser's print dialog when available.
Keep in mind
Recently opened links are shortcuts, not backups of every worksheet. Save a copy before closing important work.
Already holding an estimate?
Turn vague wording into
better questions.
The bid completeness checker gives you a manual checklist and an optional proposal-paste assistant. Start with the written proposal in front of you.
- Copy the proposal into Proposal text. Remove personal details you do not need.
- Select Find wording to review. Read the suggested passages in the context of the full proposal.
- Confirm only the fields that are clearly stated. Check other documents before treating “not found” as missing.
- Print the review and ask the bidder for written answers. Then compare the clarified bids.
Follow one example
A home addition.
The same facts, each step.
Imagine planning a 500-square-foot home addition in Royal Oak. This is a walkthrough, not a price quote or a determination of local requirements.
- Estimate the addition
Enter 500 sq. ft. and review the addition type, foundation, finish, and reserve. Keep those assumptions with the range.
- Confirm the local route
Find Royal Oak's official sources, confirm jurisdiction, and ask which reviews and documents apply to this project.
- Describe and compare
Give bidders one description of the addition. Ask them to separate allowances, exclusions, and work that needs further investigation.
- Return with context
Connected links can carry community, project, and quantity. Check them on arrival and reselect detailed assumptions the tool does not restore.
When a specific question comes up
Find the tool for
the sticking point.
Returning later
Know what saves.
Keep what matters.
A recent tool link, a downloaded record, and a saved account project do different jobs. Choose the one you need.
Planning tools & records
My Project Records can remember basic project context and recently opened links on this device. Detailed answers depend on the individual tool; some exist only in the open tab.
Do this:Use the tool's print or save action before leaving important work. Clearing browser data can remove device-local information.
Open project records →Printed pages & PDFs
A printed or downloaded result captures the information you reviewed at that time. Use it for a contractor conversation or your own project folder.
Do this:Check the preview and included details. Save a new copy when your scope, selections, or agreed terms change.
Open a printable question packet →Saved home projects
Sign in to organize properties and projects, track priority and status, plan DIY or contractor tasks, and save supported project details and photos you choose to add.
Do this:Use the account's save or upload controls deliberately. A saved project does not automatically back up every separate worksheet or pasted proposal.
Open my account →Need help signing in? Read the account walkthrough →
Use the result well
Better prepared
for the real conversation.
HomeScope organizes planning assumptions, calculations, questions, and records. Use official sources for local requirements and written contractor proposals for the work being priced.
Site conditions, design, engineering, inspections, and professional interpretations still need the people responsible for those decisions.
How HomeScope works →How cost ranges are built →A few things worth knowing
Common questions.
Do I need an account to get started?
No. Public guides, calculators, the permit directory, and planning worksheets work without signing in. Use an account when you want to deliberately save a project and return to it across devices.
Will HomeScope send my project to contractors?
Using a planning tool does not send a contractor inquiry. You choose what to print, download, share, or send. Review a document or sharing preview before giving it to someone else.
Does pasting a proposal use AI?
The current proposal assistant uses wording rules in your browser tab. It highlights text for you to review; it does not use AI, verify the proposal, or automatically confirm checklist answers.
Why did my detailed entries disappear?
Different tools have different save behavior. A remembered project or recent link can restore basic context without restoring the worksheet. Keep important results with the tool's print or save action; do not assume signing in creates an automatic backup.
What if my community or project is not listed?
Use the official local office for permit questions and a relevant project guide for general planning. Do not apply a nearby community's requirements to your property. Leave unsupported details as questions to resolve.
Do I need to finish all six steps?
No. Start at today's decision. If you already have bids, begin with proposal review. If work is underway, open the payment or change-order record you need, and revisit earlier steps when a missing fact matters.
Keep your next step close
Your project. One place to return.
Open the record you need today. Keep a copy of the result and come back when the next decision is ready.