JOBTREAD SELECTIONS
& ALLOWANCES

Selections are where remodel margin quietly disappears. The client picks a tile at three times the allowance, nobody writes it down, and eight weeks later you are absorbing the difference because there is no paper trail. JobTread selections and allowances fix that — but only if you set them up before the job starts, not after the first upgrade request.

WHY SELECTIONS DECIDE YOUR MARGIN

An allowance is a budgeted placeholder for a decision the client has not made yet. A selection is the record of what they actually chose and what it cost. When those two are linked inside your budget, every upgrade shows up as a variance you can price and approve on the spot. When they are not, upgrades arrive as surprises you eat. This is the single highest-leverage setup step for kitchen, bath and custom-home work.

HOW TO SET IT UP

Step 1: Build Your Selection Groups

Create a selection group for every category where the client makes a choice — flooring, tile, plumbing fixtures, lighting, cabinetry, countertops, hardware, appliances. Group them by room so the client reviews decisions the way they experience the house, not the way your cost catalog is organized.

Step 2: Set Realistic Allowance Amounts

Pull allowance numbers from your own historical jobs, not from a supplier’s entry-level price. An allowance set too low guarantees an awkward conversation later. Set it at what your typical client actually buys, and the majority of your selections will land on budget instead of over it.

Step 3: Attach Predefined Options

Under each group, load the two or three products you actually want to sell, with real costs from your cost catalog. Predefined options turn an open-ended question into a menu — which speeds decisions up, keeps the client inside products you can source, and protects your average ticket.

Step 4: Publish the Selection Sheet to the Customer Portal

Send selections to the client through the portal so their choice, the date and the price difference are all captured in writing. The approval becomes the documentation. No email archaeology, no he-said-she-said at closeout.

WHAT GOOD SELECTIONS SETUP GIVES YOU

• Documented upgrades — every client choice above allowance is recorded, priced and approved in one place
• Faster decisions — a curated menu of predefined options closes selections in days instead of weeks
• Cleaner job costing — actual selection costs flow straight into the budget, so margin reporting stays honest
• A better client experience — homeowners see exactly what they picked and what it costs, room by room