How to Build a Roof Cleaning Pricing Formula in Autobidder

Setting Up a Price Formula For Roof Cleaning

You can test the calculator created in this video by clicking here.

Step 1: Start With the Base Formula

Every formula begins with your foundation — in this case, the square footage of the roof.

Question:
“How many square feet is your roof?”

• Input type: Number
• Unit: Square feet (ft²)
• Variable name:  roof_sqft

You’ll multiply this by your base rate per square foot.
For example, you might use $0.40 per square foot:

base_price = roof_sqft * 0.40

This is the primary driver of your pricing formula.

Step 2: Add Key Multipliers

Each additional question acts as a multiplier that adjusts your base price based on difficulty, time, materials, and access.

Here are the main ones used in this formula:

Roof Material

Question: “What type of roof do you have?”
Options:

• Shingle → 1.0
• Metal → 1.2
• Tile → 1.22

This multiplier accounts for cleaning difficulty and solution cost.

Roof Steepness

Question: “How steep is your roof?”
Options:

• Low → 1.0
• Medium → 1.2
• Steep → 1.35

Steeper roofs require more safety setup and time, so the price increases proportionally.

Roof Shape / Complexity

Question: “What best describes your roof shape?”
Options:

• Simple → 1.0
• Moderate → 1.15
• Complex → 1.3

Pro Tip: Include reference images or short guide videos for each option to help customers understand what applies to them. This prevents confusion and builds trust.

House Height (Stories)

Question: “How many stories is your home?”
Options:

• 1 Story → 1.0
• 2 Story → 1.15
• 3 Story → 1.25

This accounts for additional ladder work, setup time, and safety considerations.

Gutter Presence

Question: “Does your home have gutters?”
Options:

• Yes → 1.0
• No → 1.3
• Not sure → 1.0

If gutters aren’t present, cleaning usually requires different water flow and rinse techniques — hence the cost increase.

Step 3: Add Conditional Questions

Conditional logic makes your formula feel intelligent and context-aware.

Example: Galvanized Roof Logic

You can set up an extra question that only appears if a user selects “Metal” as their roof material:

Question: “Is the roof galvanized?”

• Yes → 1.24
• No → 1.0

Conditional Display Rule:
Show only if  roof_material = metal .

This ensures the question is only visible when relevant.

Step 4: Combine Everything Into a Formula

Once all variables are added, combine them into a single formula:

final_price = roof_sqft * 0.40

  * roof_material

  * roof_steepness

  * roof_shape

  * story_count

  * gutter_presence

  * galvanized

Step 5: Add Minimum and Maximum Safeguards

To prevent unrealistic prices from formula errors or small jobs, set a minimum and maximum price.

• Minimum: $750 (example)
• Maximum: $4,500 (optional, to catch miscalculations)

This ensures your quotes stay professional and within realistic bounds.

Step 6: Testing and Debugging Your Formula

Always test your formula using the “Call Screen” or admin testing mode before going live.
If you encounter an error:

Common Causes

1. Missing Values:
   Every variable must have a default value — even if it’s just “1.”
   Example: if the “galvanized” question doesn’t appear, it still needs a default value so it doesn’t break the formula.
2. Typos in Formula:
   Check for missing multiplication symbols or spacing errors.
3. Conditional Question Defaults:
   If a conditional question isn’t shown, make sure its variable still has a value so the math holds.
4. Unassigned Variables:
   Any variable that returns blank or “none” can trigger an error. Assign all values before saving.

If you’ve checked all these and the error persists, you can contact Autobidder support for personalized help.

Step 7: Save and Test Live

Once everything looks right, save your formula, test it with a few scenarios (different materials, shapes, and sizes), and ensure your price ranges make sense.