AI-powered quote analysis in moments. Prices, contract terms, contractors’ financial health and missing technical details — all put under the microscope.
A roof to replace, an extension to build, solar panels to install. Every project starts with a quote, accepted in good faith, often for one of the biggest expenses of a lifetime. Wolfgang Sievert has been watching this process for thirty years. As the head of a consultancy that advises businesses on strategic decisions, he has followed countless building projects and identified a persistent blind spot: thousands of euros committed on the strength of a document, with next to no information about the tradesperson behind it. Homeowners invest some of the largest sums of their lives in their property, often armed with less information than they would have when buying a household appliance. “People generally think a quote is just about the price,” Wolfgang Sievert observes. Yet the company’s financial stability, insurance cover, any past bankruptcies and the suitability of the proposed materials matter just as much.
One photo, an analysis in moments
This prompted Wolfgang Sievert and Christian Vicente (Systems Engineer and Lead AI & Algorithm Architect), working with a specialist law firm, to develop a solution combining an algorithm with AI. Named ECV, short for Euro Construct Verify, the app was first introduced in Belgium before expanding across Europe, including Switzerland and the United Kingdom. Two and a half years of development preceded its official launch last May. Getting started takes just one step: a photo of the quote or a PDF is enough to trigger the analysis. AI extracts the data, which an algorithm then checks against hundreds of authentic sources via application programming interfaces. Four AI models work in sequence to reduce errors, before a report is sent by email, accompanied by a reliability indicator on a scale from red to green. The analysis flags overcharging and prices out of line with the market, inflated quantities, missing items such as waste removal or preparatory work, duplicate charges and clauses that place obligations solely on the customer. It checks for a ten-year construction warranty, whether materials are compatible and, through a satellite data API, the site’s exposure to flood risk. “You take a photo of it and within thirty seconds you have an answer,” says ECV’s founder (opens in a new window).
From homeowners to institutions
Behind this consumer tool lies a broader ambition. Private individuals make up the bulk of users, while architects, surveyors and estate agents account for almost 13% of analyses. ECV values the European construction and renovation market at two trillion euros, with a share of projects ending up in court each year. Against this backdrop, Wolfgang Sievert and Christian Vicente’s company has its sights set beyond an app for homeowners. Its founders are working towards becoming a certification body, offering a form of quality seal for building companies, and are in talks with insurers and European institutions about construction grants. The guiding idea is simple: examine a quote item by item before committing, rather than discover unpleasant surprises once work has begun.
Also coming soon to the App Store and Google Play.
ECV – Euro Construct Verify · Waterproof Europe srl, 11 rue du Dragon, 1640 Rhode-Saint-Genèse · ecvcheck.com
