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DIY Renovation Material List Automation

05 April 2025

Automate material list generation for home renovation projects with real-time pricing from supplier APIs.

Who This Is For

DIY renovators who want to save time and reduce errors when planning materials for home improvement projects.

Outcome

A fully automated workflow that takes room dimensions, calculates required materials, fetches live prices from suppliers, and populates a downloadable Google Sheets template.

This workflow is ideal for users of DIY Deck Cost Calculator and Concrete Cost Calculator, extending automation into full material planning.

Trigger → Steps → Outcome

  1. Trigger: User submits room dimensions via a web form (e.g., Typeform or Google Form).
  2. Steps:
    • Webhook receives input data (length, width, height, material type).
    • Calculate material quantities (e.g., drywall sheets, paint gallons).
    • Query supplier APIs (Home Depot, Lowe’s, or建材网) for current pricing.
    • Generate a populated Google Sheet using a pre-built template.
  3. Outcome: User receives an email with a link to the downloadable material list spreadsheet.

Automation Recipe (Make.com)

{
  "name": "DIY Renovation Material List Generator",
  "modules": [
    {
      "id": "webhook",
      "type": "webhook",
      "settings": {
        "url": "https://hook.us1.make.com/abc123xyz"
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "math",
      "type": "math",
      "settings": {
        "formula": "ceil((A * B) / 32)"
      },
      "input": {
        "A": "{{webhook.length}}",
        "B": "{{webhook.width}}"
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "http",
      "type": "http",
      "settings": {
        "url": "https://api.homedepot.com/products",
        "method": "GET",
        "params": {
          "q": "drywall"
        }
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "sheet",
      "type": "google.sheets",
      "settings": {
        "sheetId": "1BxiMVs0XRA5nFMdKvBdBZjgmUUqptlbs74OgvE2upms",
        "range": "Sheet1!A1:D10",
        "values": [
          ["Item", "Quantity", "Unit Price", "Total"],
          ["Drywall Sheets", "{{math.result}}", "{{http.response.price}}", "={{math.result}}*{{http.response.price}}"]
        ]
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "email",
      "type": "email",
      "settings": {
        "to": "{{webhook.email}}",
        "subject": "Your DIY Material List is Ready",
        "body": "Hi,\n\nYour renovation material list is ready. Download it here: [Google Sheet](link-to-sheet)"
      }
    }
  ]
}

Step-by-Step Implementation

  1. Set up a Webhook:

    • Create a new scenario in Make.com.
    • Add a Webhook module and copy the generated URL.
    • Use this URL in your frontend form (e.g., hosted on Notion or Carrd).

  2. Calculate Material Quantities:

    • Use the Math module to compute material needs based on dimensions.
    • Example: Drywall sheets = ceil((length * width) / 32).

  3. Fetch Supplier Pricing:

    • Use HTTP module to call supplier APIs (mock or real).
    • Parse the response to extract unit prices.

  4. Populate Google Sheet:

    • Connect to Google Sheets using OAuth.
    • Use a pre-made template and write calculated values into it.

  5. Email Delivery:

Troubleshooting FAQ

Q: How do I get real supplier API access?

A: Many suppliers offer public APIs (e.g., Home Depot, Lowe’s). For testing, use mock APIs or static datasets. You can later monetize this workflow as part of a lead-gen tool.

Q: Why is my sheet not updating?

A: Check that your Google OAuth token is valid and the sheet ID is correct. Also verify that the range matches your template structure.

Q: My math isn’t working.

A: Ensure your input variables are correctly mapped and formatted as numbers. Use {{webhook.length | toFloat}} if needed.

Next Step

👉 Download this automation as a Make.com blueprint and start building your own DIY renovation tools. Or explore more AI automation recipes.

Want to turn this into a SaaS? Use this workflow as a backend for a UK Digital Product Idea Validator focused on home improvement niches.

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