Project types — repaint, new build and condition report
Surfacely supports three project types. You pick one in the "Start a project" wizard and it's immutable after creation — the type shapes how measurement, quoting, and invoicing all work.
1. Repaint (default)
Everything Surfacely was originally built for: existing building, measure each surface, assess condition, price for repaint. Wash-down line items auto-generate on exterior work. Coats terminology is standard ("2 coats", "3 coats").
2. New Build
Same measurement flow as repaint, but with new-build defaults:
- First coat is primer, not top coat
- No wash-down line (new substrates don't need washing)
- Quote terminology shifts to "Prime + N top coats"
- Invoice milestones become First Fix and Practical Completion instead of Progress / Final
3. Condition report
A paid assessment of a building's painted surfaces for a body corporate, strata committee, HOA board or facilities manager, with no quote and no measurement step. You assess each building on site (Red, Amber or Green per area, defects with photos), send the client a branded report with a secure link and PDF, and invoice the fee. The job sits on your calendar and in your projects like any other. See Condition reports.
Why type is immutable
Once you set the type, you can't change it. The measurement data and invoice sequences are different enough between types that switching mid-project would create inconsistencies. If you genuinely need to change, archive the project and start a new one.
Why it matters: new build quoting and repaint quoting are genuinely different jobs. Trying to force a new build quote through the repaint workflow means wasted time on irrelevant prompts. Picking the right type on day one saves friction on every screen thereafter.