create_estimate · Housecallpro MCP: Risk & Policy

WHAT IT DOES

What create_estimate does on Housecallpro

AI agents use create_estimate to create or update resources in Housecallpro — usually the action step of a workflow, after the agent has gathered context. Every call changes real data in your Housecallpro environment.

WHY IT NEEDS A POLICY

Why create_estimate needs a policy

This tool creates a new estimate record in the Housecall Pro system. While creating an estimate is reversible (estimates can typically be deleted or voided), it does commit a formal pricing proposal that may trigger follow-up business processes or customer communications. It falls under Write rather than Read (which would only retrieve existing data) or Execute (which would trigger external operations).

From the tool's definition Tool description states it will 'Generate a pricing estimate or service proposal for a customer', indicating creation of a new data record that modifies business state.

Attacks that exploit this kind of access

Recommended rule Ready

Verdict

create_estimate Rate-limited

create_estimate stays usable, but capped — an agent stuck in a loop can't make hundreds of changes a minute. Everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.

View as policy code

policy.json

{
  "version": "1",
  "default": "deny",
  "tools": {
    "create_estimate": {
      "limits": [
        {
          "counter": "create_estimate_rate",
          "window": "minute",
          "max": 30,
          "scope": "grant"
        }
      ]
    }
  }
}

LIMIT THIS TOOL →

Instant setup, no code required.

PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway: every tool call is checked against your rule before it reaches Housecallpro, so you can run agents against it safely.

FAQ

Questions about create_estimate

What does the create_estimate tool do? +

Generate a pricing estimate or service proposal for a customer. Used by AI sales agents to quote work after diagnostic conversations. It is categorised as a Write tool in the Housecallpro MCP Server, which means it can create or modify data. Consider rate limits to prevent runaway writes.

How do I enforce a policy on create_estimate? +

Register the Housecallpro MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for create_estimate: allow, deny, rate-limit, or require approval. Point your MCP client at the PolicyLayer proxy URL and the rule is enforced on every call, before it reaches Housecallpro. Nothing to install.

What risk level is create_estimate? +

create_estimate is a Write tool with medium risk. Write tools should be rate-limited to prevent accidental bulk modifications.

Can I rate-limit create_estimate? +

Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the create_estimate rule in your PolicyLayer policy. For example, setting max: 10 and window: 60 limits the tool to 10 calls per minute. Rate limits are tracked per agent session and reset automatically.

How do I block create_estimate completely? +

Set action: deny in the PolicyLayer policy for create_estimate. The AI agent will receive a policy violation error and cannot call the tool. You can also include a reason field to explain why the tool is blocked.

What MCP server provides create_estimate? +

create_estimate is provided by the Housecallpro MCP server (nobanks/housecallpro-mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.