Estimate · General
Free contractor estimate template
Free contractor estimate and bid template: scope, labor, materials, options, deposit and signature. Download in PDF, Word or Excel, no email needed.
- Formats
- PDF · Word · Excel
- Paper
- Letter
- Currency
- USD
Quick answer
A contractor estimate shows your business name, contact details and license number, the customer and job address, an estimate number, the date and a valid-until date. It describes the scope and what is not included, lists labor and materials with quantities and prices, offers options where the customer has a choice, and adds sales tax where it applies, the total, any deposit, your terms for changes and a signature block.
What to include
- Business name, contact details and license number
- Customer name, job address, date and estimate number
- Scope in plain words, and what's not included
- Labor and materials with quantity, unit and price
- Options, such as good / better / best, with one recommended
- Sales tax line, where it applies
- Deposit amount and how to pay it
- Valid-until date
- How changes to the work will be priced
- Signature and date to accept
Example, line by line
| Item | Qty | Unit price | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Remove deck boards and railing (sq ft) | 300 | $2.50 | $750.00 |
| Composite deck boards (sq ft) | 300 | $12.00 | $3,600.00 |
| Hidden fasteners and joist tape (sq ft) | 300 | $1.50 | $450.00 |
| Composite railing to code (ft) | 40 | $65.00 | $2,600.00 |
| Labor, install boards and railing (hr) | 40 | $75.00 | $3,000.00 |
| Haul away debris (each) | 1 | $450.00 | $450.00 |
| Total | $10,850.00 | ||
How to use it
- 1Download it, or fill it in online.
- 2Add your own prices and your customer's details.
- 3Send it, get it signed and collect the deposit.
Contractor estimates, part by part
Homeowners often collect more than one estimate before they pick a contractor. The one that is easiest to understand has a head start. A good estimate tells the customer what you will do, what it costs and what they need to do to say yes, all on one or two pages.
Put your business name, contact details and license number at the top. The FTC tells homeowners to look for the contractor's license number and says a written estimate should describe the work, the materials, the completion date and the price. Then the customer's name, job address, date and estimate number.
Write the scope in plain words: "Remove existing deck boards and railing, replace with composite boards, new railing to code, haul away debris." Then list what is not included, such as permits the owner pulls or repairs to hidden framing.
Price labor and materials line by line, each with a quantity, unit and price. Line items help the customer compare your bid with others on the same terms, and they make changes easier to price later.
Where the customer has a real choice, show options: good, better and best materials, or a repair against a full replacement, each priced in full, with your recommendation marked.
Below the lines, add sales tax where it applies, the total, any deposit and how to pay it, a valid-until date, and a short note on how changes will be priced once work starts. End with a signature block.
Set it up once, then reuse it
- Download the PDF, Word or Excel file and save a master with your business details and license number.
- At the walkthrough, fill in the customer, job address, date, estimate number and valid-until date.
- Write the scope and exclusions, then labor and materials with quantities.
- Add options where the customer has a choice.
- Add tax, deposit and the change note, then send it and ask the customer to sign.
Contractor jobs this template fits
General and specialty contractors use this estimate for bathroom and kitchen remodels, basement finishes, additions, deck builds and smaller repair work. It also works as a bid sheet when you price against other contractors, because each line is spelled out.
When the work is done, bill it with the contractor invoice template and confirm payments with the contractor receipt template.
Download it free
Download the contractor estimate template as a PDF, Word file or Excel sheet, free and without giving an email address.
If you work in one of the trades Quoza covers, an estimate maker is faster: the handyman estimate maker or the electrical estimate maker lets you fill one in online, see what your customer gets and send it for them to sign.
Send it, get it signed, collect the deposit
Questions
What should a contractor estimate include?
Your business details and license number, the customer and job address, an estimate number and date, the scope and exclusions, labor and materials with quantities and prices, options if relevant, sales tax where it applies, the total, any deposit, a valid-until date, how changes are priced and a signature block.
Is an estimate the same as a quote or a bid?
People use the words loosely. An estimate is usually your expected price, a quote a firmer price for a defined job, and a bid a price submitted against other contractors. Whatever you call it, spell out exactly what the price includes.
How long should a contractor estimate be valid?
Long enough for the customer to decide, short enough that material prices still hold. Put a clear valid-until date on every estimate so an old price can't come back to you months later.
Should I ask for a deposit on a contractor estimate?
That is your call. It can make sense when you buy materials or book subs before the job starts. If you take one, put the amount and how to pay it on the estimate. Some states limit how much a contractor can ask for as a down payment, so check your state's rules before you set one.
Can my customer sign the estimate online?
With the downloaded file, they sign on paper or send back a signed scan. If you make the estimate in a Quoza estimate maker, the customer gets a link, reads it on their phone and signs online.
Can I download the template in Word or Excel?
Yes. The contractor estimate template comes as a PDF, a Word file and an Excel sheet, free and with no email required.