Estimate · General
Free estimate template
Free estimate template for contractors: scope, line items, good/better/best options, tax, deposit and signature. PDF, Word or Excel, or fill it in online.
- Formats
- PDF · Word · Excel
- Paper
- Letter
- Currency
- USD
Quick answer
A contractor estimate shows your business details and license number if your trade needs one, the customer and job address, an estimate number and a valid-until date. It describes the scope in plain words, lists labor and materials line by line, adds sales tax where it applies, the total, any deposit, your terms and a signature block. The customer reads it, picks an option and signs before work starts.
What to include
- Business name, contact details and license number, if your trade needs one
- Customer name, job address, date and estimate number
- Scope: what is included and what is not, in plain words
- Line items with quantity, unit and price for labor and materials
- Good / better / best options, with one marked as recommended
- Sales tax line, where the job is taxable
- Deposit amount and how to pay it
- Valid-until date
- Terms: how changes are handled and when payments are due
- Signature and date to accept
Example, line by line
| Item | Qty | Unit price | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Composite deck board, 12 ft (each) | 34 | $62.00 | $2,108.00 |
| Hidden fasteners (box) | 4 | $70.00 | $280.00 |
| Joist tape (roll) | 3 | $35.00 | $105.00 |
| Remove and haul old decking (sq ft) | 200 | $2.00 | $400.00 |
| Labor (hr) | 24 | $85.00 | $2,040.00 |
| Total | $4,933.00 | ||
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.
Estimates, part by part
An estimate is your first piece of paper in front of the customer, and it often decides whether you get the job. Homeowners are told to get written estimates from several firms. The FTC's advice to them is that a written estimate should describe the work, the materials, the completion date and the price. An estimate that answers those four things before the customer asks reads as the safe choice.
Open with your business name, contact details and license number if your trade or state requires one. The FTC also tells homeowners to look for those details in the contract. Then the customer's name, job address, date and estimate number.
Write the scope in the customer's words, not supplier codes. "Replace kitchen faucet, includes new supply lines, haul away old faucet" is clear. Say what is not included too. Most arguments about extras start with a scope nobody wrote down.
Then the line items: quantity, unit and price for labor and for materials. If you offer good / better / best options, show each as its own priced package and mark the one you recommend. That turns a yes-or-no decision into a choice between your options.
Below the lines: sales tax where the job is taxable, the total, any deposit and how to pay it, and a valid-until date so an old price doesn't come back to you months later. Close with short terms (how changes are priced, when payments are due) and a signature block.
Set it up once, then reuse it
- Download the PDF, Word or Excel version and save a blank copy.
- Add your business details and license number once, and keep that as your master.
- For each job, fill in the customer, job address, date, estimate number and valid-until date.
- Write the scope, then the line items. Add a second and third option if the job has real choices.
- Add tax, deposit and terms, then send it and ask the customer to sign.
Common jobs this template fits
This is the general contractor estimate for any job you price before you start: a repair, a replacement, an install or a remodel. For trade-specific lines, use the plumbing estimate, electrical estimate, HVAC estimate, cleaning estimate, landscaping estimate or handyman estimate. After the job, bill it with the invoice template.
Download or fill it in online
Download the estimate template as a PDF, Word file or Excel sheet, free and without giving an email address.
Or make it online with the maker for your trade: plumbing, HVAC, electrical, cleaning, landscaping or handyman. See exactly what your customer will get, then tap Send to customer. You sign up at that point, nothing to type again, and your customer signs online.
Send it, get it signed, collect the deposit
Questions
What should a contractor estimate include?
Your business details, the customer and job address, an estimate number and date, the scope in plain words, priced line items, tax, the total, any deposit, a valid-until date, your terms and a signature block. The FTC tells homeowners a written estimate should describe the work, the materials, the completion date and the price.
Is an estimate the same as a quote or a bid?
People use the words loosely. Usually an estimate is your expected price for the job, a quote is a firmer price for a defined scope, and a bid is a price submitted to win a job against other contractors. Whatever you call it, write down exactly what the price covers.
How long should a contractor estimate be valid?
Long enough for the customer to decide, short enough that your material prices still hold. Write a clear valid-until date on every estimate. The Quoza estimate makers put a valid-until date on every estimate for you.
Should I ask for a deposit on a contractor estimate?
That is your call, and it often depends on how much you spend on materials before you start. If you take one, put the amount and how to pay it on the estimate so it is agreed when the customer signs. 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, the customer signs on paper or you collect a signed scan. If you make the estimate in the Quoza estimate maker instead, your customer gets a link, reads it on their phone and signs online.
Can I download the template in Word or Excel?
Yes. The estimate template comes as a PDF, a Word file and an Excel sheet. All three are free and you don't need to give an email address.