Template
Free contractor estimate template
The anatomy of an estimate that actually gets approved. Copy this structure into Word, Google Docs, or your existing tool — or build it instantly online and send a signable link to your customer.
Anatomy of a good estimate
Six sections, in this order. Skip any one of them and you'll feel it later — usually as a customer asking a question you already answered, or a dispute over what was included.
1. Header
Your business name, logo, phone, and license number. The customer's name and the job address. An estimate number for your records. A date and an expiration date — quotes go stale; saying so up front protects you when material prices change.
2. Scope of work
Three to five sentences in plain language describing what you're going to do. Not boilerplate. If the customer can't recognize their own job in this paragraph, the line items below won't save you.
3. Line items
Each row: name, optional one-line description, quantity, unit price, and amount. Be specific. "Labor — 2 days @ $850/day" reads better than a single $1,700 "labor" line. Materials can be one line or many — match what feels honest for the job.
4. Totals
Subtotal, tax (if applicable), total. If you're collecting a deposit, show it as its own line under the total so the customer sees both the full amount and what they owe today.
5. Terms
Payment schedule, warranty, what's NOT included, what triggers a change order. Two short paragraphs is usually enough. Long legal boilerplate gets skimmed; clear plain-English terms get read.
6. Approval & signature
A way for the customer to actually approve it. A typed-signature line plus a timestamp is enough for most residential and light-commercial work — and it's what we record (with IP + user agent) when a customer approves on the public link.
A worked example
What the template looks like filled in. Numbers are illustrative.
Scope of work
Demo existing bathroom fixtures down to studs and subfloor. Re-rough plumbing and electrical for new vanity, tub, and toilet locations. Install customer-supplied tile and fixtures. Paint walls and trim. Final cleanup and haul-away included. Permit included.
Line items
| Item | Qty | Unit | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
Demo & haul-away Includes tub, vanity, toilet, tile, and subfloor section | 1 | $1,200.00 | $1,200.00 |
Plumbing rough-in New tub and vanity supply + drain lines | 1 | $1,800.00 | $1,800.00 |
Electrical rough-in GFCI receptacles, vanity light, fan circuit | 1 | $950.00 | $950.00 |
Tile install — labor Customer-supplied tile, thinset, grout | 120 | $14.00 | $1,680.00 |
Paint walls and trim 2 coats; customer-supplied paint | 1 | $650.00 | $650.00 |
Permit Pulled and inspected | 1 | $320.00 | $320.00 |
Terms
Payment: 30% deposit on approval. Balance due on completion. Warranty: 1 year on labor; manufacturer warranty on fixtures. Excluded: Customer-supplied tile, fixtures, paint. Drywall behind existing tile may need replacement; quoted as a change order if discovered. Change orders: Any change to scope is documented and approved separately before work proceeds.
Frequently asked questions
Is a typed signature legally binding for contractor estimates?
In most U.S. states, yes — the ESIGN Act and state UETA equivalents recognize electronic signatures, including typed names, as legally binding for most contracts. We log the typed signature plus IP and user agent so the audit trail holds up if there's a dispute. This isn't legal advice; check your state and the dollar amount of the work.
What should the expiration date be?
Most contractors use 14 to 30 days. The point is: when material prices or your schedule change, the customer doesn't get to hold you to a stale quote forever. Saying "valid until [date]" up front avoids the awkward conversation later.
Should I always charge a deposit?
On material-heavy jobs (think water heaters, EV chargers, hardscape, plant installs), yes — the deposit covers your exposure on parts. On pure-labor or diagnostic work, often no. A common starting point is 25–50% on jobs over $500 in materials.
What happens if the customer wants to change something after they approve?
That's what change orders are for. Don't re-issue the estimate. Send a separate change order that references the original — same approval flow, same signature.
Can I just copy this template into Word?
You can — and we'd rather you have a good estimate in Word than a bad one in our app. But a Word document can't tell you when the customer opened it, log a signature, or collect a deposit. That's what we add on top.
Stop sending PDFs that get ignored.
Build this template in our app instead. Send a link your customer can sign and pay from their phone — and we log every view, signature, and deposit automatically.