Free Estimate Template (Fillable PDF, Word, Excel)

What is on the page

Estimate number and date

Number estimates in their own series (EST-). When the job is accepted the invoice quotes this number, which is how the two are matched later.

Valid until

Material prices move. A validity date protects you from being held to a price months later and gives the customer a reason to decide.

Prepared for / prepared by

Full details for both sides, including the job site address if it differs from the billing address, and your license number where your trade requires it.

Scope of work

One or two sentences that say what is included. Most estimate disputes are about scope, not price.

Materials and labor

Listed separately on the contractor design. Customers accept estimates faster when they can see what the money buys, and tax usually applies to materials only.

Contingency, permits, tax

Known unknowns go on their own line rather than being hidden in the labor rate.

Terms and acceptance

Deposit, payment schedule, exclusions and how extras are priced. The customer signs to accept; that signature turns an estimate into an agreement.

Estimate vs quote vs invoice

An estimate is an informed guess at what a job will cost. A quote is a fixed price the customer can hold you to once accepted. An invoice is the bill after the work. Many trades use "estimate" for everything which causes trouble when the final bill is higher than the number on the paper. Use the word that matches what you mean, and say on the document whether the price is fixed or may change with conditions found on site.

In several US states a written estimate is required before certain work starts: auto repair shops in California, New York, Illinois and others must give one and can't exceed it without approval; home improvement contractors in many states must put the scope, price and payment terms in writing above a dollar threshold. A signed estimate with a scope line and a terms line covers those requirements in most cases, but check your state contractor board.

Which design to use

• Simple estimate: priced by item or service, no materials to separate. Designers, consultants, cleaners, event services.
• Contractor estimate: anything with materials and hours. Fencing, painting, plumbing, landscaping, remodels. Tax on materials, contingency line, start date.
• Estimate with options: when you want to show a base price and let the customer add upgrades by ticking boxes. Painting, photography packages, catering, detailing.

How to write an estimate that gets accepted

1. Describe the scope in plain words before the numbers. What you'll do, what you won't do.
2. Itemize. A single lump sum invites haggling; a list of parts and hours invites questions you can answer.
3. Put a validity date on it. Twenty to thirty days is normal.
4. State the deposit and when the balance is due. "30% to schedule, balance on completion" is the most common structure for small jobs.
5. Say how extras are handled: an hourly rate for unforeseen work, or a written change order before anything extra is done.
6. Leave a signature line. An estimate the customer signs is one they have agreed to.

Mistakes that turn estimates into losses

• No scope line, so the customer expects more than you priced.
• No validity date, and the customer calls six months later expecting the same price.
• Tax left off and added to the invoice as a surprise.
• Materials priced from memory. Check current prices; the contractor design has a line per item for a reason.
• No contingency on jobs with unknowns (old wiring, soil, water damage). Either price it or write the hourly rate for extras in the terms.

From estimate to invoice

When the estimate is accepted, copy its lines into the invoice or the service invoice and quote the estimate number. If the customer pays a deposit, issue a payment receipt against the estimate number so the deposit is matched correctly later. For jobs that need materials ordered from a supplier, the purchase order keeps that side of the paperwork straight.

Editing the Word and Excel versions

The Excel files calculate line amounts, subtotals, tax, contingency and the estimated total; on the options design type the selected options total and the tax follows. Replace the "prepared by" block with your details and a logo, save as a master, then duplicate for each customer. In Word, each section is a table; add or delete rows with the table tools.

Questions

Is an estimate legally binding?

Not by itself. It's an approximation. Once the customer signs the acceptance line and work begins, the terms on the estimate become the agreement, so write them carefully. If you want a fixed, binding price, call it a quote.

How long should an estimate be valid?

Twenty to thirty days is typical. Shorter when material prices are moving; longer for large projects with a planning stage.

Should I charge for estimates?

Most trades give free estimates for standard jobs and charge for ones that need a site survey or design work. If you charge, say so before the visit and credit the fee against the job if it goes ahead.

Does the PDF calculate totals?

No, the PDF is fillable only. The Excel version calculates every line and total.

Can I turn the estimate into an invoice?

Yes. Copy the accepted lines into the invoice template, quote the estimate number, and add the deposit received as a credit line.