This estimate template does the maths while you type. Add labor as hours times a rate, put in materials at your cost with a markup, choose how sales tax applies, ask for a deposit and set an expiry date. The live preview on the right is exactly what the client will get, as a PDF, a Word file or an Excel sheet. There is no account and no email step.
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How to Use This Estimate Template
- Add your business once. Logo, name, contact details and contractor license number. They stay saved in your browser for the next estimate.
- Describe the job. Client, service address if it differs from billing, a job title and a short scope of work. Add the permit number if you already have it.
- Price the work. Enter labor lines with hours and rate, or a flat price. Enter materials at what you pay, then set your markup once for all materials or per line. Add fees like a trip charge or disposal, and optional add-ons the client can approve.
- Set the terms and send. Choose the sales tax rate and whether it applies to materials only or the whole job, the deposit to start, how long the price is valid and your warranty. Then download the PDF and send it.
Pick your trade from the Trade menu first if you want a head start. Roofing loads tear-off, shingles, underlayment and dumpster lines with fields for squares and pitch. Painting loads prep, walls, ceilings and gallons. No preset fills in prices, because only you know your numbers.
What Every Estimate Should Include
An estimate that answers the client’s questions before they ask gets signed faster. These are the parts that matter most.
Labor vs Materials
Keep them in separate tables. Clients like to see what is time and what is product, and it makes changes easier: if they supply their own fixtures, you delete a material line and the labor stays put. It also matters for tax, because many states treat labor and materials differently.
Markup on Materials
You pay for the trip to the supplier, the time to pick and haul, the returns and the risk if a part fails. Markup covers that. In the template you enter your cost and a markup percentage, and the client only sees the final price per unit. Your cost never prints. What markup is right depends on your trade and market, so we do not suggest a number.
Sales Tax (It Varies by State)
Some states tax materials only, some tax certain services too, and cities can add their own rate. The template lets you set a rate and apply it to materials only or to everything. Check your state’s revenue department or ask your accountant which applies to your work. This is not tax advice.
Deposit and Balance
A deposit protects you from buying materials for a job that gets cancelled. Set it as a percentage or a fixed dollar amount, and the estimate shows the deposit to start and the balance on completion. Some states limit how large a deposit a contractor can take for certain work, so check your state’s rules.
Expiry Date
Prices for materials change. An expiry date tells the client how long your number holds. The template defaults to 30 days and prints the exact “valid until” date in the header.
Signature Line
A signed estimate shows the client agreed to the scope and price. Every estimate from this template ends with an “Accepted by” signature line and a date. Optional add-ons print with a checkbox, so the client can tick the extras they want when they sign.
Estimate vs Quote vs Bid
People search for all three, and they overlap. Here is how most contractors use them:
- Estimate: your best calculation of the price, based on what you can see. The final invoice can differ if the job changes or you find something behind the wall.
- Quote: a fixed price for a defined scope, valid for a set time. If the scope stays the same, the price stays the same.
- Bid: a price submitted to compete for a job, often against other contractors, usually on a project with plans or specs.
Use the switch above the form to title your document Estimate or Quote. Whatever you call it, write down what is included and what is not.
Word, PDF, Excel or Google Docs?
The template gives you three files from one form, plus print.
- PDF is the one to send. It looks the same on every phone and computer, and it cannot be edited by mistake.
- Word (.docx) is for when you want to rewrite parts of the scope or add a page of photos. It also opens in Google Docs and Apple Pages.
- Excel (.xlsx) keeps every amount as a number, handy for comparing estimates or tracking win rates in a spreadsheet. It also opens in Google Sheets.
- Print gives you a paper copy at US Letter size for walkthroughs.
Estimate Templates by Trade
The Trade menu above the form changes the starting lines and job fields:
- Roofing: squares, layers to tear off, shingle type, pitch, waste factor, flashing, ridge vent, dumpster and permit.
- Landscaping: area in square feet, visit frequency and season, mulch by the cubic yard and plants.
- Painting: wall area, number of coats, interior or exterior, prep, paint and primer by the gallon.
- General contractor: phases, percent complete and retainage, with demolition, framing and finish lines.
- HVAC, plumbing and electrical: equipment, service call and permit lines, with trade fields like SEER2, water pressure or panel amps.
When the client says yes, the same details work for the invoice: our free invoice generator keeps your business details, so you only add the final numbers. For jobs you dispatch to a tech, the work order template adds equipment, a checklist and sign-off.
When to Move to Software
If you send more than a few estimates a week, or you lose track of which ones were signed, estimating software helps: most tools let clients approve from their phone and turn an approved estimate into an invoice without retyping it. Joist is built around estimates and invoices for contractors, while Jobber’s plans cover the whole job from quote to payment.
Questions people ask
Is there a free estimate template in Word?
Yes. Fill in the estimate template at the top of this page and press Word. You get a .docx file with your logo, the client, labor and materials tables, totals and the signature line, ready to edit in Microsoft Word, Pages or Google Docs. PDF and Excel come from the same form.
Can I make an estimate in Google Docs?
You can. Download the Word version here, then upload it to Google Drive and open it with Google Docs. The tables and totals come across as normal text and tables, so you can keep editing. If you only need to send it, the PDF is quicker and looks the same on every device.
What is the difference between an estimate and a quote?
In everyday use, an estimate is your best guess at the price, and the final bill can move if the job changes. A quote is a fixed price for a set scope, usually valid for a limited time. Many contractors use the words loosely, so say on the document which one it is. The switch above the form changes the title between Estimate and Quote.
Is an estimate legally binding?
It depends on the wording, the state and whether the client signed it. A signed estimate with a clear scope and price can work like a contract, and some states have rules on how far a final bill may go above an estimate for certain trades. Spell out what is included, how long the price is valid and how changes are handled, and check your state's rules. This is not legal advice.
How long should an estimate be valid?
Thirty days is a common default, and it is what the template starts with. Pick a shorter window when material prices move fast, such as lumber or copper, or a longer one for slow-moving projects. The expiry date prints in the header, so the client sees it next to the price.