Free contractor estimate template
Contractor estimate template the customer can say yes to.
Write the scope one line at a time, put a number on each, show the deposit you need to start and the balance on completion. The template totals it, marks the document as an estimate rather than an invoice, and gives you a PDF to send from the walk-through.
- No signup
- Totals and tax computed
- PDF made in your browser
- Nothing you type is uploaded
Preview
This is an estimate, not an invoice. Final charges may change once the work is done.
| Description | Qty | Unit | Amount |
|---|
Made with the free contractor estimate template at vtt.adelyons.com
Or skip the typing
Say the job. The estimate writes itself.
This template is yours to use, no account needed. When you are done typing line items into a form, Voice To Task CRM does the same job from a 20-second recording: you say the parts, the hours and the customer, and the app drafts the estimate with your tax rate and your hourly rate already applied. Create a free account and get the app on the App Store or Google Play. The first 5 voice logs cost nothing.
“Estimate for the Lees’ hall bath. Demo and haul 400, tile floor 60 square feet at 14 installed, vanity and top supplied by them so labor only, 350, new toilet installed 420, paint 300. Half down.”
What to put on it
What goes on a contractor estimate.
- The scope, one line per item of work Each thing you will do as its own line with its own price. A lump-sum estimate gets haggled; an itemized one gets accepted or trimmed. Say who supplies what (“customer-supplied vanity”).
- What is not included Write the exclusions in the notes: permits, electrical, plumbing beyond the fixture swap, anything behind a wall you cannot see yet. The estimate note on this template already says final charges may change once the work is open.
- Deposit and payment schedule The deposit to start and the balance on completion, or a draw schedule for a longer job. Some states cap deposits on home-improvement contracts: California limits the down payment to $1,000 or 10 percent of the contract price, whichever is less (B&P §7159.5). Check your state.
- License, insurance and validity Your license number under your name, and how long the price holds (30 days by default here). Material prices move; a dated estimate protects you.
- Estimate, not invoice The document is labelled ESTIMATE with a note that it is not an invoice. When the job is done you issue the invoice; several states require a written contract above a dollar threshold for home improvement work, and your signed estimate often becomes that contract, so get it signed.
Licensing and deposit rules named above are the California Contractors State License Board’s (Business and Professions Code §7030.5, §7048, §7159.5); other states differ. Sales-tax treatment of labor and materials is set by each state’s department of revenue. None of this is legal or tax advice; check your own state board and your accountant.
Typical line items
Lines that show up on contractor estimates.
How each is usually billed. Prices are yours; the template has no price list and the example figures in the form are placeholders, not rates.
| Line item | Usually billed as |
|---|---|
| Demolition and debris removal | flat |
| Framing or carpentry, per hour or flat | labor |
| Drywall hang, tape, finish, per sheet or sq ft | per unit |
| Tile, per sq ft installed | per unit |
| Paint, per room or per sq ft | flat or per unit |
| Doors and trim, per opening | per unit |
| Fixture install (customer-supplied) | labor |
| Materials allowance | estimate, trued up on the invoice |
| Permit fees | at cost |
| Contingency for hidden conditions | percentage or flat |
Prefer to talk? Read about the voice estimate app for contractor work.
What is the difference between an estimate and a quote?
In everyday use an estimate is an informed approximation that may change, and a quote (or bid) is a fixed price for a defined scope. This template is labelled estimate and says the final charges may change; if you are giving a fixed price, say “fixed price for the scope above” in the notes.
How much deposit can a contractor ask for?
It depends on your state. California caps the down payment on a home-improvement contract at $1,000 or 10 percent of the price, whichever is less; several other states have their own caps or require escrow above a threshold. Where there is no cap, a third to a half down is common for small jobs. The template has a deposit field and shows the balance due.
Should an estimate include sales tax?
Show it the way the invoice will: tax on the materials you supply where your state taxes them, and usually not on labor. Mark lines taxable per your state’s rules so the estimate and the final invoice match.
Is the contractor estimate template free?
Yes. Fill it in and download or print the PDF with no signup. Nothing you type leaves your browser. It is made by the team behind Voice To Task CRM, a voice estimate and invoice app for contractors, which is separate and optional.
Quote it on the walk-through. Bill it when you are done.
Start with 5 voice logs at no cost. Create your account, get the app, and say your next job.