What goes on a construction estimate
A construction estimate needs your business and license number, the customer and the job site, an estimate number with a date it's valid until, the scope broken into phases with quantities and unit prices, allowances and exclusions, the deposit and payment schedule, start and completion dates, and a place for the customer to accept it. This template covers all of it on one Letter page.
| Field | Why it's there |
|---|
| License number | California, Florida, Arizona and Nevada require it on bids or estimates; Arizona names "written bids and estimates" outright. |
| Valid until | Material prices move. A date tells the customer how long your number holds. |
| Start and completion dates | California and New York home improvement contracts must state them, and every customer asks. |
| Scope by phase | Sections like demolition, rough-in and finishes, each with a subtotal, so the customer sees where the money goes. |
| Quantities, units and unit prices | 64 sq ft at $18.00 is easier to trust, and to adjust, than a lump sum. |
| Allowances and details | The muted lines under a line item: the tile allowance, the valve model, what's included. |
| Deposit and balance | What's due at signing and what's left, printed under the total. |
| Customer acceptance | A signature and a date turn the estimate into an agreement both of you can point to. |
The example estimate, line by line
The example is a hypothetical hall bathroom remodel: three phases totaling $6,705.00, a 10% deposit of $670.50 at signing and $6,034.50 on completion. The business and the customer are made up. The numbers are the template doing its math.
| Phase | Lines | Subtotal |
|---|
| 1. Demolition and prep | Protect floors, remove the tub, vanity, toilet, tile and drywall, haul away | $1,330.00 |
| 2. Plumbing and electrical | New tub valve and supply lines $1,450; GFCI circuit and exhaust fan $865 | $2,315.00 |
| 3. Tile and finishes | Cement board and membrane 64 sq ft × $9.50 = $608; wall tile 64 sq ft × $18 = $1,152; floor tile 40 sq ft × $16.50 = $660; set fixtures $640 | $3,060.00 |
| Total | No sales tax on this example | $6,705.00 |
| Deposit at signing | 10% of the total | $670.50 |
| Balance on completion | | $6,034.50 |
The wall tile line carries a $4.00 per sq ft tile allowance in its details. If the customer picks a pricier tile, the difference becomes a change order instead of an argument. The deposit is 10% because that fits under California's cap for home improvement work (the lesser of 10% or $1,000). Set yours in the Totals panel.
See the filled example as a PDF.
How to fill out a construction estimate template
- Add your business once. Name, address, phone, email, license number and logo. The page remembers them on this device.
- Add the customer and the project. Billing address, the job site if it's different, a project name and a two-line summary of the scope.
- Set the dates. The estimate date, how long it's valid, and when you expect to start and finish.
- Build the scope by phase. One section per phase, one line per task, with a quantity, a unit and a unit price. Put allowances and specs in the details under the line.
- Set the deposit and any tax. A percentage or a dollar amount due at signing, and a sales tax rate if your state taxes the work.
- Download and send. PDF for the customer, Word or Excel to keep editing. Bring a printed copy when you walk the job.
Estimate total = Σ (quantity × unit price) − discount + sales tax. Deposit = total × deposit %. Balance on completion = total − deposit.
The template adds up what you type; it doesn't price the work. To get to a unit price that covers overhead and profit, use how to estimate construction costs and the profit margin calculator.
Deposits, signatures and the 3-day cancellation rule
Deposit caps. Some states limit what you can collect up front on home improvement work: California, the lesser of 10% or $1,000; Maryland, one-third of the contract price; Massachusetts, one-third or the cost of special-order materials, whichever is greater. Check your state before you print 30%.
A signed estimate can be the contract. Once the customer signs the acceptance line, the estimate is what both sides agreed to. California and New York spell out what a home improvement contract must contain, so on bigger residential jobs use your full contract and attach the estimate as the scope. Quote vs estimate and types of construction contracts explain the difference.
Signed at the customer's home? The FTC's Cooling-Off Rule covers sales of $25 or more made at the buyer's home. The customer gets 3 business days to cancel, and you owe them a cancellation notice with the contract. Some states add their own rules on top.
Once the work starts, put anything new on a change order, not a revised estimate. See construction change orders.
A contractor estimate template for any trade
Rename the sections and the same file works for remodelers, handymen, painters, landscapers or a GC bidding a whole house. Use sections for phases on a remodel, for rooms on a paint job, or for "labor" and "materials" on a small repair. One untitled section gives a plain numbered list.
When the job is done, the contractor invoice template uses the same layout, so the invoice matches the estimate the customer signed.
Construction estimate mistakes that cost you the job (or the margin)
- A lump sum with no breakdown. The customer compares your one number with someone else's list and assumes yours is padded.
- No expiration date. Six months later, they want your old price on today's materials.
- Allowances that aren't written down. Write the dollar amount next to the line, like the tile allowance in the example.
- Missing exclusions. Permits, disposal, painting after drywall: say what's in and what isn't in the notes.
- A deposit your state doesn't allow. Check the cap before you print the number.
- No scope summary. Two sentences on what the job covers prevent most "I thought that was included" calls. More in how to write a construction scope of work.
Questions about construction estimates
Is this construction estimate template free?
Yes. Fill it in on this page and download it as a PDF, Word or Excel file, or download the blank versions to fill in by hand. There is no email gate and no signup.
What should a construction estimate include?
Your business details and license number, the customer and job site, an estimate number and a valid-until date, the scope by phase with quantities and unit prices, allowances and exclusions, the deposit and payment schedule, start and completion dates, and a signature line for the customer.
Is a signed construction estimate legally binding?
Once the customer signs to accept it, the estimate can become the agreement. California and New York set what a home improvement contract must contain, and the FTC gives buyers 3 business days to cancel a sale of $25 or more made at their home. For large residential jobs, attach the estimate to a full contract.
How much deposit can a contractor ask for?
It depends on the state. For home improvement work, California caps the deposit at the lesser of 10% or $1,000, Maryland at one-third, and Massachusetts at one-third or the cost of special-order materials. Check your own state before you set yours. The template takes a percentage or a dollar amount.
How long should a construction estimate be valid?
Long enough for the customer to decide, short enough that your material prices still hold. The template starts at 30 days from the estimate date; shorten it when lumber, copper or fuel prices are moving. The date prints next to the estimate number.
Does the Excel estimate template calculate totals?
Yes. Each line multiplies quantity by unit price, each section has a subtotal, and the total, deposit and balance are formulas. Switch the deposit between % and $ from the dropdown on its label. It prints on one Letter page and opens in Google Sheets with the formulas intact.
Should I add sales tax to an estimate?
If your state taxes the work, yes, so the estimate total matches the invoice. Rules for labor and materials vary by state and by how the contract is written. The template taxes only the lines you mark taxable, and the example leaves tax at zero.
What's the difference between a construction estimate and a quote?
An estimate is your best number for the job and can change if the scope does. A quote is usually a fixed price for a defined scope. The words get mixed up a lot; what counts is the document the customer signs. More in our quote vs estimate guide.
