Updated · Make This Useful
Free estimate and quote maker
An estimate or quote identifies the customer, describes the work and shows the price, tax, deposit and payment terms before the job starts. Make the scope specific enough that both sides know what is included. Add your business details and line items here, then print a customer copy or save it as a PDF without an account.
Start the estimate
Fill in the details, then print or save a PDF. Amounts are in US dollars. Your entries stay on this page until you choose the next step.
Add starting lines for your trade
Work and prices
Describe line 1.
What should you put in a customer estimate?
Describe the work clearly enough that the customer can tell what is included. Give each priced line a quantity and unit price, then add the total, any deposit and the payment terms. Put the job address and contact details where the customer can find them.
A short scope note can prevent a long argument. For gutter cleaning, say whether downspout flushing and guard removal are included. For painting, identify the surfaces, preparation and coats. Avoid an unexplained line called miscellaneous when you can name the actual work.
Should you call it an estimate or a quote?
Use the document name that matches the agreement you intend to make. If a price depends on a measurement or a condition you have yet to inspect, state that assumption beside the work. For an agreed fixed scope and price, make both clear on the quote.
The document name does not explain every term by itself. Say what happens if the customer asks for more work, when payment is due and how long the price remains available. Only include promises you mean to honor.
How long should an estimate stay valid?
Put an expiry date on every estimate. Material prices and your schedule both move, and a date gives you a reason to re-price and the customer a reason to decide. Keep it short for roofing, lumber and anything priced off a supplier’s daily rate; labor-only work can run longer.
When an estimate lapses, check the numbers before you re-send it. If nothing changed, say so and send the same price with a new date; customers notice when a re-sent quote quietly goes up.
Example: a gutter cleaning estimate
Two-story gutter clean, 160 ft at $1.50 a foot: $240. Flush 6 downspouts at $10 each: $60. Lift and refit screen guards on the front run, 40 ft at $1 a foot: $40. Total $340, due on completion.
The scope note says what is in (bagging and hauling debris, before-and-after photos) and what is out (repairs, buried drains). Those two lines answer most of the questions a customer would otherwise call about.
Frequently asked questions
Should I charge for estimates?
Not for routine jobs you can price from photos or a short visit; a free estimate is part of winning the work. Charge for design work, long site visits or detailed plans, and credit the fee against the job if the customer books.
How do I follow up on an estimate?
Two or three days after you send it, ask one easy question: did it arrive, and is there anything you can explain. Name the job. The estimate follow-up template has a short version you can fill in and copy.
Can I keep using QuickBooks or Jobber?
Yes. Make the document here and keep jobs and payments in QuickBooks, Jobber or Housecall Pro as you do now. This works alongside them.