Free template
Free Estimate Template
A professional estimate wins the job and protects your margin. This free estimate template lays out the work, quantities, and prices clearly, with a validity window and deposit terms so there are no surprises later. Download it as Word or PDF, or copy it into Google Docs, fill it in, and send it the same day the lead comes in. Speed wins.
Click any field to fill it in. Line-item totals, discount and tax update automatically, and your work is saved in this browser as you type. Draw your signature at the bottom, then print, download, or copy.
| Estimate # | |
| Date | |
| Valid until |
| Description | Qty | Unit price | Amount | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $0.00 | ||||
| $0.00 | ||||
| $0.00 |
| Subtotal | $0.00 |
| Discount | $0.00 |
| Tax (%) | $0.00 |
| Estimated total | $0.00 |
How to use this estimate template
- 1
Fill in your business and the client's details, plus an estimate number and dates.
- 2
List each part of the job (labor, materials, additional work) with quantity and unit price. Spell out what is included in the scope note.
- 3
Add your tax rate and confirm the estimated total.
- 4
Set a validity window and deposit terms so the price does not stay open forever and you are funded before you start.
- 5
Send it the same day the lead comes in. The contractor who estimates first usually wins the job.
What a estimate should include
- Your business and the client's details
- An estimate number and the date prepared
- A clear, itemized scope of work with prices
- What is and is not included in the price
- A validity window (for example, 30 days)
- Deposit and payment terms
- A space for the client to approve
Common estimate mistakes to avoid
- Leaving the price open with no expiration date
- Vague scope that invites change-order disputes
- No deposit, so you fund the materials yourself
- Forgetting to label it an estimate, not a final bill
- Replying days later, after a competitor already quoted
What happens after you send it
A estimate does its real work after it leaves your hands, and that part is not on the document.
An estimate has a shelf life measured in days
The homeowner is usually collecting two or three, and the decision happens within about a week of the last one arriving. An estimate that lands first and gets a follow-up before the others are in is competing on a different footing from one sent and left alone.
Most estimates die from no answer at all
Very few come back as a no. They simply go quiet, and quiet is not the same as lost. A single follow-up asking whether anything needs clarifying converts a meaningful share of them, which is far less work than writing a new estimate to replace it.
Written acceptance is what makes it schedulable
Verbal approval feels like a yes and is worth very little when the customer later remembers a different scope or a different price. A reply approving the document, or a signature on it, is what lets you order material and book a crew without carrying the risk yourself.
Stop filling in templates
Filling in an estimate template for every lead is slow, and slow estimates lose jobs. Smarfle builds estimates from your service list in seconds, sends them for the client to approve and pay a deposit online, and turns the accepted estimate into a scheduled job and invoice automatically, so you reply faster and win more work.
Frequently asked questions
How do I write an estimate?+
Use this free estimate template. Add your business and client details, an estimate number and dates, a line for each part of the job with quantity and price, your tax, and clear terms (validity window and deposit). Download it as PDF or Word and send it.
What is the difference between an estimate and a quote?+
An estimate is an approximate price that can change if the scope changes, while a quote is usually a fixed price for a defined job. Use an estimate when the work is variable and a quote when you can commit to a firm number.
Should I ask for a deposit on an estimate?+
Yes, for most jobs. A deposit (often 25 to 50%) funds your materials and confirms the client is serious before you schedule the work. This template includes a deposit line in the terms.
How long should an estimate stay valid?+
Thirty days is the usual window and it exists to protect you, not to pressure the client. Material prices move, and a number you gave in March should not bind you in August. Put the expiry on the document, and if it lapses, re-price rather than honoring a figure that no longer works.
What if the work turns out bigger than the estimate?+
Stop and re-price before continuing, in writing. An estimate is approximate by definition, so a reasonable increase is defensible, but a client discovering it on the final invoice will treat it as a bait and switch. Note on the estimate that concealed conditions are quoted separately once exposed.
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