Construction Estimate Template
A construction estimate has to show where the money goes. List materials, labor and equipment as direct costs, then overhead and profit, and spell out the payment schedule, the warranty and how changes are priced, so the final invoice is never the first time the client sees a number.
No sign-up. Totals, tax and deposit are worked out for you; print it or save it as a PDF.
Free download (no sign-up): Excel / Word
This estimate as a file you can fill in and send: the line items below, with amounts, tax and the total worked out by formulas.
How to use this file
- Download it and open it in Excel, Google Sheets, Numbers, Word or Google Docs.
- Put in your business details and the client, then replace the example lines and prices with your own. In Excel, amounts, tax and the total update as you type.
- Check the payment terms, then save it as a PDF and send it to the client.
Example line items
| Item | Unit | Qty | Example price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Demolition and haul-away | job | 1 | 1,500–4,000 |
| Framing and drywall (labor and materials) | sq ft | 400 | 6–12 / sq ft |
| Electrical rough-in and fixtures | job | 1 | 3,000–8,000 |
| Equipment rental (lift, dumpster) | day | 3 | 250–600 / day |
| Overhead (supervision, insurance, permits handling) | job | 1 | 8–15% of direct cost |
| Profit | job | 1 | 8–12% of direct cost |
Amounts are examples before tax, not price advice. Add sales tax or VAT where it applies.
What to put on the quote
- Project name, site address, the drawings or scope document the price is based on, and their version or date.
- What is excluded: permits and fees, owner-supplied items, after-hours work, hidden conditions.
- Schedule: start date, working days, and what can move it (weather, late decisions, inspections).
- Payment schedule tied to milestones, and how change orders are priced and approved.
- Warranty: what it covers, for how long, and from which date.
Common mistakes
- One lump sum with no breakdown, so the client cannot tell what a change costs.
- Starting extra work on a verbal OK and arguing about the price at the end.
- Forgetting disposal, protection and final cleaning, then adding them to the last invoice.
Deposit, balance and validity
A common pattern is a deposit on signing, progress payments at named milestones (rough-in, drywall, substantial completion) and a final payment after the punch list. Some states cap the deposit on home-improvement contracts, so check your state before you set it. Keep the estimate valid for 30 days and require a signed change order with a price before extra work starts.
How a construction estimate adds up
Every line on a construction estimate belongs to one of five layers. Keeping them separate is what lets you price a change in one minute instead of one argument.
| Layer | What goes in it |
|---|---|
| Materials | Everything that stays in the building: lumber, drywall, tile, fixtures, wire |
| Labor | Your crew and subcontractors, by trade or by phase |
| Equipment | Rentals, dumpsters, lifts, delivery |
| Overhead | Supervision, insurance, travel, permits handling, small tools |
| Profit | What the business earns for the risk |
Worked example: a small commercial fit-out
The figures below are examples to show the arithmetic, not market prices.
| Line | Amount (USD) |
|---|---|
| Materials | 18,000 |
| Labor | 14,000 |
| Equipment and disposal | 3,000 |
| Direct cost | 35,000 |
| Overhead, 10% of direct cost | 3,500 |
| Profit, 10% of direct cost | 3,500 |
| Contract price before tax | 42,000 |
Sales tax is left out because it depends on the state and on how the contract is written. Add it on its own line where it applies.
Payment schedule
| Payment | When | Share | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deposit | On signing | 10% | 4,200 |
| Progress 1 | Rough-in inspection passed | 40% | 16,800 |
| Progress 2 | Substantial completion | 40% | 16,800 |
| Final | Punch list done | 10% | 4,200 |
| Total | 100% | 42,000 |
Tie each payment to something both sides can see, such as a passed inspection, not to a date.
Change orders
Write every change as a numbered change order before the work starts: what changes, the price (using the same unit prices and percentages as the estimate), and the effect on the schedule. Removed work is a credit on the same form. The client signs, and the contract price is updated.
Related
Questions people ask
Should overhead and profit be shown as separate lines?
It is your choice. Showing them makes change orders easier to price, because the client has already agreed to the percentages. Many small contractors fold them into unit prices instead; either way, use the same method for every change.
How do I handle sales tax on a construction estimate?
Rules differ by state: some tax only the materials, some the whole contract, some neither. Check your state revenue department and show tax on its own line so the client sees the pre-tax price.
What is retainage?
An amount (often 5–10% on commercial work) the client holds back from each payment until the job is complete or the warranty period starts. If a client asks for it, write the percentage and the release condition on the estimate.
How long should the warranty be?
One year on workmanship is common for small jobs, with manufacturer warranties passed through for products. Say what is excluded, such as damage from misuse or work by others.
Can I fill this in online?
Yes. The free quote tool works out subtotals, tax and the deposit, and saves a PDF. No sign-up.