Contractor estimate template
Choose your country below to open the estimate maker with this preset selected.
An estimate tells your client what a job should cost and when each payment falls due. Below is a staged estimate that adds up, then five plain questions.
Worked example: a bathroom renovation in four payments
These are example amounts, not market rates. The "$" stands for your own currency, and tax is left out.
- Labour: 9 days × $480 = $4,320.
- Materials and allowances: waterproofing and small supplies $380, plumbing fixtures $1,100, tile allowance $2,150. Together $3,630.
- Disposal of old fittings: $650.
- Subtotal: $4,320 + $3,630 + $650 = $8,600. Add tax as your country requires.
| Stage | Due when | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Deposit | The client accepts | 20% of $8,600 = $1,720 |
| Progress payment 1 | Demolition and plumbing rough-in done | $2,400 |
| Progress payment 2 | Tiling done | $2,400 |
| Final payment | Fixtures fitted and site cleared | $2,080 |
Check the stages: $1,720 + $2,400 + $2,400 + $2,080 = $8,600. They add back to the subtotal.
The tile allowance of $2,150 is what the client may spend on tile. A dearer choice adds to the price.
Say the client upgrades the tile after work starts, for $400 more. The new total is $8,600 + $400 = $9,000. The final payment becomes $2,080 + $400 = $2,480. Write the change as its own line and have the client sign it before the tiler orders.
Make your own estimate
Make an estimate with your own business details, line items and stage payments. Once the client says yes, turn it into a work order.
Five plain questions
What is the difference between an estimate and a quote?
New Zealand's consumer regulator says "A quote is an offer to do a job for a specified price." Its guidance says "An estimate is not a fixed price." This is practice, not a rule: put the word "Quote" or "Estimate" on your document's heading, so the client knows which one they hold.
How do I word an allowance for items the client has not chosen yet?
This is workshop practice, not a rule. Name the item, give the amount you have allowed, and say the price changes if the choice costs more or less. The tile line above does this.
When does an accepted estimate become a binding agreement?
In Australia, business.gov.au says "If a customer accepts your quote, it becomes a legally binding contract." Its page is guidance on quotes, and it does not set a validity period. In New Zealand, the regulator's guidance says an accepted quote cannot be exceeded unless extra work is agreed or the scope changes. We found no official page that says the same of an estimate, so label yours clearly.
How do I handle a variation once work has started?
Write it down before the extra work starts. Give the change, the price and the new total, and ask the client to sign. That is workshop practice. The New Zealand guidance above points the same way: extra work needs to be agreed.
Where does my licence number go?
Many contractors print it under their business name at the top. This is practice, not a rule we have sourced. Check your local licensing body for what it expects on a written estimate.
Checked 22 October 2026 against business.gov.au (Prepare quotes) and consumerprotection.govt.nz (Quotes and estimates).
Sources
- business.gov.au: Prepare quotes, read 22 October 2026
- MBIE Consumer Protection (NZ): Quotes and estimates, read 22 October 2026
About this page: written by Papertern from the official sources linked on this page, and checked against them. Rules checked 22 October 2026.
Estimate makers by country
Each country edition uses the same tax name and business ID field as that country's invoice maker, with this preset selected.
| Country | Business ID field | Tax |
|---|---|---|
| Australia | ABN | GST |
| New Zealand | GST no. | GST |
| United Kingdom | VAT no. | VAT |
| Ireland | VAT no. | VAT |
| Canada | GST/HST no. | GST/HST |
| United States | EIN | Sales tax |
| Singapore | GST reg. number | GST |