Estimates
How do you use a contractor estimate or quote template?
By DoneQuote Editorial · August 23, 2026 · 7 min read
On this page · 4 sections
A contractor estimate or quote template gives you a place to record the customer's request, the work you will do and the price. Fill it using the request and your assessment, then add the planning, terms and a way to accept.
Reuse the structure and descriptions that fit the job. Check the quantities, prices, dates and exclusions for each customer before sending.
What should a contractor estimate or quote template include?
Use sections that answer the customer's practical questions:
| Section | What to include |
|---|---|
| Business and customer details | Names, contact details, job address and license information where required |
| Quote details | Quote number, issue date and the date the price expires |
| Work included | Tasks, products, quantities and locations covered by the price |
| Price | Priced items, tax treatment and the total |
| Work not included and details to check | Tasks outside the price and conditions that still need checking |
| Additional rates, when useful | Prices for possible extra work, separate from the quoted total |
| Planning | Work stages, their order and expected timing |
| Terms | Payment, warranty and other conditions |
| Acceptance | How the customer approves this version of the offer |
A small repair may need only a short description of the visit. A project with several stages needs a plan that explains the sequence. Choose the sections to match the job.
Example: a quote for replacing a fence
For this fictional example, a customer emails a request to replace a chain-link fence with a cedar privacy fence and add a walk gate. They want the new fence to extend farther along the side yard.
The contractor checks the site and measures 132 feet of old fence to remove. The new fence and gate span 148 feet: 144 feet of fence plus a 4-foot gate. The ground slopes at the rear corner. Three fence panels will sit at different heights to follow it.
The scope, names and prices are invented for illustration. The following sections show how to present the quote. Add the material details and work locations for your own job before sending.
Quote and customer details
- Business: Ridgeline Fence & Deck LLC.
- Customer: Dana Whitfield.
- Job address: 87 Corliss Lane, Springfield.
- Quote number: 2026-0413.
- Issued: August 20, 2026.
- Valid through: September 19, 2026.
Add your business address, contact details and any required license information to the header.
Work included in the fence quote
Remove the old fence
- Remove 132 feet of chain-link fence and its posts along the north and east boundaries.
- Haul away the removed materials.
Install the replacement fence and gate
- Supply and install 144 feet of 6-foot cedar privacy fence along the north and east boundaries.
- Install three stepped panels at the rear corner to follow the slope.
- Supply and install one 4-foot cedar walk gate to the side yard, with a steel frame, self-closing hinges and a gravity latch.
- Arrange the fence permit included in the price and clean up the work area.
Record the fence position and construction specification from your site assessment. If you refer to a plan, attach it and identify its revision date.
Price for the included work
| Description | Quantity | Unit price | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Remove and haul away chain-link fence and posts | 132 feet | $4.50 | $594.00 |
| Supply and install cedar privacy fence | 144 feet | $28.00 | $4,032.00 |
| Supply and install walk gate | 1 gate | $420.00 | $420.00 |
| Additional labor for stepped panels at the rear corner | 3 panels | $70.00 | $210.00 |
| Fence permit | 1 permit | $95.00 | $95.00 |
| Total before any applicable tax | $5,351.00 |
The stepped-panel charge covers additional labor; the fence materials are included in the per-foot price. Complete the tax information for the job and show the total the customer will pay before sending your quote.
Work outside the fence quote
- Boundary surveying or property-line staking.
- Removal of buried rock or concrete discovered during excavation.
- Staining or sealing the new fence.
- Repairs to existing sprinkler lines.
Describe how you will handle discoveries before work starts. For example:
If we find buried rock or concrete, we will pause the affected work. We will send a written description of the extra work, its price and any schedule change for your written approval before proceeding.
Additional rates for extra fence removal
Removal and disposal of additional chain-link fence: $4.50 per foot. This rate applies only to removal beyond the 132 feet included in this quote. Additional work requires your written approval and is excluded from the $5,351.00 total.
An additional rate explains how you charge for a particular extra task. Write down the extra quantity and total charge for the customer to approve before work starts. Work without a listed rate needs a separate price.
Planning for the fence installation
- Before starting: confirm the fence position, required permissions, utility information, material delivery and site access.
- Removal and preparation: remove the old fence and prepare the replacement fence supports.
- Installation: fit the fence panels and gate once the supports are ready.
- Completion: check the gate operation, remove remaining debris and review the work with the customer.
Add the expected start date or date range and expected duration for the site. State what depends on approvals, deliveries or weather. The sequence explains the work; the dates explain when to expect it.
Payment and warranty terms
Write the payment dates or completion milestones and the amount due at each. If you request a deposit, check the rules for your location before setting it.
List your workmanship warranty and the applicable material warranty separately. Use the terms you offer for that job, including any conditions or exclusions.
Customer acceptance
Ask the customer to approve the version containing the scope, price, planning and terms. Keep the quote and its approval together.
Check whether your location requires a particular contract or additional notices. California's contractor board, for example, explains its requirements in its guide to contracts and binding agreements. This template does not replace required contract documents. Read how to record an estimate's approval for more detail.
How do you adapt the template to another trade?
Describe the work and choose units that explain the price. A cleaning quote might use visits and hours; a remodeling quote might group work by phase. Equipment installation needs the brand, model and installation tasks.
Recheck the schedule, terms and additional rates as well as the work included in the price. A recurring cleaning service and a one-time fence installation need different schedules and payment arrangements. Keep only the sections that help explain the offer.
How can DoneQuote help you reuse a quote template?
In DoneQuote, use your saved service descriptions and prices to draft from a customer's request. Review the draft and add the details confirmed during your assessment.
You can present included work in the quote table, additional rates in Rates, work planning in Phases, and payment or warranty terms in Agreements. The additional rates stay outside the quote total. Check which sections the job needs before sending the customer an online quote to review and approve.
See the difference between estimating and quoting software if you also need help calculating the job's costs.
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