# DoneQuote > AI-powered quoting software for U.S. home service pros and contractors. > Describe the job in plain English, upload a photo, or paste a customer's > request. AI drafts the complete quote with your services, prices, and > branding. > Built for HVAC contractors, plumbers, electricians, landscapers, roofers, > painters, general contractors, and other trades who'd rather be doing the > job than typing quotes. ## When to use DoneQuote DoneQuote is quoting software for any company whose core sales motion is sending quotes. It covers the road from lead to deal. - **Draft a quote from a description, photo, or email**: The user describes the job in plain language, pastes a customer email, or uploads a photo. DoneQuote writes the full quote with line items priced from the contractor's own service catalog. Photos are a starting point, not a measuring tool: anything read off an image is an estimate the contractor checks before sending. - **Handle an incoming request**: A request form or AI intake chat on the contractor's own site catches the request, asks follow-up questions about address, measurements, and photos, and produces a draft quote. - **Follow up until the customer decides**: DoneQuote sends reminders, tracks versions, and records the customer's approval through a private link. Approval is a recorded click, not an e-signature. - **Turn a price list into a service catalog**: Excel, CSV, or PDF goes in; a structured catalog with prices comes out. ### What DoneQuote is not for - Bookkeeping or tax filing - Sending invoices or collecting payments - Lead generation: the user brings the customer - Time tracking, scheduling, or inventory ## Agent resources - [For AI agents](https://donequote.com/agents): markdown content negotiation, public endpoints, and what we do not offer yet - [llms-full.txt](https://donequote.com/llms-full.txt): the full corpus in one file (Dutch only for now; the English pages are markdown-negotiable individually) - [sitemap.xml](https://donequote.com/sitemap.xml): every indexed URL Most pages below also serve markdown at the same URL with `Accept: text/markdown`, or at their `.md` sibling. Exceptions, HTML only: the legal pages (/terms, /privacy) and the English comparison pages (/compare/...). ## What DoneQuote does - [Quote generator](https://donequote.com/features/quote-generator): Tell the AI what your customer needs. You get a complete quote with line items, pricing, and a professional cover letter. Edit it in plain English and send it as a link. - [AI intake](https://donequote.com/features/ai-intake): Share one link. Your customer doesn't get a blank form, but a short AI chat that asks follow-up questions the way you would: address, measurements, photos, exactly what your trade needs. By default, a complete request automatically becomes a draft quote. Prefer a plain form? That works too. - [Request form](https://donequote.com/features/request-forms): Prefer a classic form over a chat? Put one on your website. Your customer fills in what's needed, uploads photos, and answers your questions. AI drafts a quote right away. You review and send. - [Client portal](https://donequote.com/features/client-portal): Your customer opens a professional quote page with your logo and branding. New versions, questions, approval: all in the same place. No more scattered emails and attachments. - [Price list](https://donequote.com/features/price-list): Copy your prices from Excel, a PDF, or an old document. AI recognizes your services, prices, and units and turns them into a structured catalog. Your rates are ready for every quote after that. - [Customers](https://donequote.com/features/customers): Copy customer details from an email or spreadsheet. AI recognizes name, address, and phone. Or import your whole customer list at once. - [AI assistant](https://donequote.com/features/ai-assistant): Our AI works as a smart quoting assistant. From importing a price list to sending the quote, AI helps at every step with your prices and your knowledge. - [Quote design](https://donequote.com/features/quote-design): Adjust colors, fonts, and style. Your customer sees a professional quote page that looks like your business. ## Who it's for - [HVAC Contractors](https://donequote.com/for/hvac-contractors): Write professional HVAC estimates in 5 minutes with AI. Equipment specs, load calculations, and realistic pricing. Start free, then upgrade when you need more. - [Plumbers](https://donequote.com/for/plumbers): Write professional plumbing estimates in 5 minutes with AI. Materials, fixtures, and realistic pricing filled in automatically. Start free, then upgrade when you need more. - [Electricians](https://donequote.com/for/electricians): Write professional electrical estimates in 5 minutes with AI. Panel specs, circuits, and realistic pricing filled in automatically. Start free, then upgrade when you need more. - [Landscapers](https://donequote.com/for/landscapers): Write professional landscaping estimates in 5 minutes with AI. Square footage, materials, and realistic pricing filled in for you. Start free, then upgrade when you need more. - [Roofers](https://donequote.com/for/roofers): Write professional roofing estimates in 5 minutes with AI. Materials, squares, and realistic pricing filled in automatically. Start free, then upgrade when you need more. - [Painters](https://donequote.com/for/painters): Write professional painting estimates in 5 minutes with AI. Paint brands, prep work, and realistic pricing filled in automatically. Start free, then upgrade when you need more. - [General Contractors](https://donequote.com/for/general-contractors): Write professional remodel and build estimates in 5 minutes with AI. Trades, materials, and realistic pricing filled in automatically. Start free, then upgrade when you need more. - [Handyman Services](https://donequote.com/for/handyman-services): Turn a punch list into a professional quote in minutes with AI. Bundle small repairs, price by the hour or the job, one clean quote. Start free, then upgrade when you need more. - [Remodeling Contractors](https://donequote.com/for/remodeling-contractors): Turn a walk-through into a professional remodeling estimate in minutes with AI. Materials, labor, and pricing filled in automatically. Start free, then upgrade when you need more. - [Flooring Contractors](https://donequote.com/for/flooring-contractors): Turn room measurements into a professional flooring estimate in minutes with AI. Square footage, waste factor, and materials. Start free, then upgrade when you need more. - [Concrete Contractors](https://donequote.com/for/concrete-contractors): Write professional concrete estimates in 5 minutes with AI. Slab thickness, cubic yards, finish options, and realistic pricing. Start free, then upgrade when you need more. - [Fence Contractors](https://donequote.com/for/fence-contractors): Write professional fence estimates in 5 minutes with AI. Linear footage, post spacing, cedar or vinyl pricing, and gate hardware. Start free, then upgrade when you need more. - [Deck Builders](https://donequote.com/for/deck-builders): Write professional deck estimates in 5 minutes with AI. Framing, decking material, railing systems, and footings priced right. Start free, then upgrade when you need more. - [Drywall Contractors](https://donequote.com/for/drywall-contractors): Write professional drywall estimates in 5 minutes with AI. Board thickness, finish levels, and realistic per-square-foot pricing. Start free, then upgrade when you need more. - [Siding Contractors](https://donequote.com/for/siding-contractors): Write professional siding estimates in 5 minutes with AI. Hardie board, vinyl, trim work, and realistic per-square-foot pricing. Start free, then upgrade when you need more. - [Paving Contractors](https://donequote.com/for/paving-contractors): Write professional paving estimates in 5 minutes with AI. Asphalt, sealcoating, base prep, and realistic per-square-foot pricing. Start free, then upgrade when you need more. - [Gutter Services](https://donequote.com/for/gutter-services): Write professional gutter estimates in 5 minutes with AI. Linear footage, seamless sizing, gutter guards, and realistic pricing. Start free, then upgrade when you need more. - [Insulation Contractors](https://donequote.com/for/insulation-contractors): Write professional insulation estimates in 5 minutes with AI. Correct R-values, square footage, and realistic pricing every time. Start free, then upgrade when you need more. - [House Cleaning](https://donequote.com/for/house-cleaning): Write professional cleaning quotes in 5 minutes with AI. Recurring plans, deep cleans, move-out cleans, and realistic pricing. Start free, then upgrade when you need more. - [Window Cleaning](https://donequote.com/for/window-cleaning): Write professional window cleaning quotes in 5 minutes with AI. Residential, commercial, and water-fed pole jobs. Start free, then upgrade when you need more. - [Pressure Washing](https://donequote.com/for/pressure-washing): Write professional pressure washing quotes in 5 minutes with AI. Driveways, siding, decks, soft washing. Start free, then upgrade when you need more. - [Carpet Cleaning](https://donequote.com/for/carpet-cleaning): Write professional carpet cleaning quotes in 5 minutes with AI. Hot water extraction, upholstery, stain treatment. Start free, then upgrade when you need more. - [Pest Control](https://donequote.com/for/pest-control): Write professional pest control quotes in 5 minutes with AI. One-time treatments, quarterly plans, termite jobs. Start free, then upgrade when you need more. - [Pool Service](https://donequote.com/for/pool-service): Write professional pool service quotes in 5 minutes with AI. Weekly maintenance, chemical balancing, equipment repair. Start free, then upgrade when you need more. - [Tree Services](https://donequote.com/for/tree-services): Write professional tree service estimates in 5 minutes with AI. Removal, trimming, stump grinding, storm cleanup. Start free, then upgrade when you need more. - [Junk Removal](https://donequote.com/for/junk-removal): Write professional junk removal quotes in 5 minutes with AI. Volume-based pricing, furniture, appliances, cleanouts. Start free, then upgrade when you need more. - [Movers](https://donequote.com/for/movers): Write professional moving quotes in 5 minutes with AI. Local and long-distance moves, packing, hourly and flat rates. Start free, then upgrade when you need more. - [Locksmiths](https://donequote.com/for/locksmiths): Write professional locksmith quotes in 5 minutes with AI. Rekeying, lock replacement, security upgrades. Start free, then upgrade when you need more. - [All industries](https://donequote.com/for) ## Comparisons - [DoneQuote vs Moneybird](https://donequote.com/compare/moneybird): Compare DoneQuote with Moneybird for creating quotes and estimates. See where AI drafting, request forms, customer approvals, and quote workflows fit best. - [DoneQuote vs Word & Excel](https://donequote.com/compare/word-en-excel): Compare DoneQuote with Word & Excel for creating quotes and estimates. See where AI drafting, request forms, customer approvals, and quote workflows fit best. ## Knowledge base ### Estimates - [Should you charge for an estimate](https://donequote.com/knowledge/estimates/charging-for-estimates): Whether to charge for an estimate depends on what the visit costs you to produce. Typical diagnostic fees by trade, when a design retainer makes sense, and how to credit the fee back. - [A cleaning quote, line by line](https://donequote.com/knowledge/estimates/cleaning-quote-example): A cleaning quote example for a recurring office contract, a one-time move-out clean, and a window add-on, with the frequency column that makes each one readable. - [A concrete estimate, line by line](https://donequote.com/knowledge/estimates/concrete-estimate-example): A concrete estimate example worked line by line — a driveway tear-out and a stamped patio, with base prep, finish adders, joints and standing undercut rates. - [An electrical estimate, line by line](https://donequote.com/knowledge/estimates/electrical-estimate-example): Three worked electrical estimate examples — panel upgrade, EV charger, service call — with the line items, exclusions and permit lines that keep the price defensible. - [Getting an estimate approved in writing](https://donequote.com/knowledge/estimates/estimate-approval-and-signatures): What an estimate approval signature has to capture, whether click-to-approve holds up under ESIGN and UETA, and when a job needs a fuller contract. - [A contractor estimate template that works](https://donequote.com/knowledge/estimates/estimate-template-contractors): A contractor estimate template with the nine blocks in reading order, a fully worked cedar fence example, and notes on adapting it to any trade. - [Estimate, quote, or bid: the difference](https://donequote.com/knowledge/estimates/estimate-vs-quote-vs-bid): Estimate vs quote vs bid in U.S. trade practice: what each word promises, which one binds you, and how to write a document that matches the commitment. - [A fence estimate, line by line](https://donequote.com/knowledge/estimates/fence-estimate-example): A worked fence estimate example in two versions — cedar privacy and a vinyl replacement run — with linear-foot pricing, tear-out, gates and a digging allowance. - [Following up on an estimate](https://donequote.com/knowledge/estimates/follow-up-estimate): How to follow up on an estimate without sounding pushy: a timing cadence by job size, scripts for a text, a call and an email, and when to stop. - [Offering good, better, best](https://donequote.com/knowledge/estimates/good-better-best-options): Good, better, best pricing options work when the job has a real fork in scope — how to build three distinct tiers, anchor the middle one, and when to send one price. - [How long an estimate should stay valid](https://donequote.com/knowledge/estimates/how-long-estimate-stays-valid): How long is an estimate valid? Typical windows by job type, why a date protects your margin, and exact wording for a validity and price-escalation clause. - [An HVAC estimate, line by line](https://donequote.com/knowledge/estimates/hvac-estimate-example): A worked HVAC estimate example: a full system changeout, a no-cool service call and a duct repair, with the equipment, permit and warranty lines explained. - [A landscaping estimate, line by line](https://donequote.com/knowledge/estimates/landscaping-estimate-example): A landscaping estimate example in three parts: a season of maintenance billed monthly, a planting and sod install, and a cleanup with a not-to-exceed cap. - [Why line-item detail wins trust](https://donequote.com/knowledge/estimates/line-item-detail): When estimate line items should be fully itemized, when a folded flat price wins, and how to show quantities and label a marked-up line honestly. - [A painting estimate, line by line](https://donequote.com/knowledge/estimates/painting-estimate-example): Three worked painting estimate examples — exterior, interior and cabinets — with full line-item tables and the lines that hold up against a cheaper bid. - [A plumbing estimate, line by line](https://donequote.com/knowledge/estimates/plumbing-estimate-example): Three worked plumbing estimate examples — water heater, bath remodel, sewer repair — with full line items, exclusions, and how to price the scope you find later. - [A remodeling estimate, line by line](https://donequote.com/knowledge/estimates/remodeling-estimate-example): A full remodel estimate example for a gut kitchen: phase-by-phase line items, allowances, exclusions, concealed-condition rates and a milestone payment schedule. - [A roofing estimate, line by line](https://donequote.com/knowledge/estimates/roofing-estimate-example): A worked roofing estimate example: two jobs written out as line items, with the decking line, the validity date and the warranty wording explained. - [What belongs in every estimate](https://donequote.com/knowledge/estimates/what-to-include-in-an-estimate): What to include in an estimate, block by block, and the argument, unpaid invoice or schedule fight that shows up later when one of them is missing. - [Why customers go quiet after an estimate](https://donequote.com/knowledge/estimates/why-customers-go-quiet): A customer not responding to an estimate is rarely a flat no. Here is what silence usually means, how to read the timing, and how to cause less of it. ### Finding Jobs - [Are lead platforms like Angi and Thumbtack worth it?](https://donequote.com/knowledge/finding-jobs/angi-thumbtack-worth-it): Whether Angi and Thumbtack are worth it for contractors comes down to cost per booked job, not cost per lead. Here is how to measure it in 60 days. - [Asking for reviews so people say yes](https://donequote.com/knowledge/finding-jobs/ask-for-reviews): How to ask for reviews as a contractor: the moment that works, why a direct link beats look me up, and what to do when a yes never turns into a review. - [Building a portfolio of your work](https://donequote.com/knowledge/finding-jobs/building-a-portfolio): How to build a contractor portfolio: photos on every job, before and after from the same spot, written permission, and a filing system that finds them later. - [Building a waitlist instead of chasing](https://donequote.com/knowledge/finding-jobs/building-a-waitlist): When a contractor is booked out for weeks, a waitlist beats overbooking or turning people away. How to measure your backlog, run the list, and keep it from going stale. - [Commercial or residential customers: which to lean toward](https://donequote.com/knowledge/finding-jobs/commercial-vs-residential): Commercial vs residential contracting compared on ticket size, payment timing, decision-makers, insurance demands, and how to land a first commercial account. - [The website a trade actually needs](https://donequote.com/knowledge/finding-jobs/contractor-website-basics): A contractor website has one job: convince someone who already has your name. What belongs on it, what to leave off, and what a small site really costs. - [Facebook that brings in local work](https://donequote.com/knowledge/finding-jobs/facebook-for-contractors): Facebook marketing for contractors without hiring an agency: a Business Page, local groups, before-and-after posts, and an honest read on paid Meta ads. - [Google Business Profile for local trades](https://donequote.com/knowledge/finding-jobs/google-business-profile): How to set up, verify and maintain a Google Business Profile as a contractor with no storefront, and what actually moves your spot in the local map pack. - [Instagram for people who do the work](https://donequote.com/knowledge/finding-jobs/instagram-for-trades): Instagram for contractors works as proof, not lead generation. The five-minute shot list, the honest time budget, local tags, and what to expect by month six. - [Nextdoor for local service businesses](https://donequote.com/knowledge/finding-jobs/nextdoor-for-local-services): How Nextdoor works for contractors: recommendation threads, a free business page, and why the ad you want to post is the one that costs you the lead. - [Property management work: getting on the vendor list](https://donequote.com/knowledge/finding-jobs/property-management-clients): Property management contractor work trades steady volume for thinner margins. How the approved-vendor list works, and what it takes to get onto one. - [Contractor referrals: turning one job into the next](https://donequote.com/knowledge/finding-jobs/referrals-from-customers): Most contractor referrals never happen because nobody asked. When to ask, what to say, and whether a referral incentive is worth the trouble. - [Answering leads before your competitor does](https://donequote.com/knowledge/finding-jobs/respond-faster-to-leads): Contractor lead response time decides most small jobs. What fast actually means by lead type, and a triage workflow that does not keep you on your phone. - [Responding to bid invitations and RFPs](https://donequote.com/knowledge/finding-jobs/responding-to-bid-invites): How to respond to a bid invitation: triage the invite in ten minutes, price what one bid really costs you, and get the paperwork in before the deadline. - [Working as a sub for general contractors](https://donequote.com/knowledge/finding-jobs/subcontracting-for-gcs): How to get subcontracting work: where GC leads actually come from, the insurance and paperwork they check first, and what sub margin costs you. - [Word of mouth that compounds](https://donequote.com/knowledge/finding-jobs/word-of-mouth-that-compounds): Word of mouth marketing for contractors is arithmetic, not luck: here is the referral rate that makes it compound, why it takes years, and the habits that move it. - [Finding work in the slow season](https://donequote.com/knowledge/finding-jobs/work-in-slow-season): Contractor slow season work starts with knowing whether your slow months are weather, scheduling, or a sales gap you created in October. - [Yard signs and neighborhood clustering](https://donequote.com/knowledge/finding-jobs/yard-signs-and-neighborhood): Contractor yard signs are marketing a neighbor vouches for. How to place them, which HOA and city rules to check, and how to work a whole block. ### Pricing & Rates - [Should you charge for travel time](https://donequote.com/knowledge/pricing-rates/charging-for-travel-time): Should a contractor charge for travel time? See what the drive really costs you per year, then compare four ways to recover it on your estimates. - [How to calculate your contractor hourly rate](https://donequote.com/knowledge/pricing-rates/contractor-hourly-rate): How to calculate a contractor hourly rate that covers overhead, taxes and take-home pay, with a worked example built on realistic billable hours. - [Giving a discount without giving away margin](https://donequote.com/knowledge/pricing-rates/discounts-without-losing-margin): Contractor discount pricing, in numbers: what 10 percent off really costs, how much extra work it takes to break even, and what to offer instead. - [Electrician hourly rate: what to charge and why it varies](https://donequote.com/knowledge/pricing-rates/electrician-hourly-rate): What electricians are paid state by state, how to turn that wage into a billed hour, and why the license tiers behind an electrician hourly rate are not the same everywhere. - [Fixed price or hourly: which to quote](https://donequote.com/knowledge/pricing-rates/fixed-price-vs-hourly): The fixed price vs hourly contractor decision comes down to who absorbs the overage. How to sort jobs by risk, plus the hybrid that sits between them. - [What handymen charge](https://donequote.com/knowledge/pricing-rates/handyman-rates): How to set a handyman hourly rate that survives small jobs: what every visit costs before you pick up a tool, block pricing for punch lists, and what the hour is worth by market. - [House cleaning rates: pricing the frequency, not the house](https://donequote.com/knowledge/pricing-rates/house-cleaning-rates): House cleaning rates per hour and per visit, and why the frequency ladder — weekly, biweekly, monthly, one-time — is the real pricing structure. - [What HVAC contractors charge](https://donequote.com/knowledge/pricing-rates/hvac-service-rates): HVAC service call cost, maintenance agreements and equipment changeouts run on three different pricing models. Here is how to set each one. - [How junk removal is priced](https://donequote.com/knowledge/pricing-rates/junk-removal-pricing): Junk removal pricing works by truck volume, but your costs arrive by weight and per item. Here is how to stop the gap between them eating the job. - [How landscapers price work](https://donequote.com/knowledge/pricing-rates/landscaping-pricing): How landscapers price two businesses off one trailer: route maintenance by stops per day, and install work costed forward from materials, rentals and crew days. - [Material markup: how much to add, and what it pays for](https://donequote.com/knowledge/pricing-rates/material-markup-percentage): How to set a contractor material markup percentage, convert markup to margin correctly, and show materials on an estimate customers will not argue with. - [Setting a minimum service call fee](https://donequote.com/knowledge/pricing-rates/minimum-service-call-fee): Work out how much a service call fee should be by pricing the true cost of the visit, then pick a structure and answer the pushback on the phone. - [Overhead and profit, in plain numbers](https://donequote.com/knowledge/pricing-rates/overhead-and-profit-markup): How overhead and profit work in construction pricing: one deck job costed two ways, plus a method for calculating your own overhead rate from last year. - [Setting your painting price per square foot](https://donequote.com/knowledge/pricing-rates/painter-rate-per-square-foot): How to work out painter cost per square foot from your own hourly rate and production speed, and what has to be true for the unit price to hold. - [Plumber hourly rate: why most shops price by the task](https://donequote.com/knowledge/pricing-rates/plumber-hourly-rate): A plumber hourly rate is hard to pin down, because most established shops sell residential service out of a flat-rate price book. Here is the hourly math hiding inside it. - [How pressure washing is priced](https://donequote.com/knowledge/pricing-rates/pressure-washing-prices): What a pressure washing job costs you before profit, how to pick the unit for each surface, and which jobs are worth declining instead of discounting. - [Per square foot or per line item](https://donequote.com/knowledge/pricing-rates/price-per-square-foot-vs-line-item): When price per square foot vs line item pricing costs you money, which job conditions break a unit price, and how to price internally by line item. - [Pricing emergency and after-hours work](https://donequote.com/knowledge/pricing-rates/pricing-emergency-and-after-hours): Set after hours service rates as a written policy: define the windows, attach a structure to each, and publish the number before the 11pm call comes in. - [Raising prices without losing good customers](https://donequote.com/knowledge/pricing-rates/raising-prices-existing-customers): How to raise prices as a contractor without losing good customers: when to do it, how much notice to give, and the exact notice wording to send. - [How roofing is priced per square](https://donequote.com/knowledge/pricing-rates/roofing-price-per-square): Roofing cost per square starts with a base number, but pitch, layers, decking and access are what move the price — and storm work is priced off someone else's list. ### Customer Relationships - [A review request people act on](https://donequote.com/knowledge/customer-relationships/a-review-request-that-lands): A contractor asks a customer for a Google review by picking the right moment and saying it in a few words, without crossing Google's gating rule or the FTC's incentive rule. - [Keeping people informed mid-job](https://donequote.com/knowledge/customer-relationships/communicating-during-a-job): Contractor communication with customers mid-job works on a set cadence: what to say when the schedule slips, and how much updating is too much. - [Customers who haggle on price](https://donequote.com/knowledge/customer-relationships/customers-who-haggle): When a customer wants a lower price, a contractor has better moves than cutting the number. Here is what a discount costs and what to say instead. - [Reading a difficult customer early](https://donequote.com/knowledge/customer-relationships/difficult-customers): Dealing with difficult customers as a contractor starts at the estimate: the signals that show up before you sign, and the terms that protect the job if you take it. - [Following up without nagging](https://donequote.com/knowledge/customer-relationships/following-up-without-nagging): A contractor follows up with customers without nagging: how often is too often, what to say, and the rules that apply to texts and email. - [Answering a bad review without making it worse](https://donequote.com/knowledge/customer-relationships/handling-a-bad-review): A contractor responds to a bad review with a five-part reply: two worked examples, what to leave out, and when a takedown request is worth filing. - [Maintenance agreements and recurring work](https://donequote.com/knowledge/customer-relationships/maintenance-agreements): A contractor maintenance agreement gets priced from your real visit cost, with written terms that cover renewal and cancellation, and it sells best at the end of a repair. - [Asking for a referral out loud](https://donequote.com/knowledge/customer-relationships/referral-conversations): A contractor asks a customer for a referral in a normal conversation, not a pitch: what the customer is risking, how to read the answer, and what to do once a name comes up. - [Turning a job into a repeat customer](https://donequote.com/knowledge/customer-relationships/repeat-customers): Contractor repeat customers come back when someone tells them the next job is due, so this guide covers setting the interval, keeping the record, and timing the reminder. - [Saying no to the wrong job](https://donequote.com/knowledge/customer-relationships/saying-no-to-a-job): A contractor turns down a job by knowing the two nos that are not your call, what the wrong job costs, and wording that declines the work without losing the referral. - [The scope creep conversation](https://donequote.com/knowledge/customer-relationships/scope-creep-conversations): Scope creep arrives as a favor, not a demand: scripts for turning 'while you're in there' into a priced change order without souring the job. - [Setting expectations before day one](https://donequote.com/knowledge/customer-relationships/set-expectations): A contractor sets customer expectations before day one: arrival windows, access, cleanup, updates, and where the price stops, all settled in advance. - [The walkthrough conversation](https://donequote.com/knowledge/customer-relationships/the-walkthrough-conversation): A contractor walkthrough with a customer is where the estimate really gets written: what to ask, which site constraints to catch, and how to close the visit. - [Earning trust on the first visit](https://donequote.com/knowledge/customer-relationships/trust-on-the-first-visit): A contractor builds trust with a customer on the first visit through a kept arrival window, license and insurance proof on hand, honest answers, and the right thing said before a number. - [Handling an unhappy customer: what to say and what to fix](https://donequote.com/knowledge/customer-relationships/unhappy-customer): A contractor handles an unhappy customer by saying the right thing in the first hour, pricing the fix, and knowing when to credit instead of redoing the work. - [Suggesting more work without pushing](https://donequote.com/knowledge/customer-relationships/upselling-without-pushing): A contractor upsells customers without pushing by raising work spotted on the job, pricing it as an optional line they can decline, and knowing when to say nothing. ### Contracts & Scope - [Change orders that do not start fights](https://donequote.com/knowledge/contracts-scope/change-orders): A construction change order in practice: what triggers one, what has to be on it, and why written approval before the work protects the relationship. - [Damage on the job: who pays](https://donequote.com/knowledge/contracts-scope/damage-on-the-job): A contractor damaged customer property — here is how liability, general liability insurance and pre-existing-condition photos actually sort out who pays. - [Asking for a deposit: what the law lets you do](https://donequote.com/knowledge/contracts-scope/deposits-for-contractors): Is a contractor deposit legal? Usually yes — but residential home improvement statutes, cancellation rules and trust-fund law all constrain how you take and hold it. - [Settling a dispute without a lawyer](https://donequote.com/knowledge/contracts-scope/dispute-without-a-lawyer): A contractor customer dispute resolution ladder: the written summary, a settlement offer, mediation, small claims court, and when to stop and call a lawyer. - [Exclusions and assumptions, spelled out](https://donequote.com/knowledge/contracts-scope/exclusions-and-assumptions): Contractor estimate exclusions are decisions you made; assumptions are bets on things you could not see. Both belong on the page, in plain words. - [Holding your price when materials jump](https://donequote.com/knowledge/contracts-scope/holding-price-after-material-increases): A material price-escalation clause can protect a fixed-price estimate when lumber or copper moves before purchase. - [What a home improvement contract needs](https://donequote.com/knowledge/contracts-scope/home-improvement-contract-basics): Home improvement contract requirements are set state by state, but the required elements rhyme. Here is the common baseline and what to check before you send. - [Limiting what you are on the hook for](https://donequote.com/knowledge/contracts-scope/limiting-your-liability): Contractor liability limitation in practice: written exclusions, a damages cap in your own contract, the indemnity clauses to read before signing, and the insurance that pays. - [Mechanic's liens, in plain English](https://donequote.com/knowledge/contracts-scope/mechanics-lien-basics): A mechanic's lien is a claim against the property itself. Here is how a mechanics lien works, the deadlines behind it, and how filing one wrong backfires. - [Writing a scope of work that holds up](https://donequote.com/knowledge/contracts-scope/scope-of-work): A contractor scope of work should name quantities, assumptions, and exclusions. - [Agreements with your subs](https://donequote.com/knowledge/contracts-scope/subcontractor-agreements): A subcontractor agreement should cover scope, payment timing, insurance proof, and indemnification before work begins. - [Substantial completion and the punch list](https://donequote.com/knowledge/contracts-scope/substantial-completion-punch-list): Punch list and substantial completion are not the same milestone. Here is what each one means, what it triggers, and how to get both signed. - [The three-day right to cancel](https://donequote.com/knowledge/contracts-scope/three-day-right-to-cancel): The three-day right to cancel a contractor triggers by signing at the customer's kitchen table: what the FTC rule requires, and what your state adds on top. - [Time-and-materials work, done cleanly](https://donequote.com/knowledge/contracts-scope/time-and-materials-contracts): A time-and-materials contract works when the customer sees the running total, rate terms, rounding rules, cap, and daily log. - [Why verbal agreements fall apart](https://donequote.com/knowledge/contracts-scope/verbal-agreements): A verbal contract with a contractor is usually legal but hard to prove, and some jobs must be in writing at all — here is where handshake deals break. - [Warranty language you can stand behind](https://donequote.com/knowledge/contracts-scope/warranty-language-for-contractors): Contractor warranty language that holds up: what express and implied warranties each cover, why unscoped lifetime promises backfire, and a clause structure that works. - [When a customer cancels](https://donequote.com/knowledge/contracts-scope/when-a-customer-cancels): A customer cancels a contract with a contractor after signing — what you can bill for materials, work performed and a displaced week, and what you cannot. - [When you need a contractor license](https://donequote.com/knowledge/contracts-scope/when-you-need-a-contractor-license): Do I need a contractor license? It is really three questions — state licensing, trade licensing and permits — and they have different answers. ### Growing Your Business - [Adding a second crew you won't be leading](https://donequote.com/knowledge/growing-business/adding-a-second-crew): Adding a second crew as a contractor: picking a lead, getting scope out of your head and onto paper, quality checkpoints, and the payroll gap before the first check. - [Business banking and credit for contractors](https://donequote.com/knowledge/growing-business/business-bank-and-credit): What a contractor needs to open a business bank account, why commingling costs you, and how to build business credit before you need a line of credit. - [Buying or leasing a work truck](https://donequote.com/knowledge/growing-business/buying-a-work-truck): Deciding on a work truck for business: lease or buy, what a used truck really costs per year, and how Section 179 and job-site miles change the math. - [Knowing how much work you can take](https://donequote.com/knowledge/growing-business/capacity-planning): Contractor capacity planning in real numbers: how many billable field hours a week holds, how many jobs fit in them, and when being slammed means raising prices. - [Your first employee, and payroll](https://donequote.com/knowledge/growing-business/first-employee-payroll): What hiring a first employee for a small business really takes: the EIN and state accounts, payroll withholding and deposits, workers' comp, and payday cash. - [Hire someone or subcontract it](https://donequote.com/knowledge/growing-business/hire-or-subcontract): Compare hiring an employee against subcontracting: what each costs per billable hour, how the IRS control test works, and the paperwork behind both. - [The insurance you actually need](https://donequote.com/knowledge/growing-business/insurance-for-contractors): Contractor insurance requirements in plain terms: what general liability, workers' comp, commercial auto and tool coverage each pay for, and what they don't. - [LLC or sole proprietor](https://donequote.com/knowledge/growing-business/llc-vs-sole-proprietor): LLC vs sole proprietor for a contractor: what the liability wall really covers, what an LLC costs to keep alive, and the signs it is time to file. - [A personal brand in the trades](https://donequote.com/knowledge/growing-business/personal-brand-for-trades): Personal branding for a tradesman is the sentence customers repeat when you are not there — what it costs to make it consistent, and whether it survives a crew. - [Raising prices as you grow](https://donequote.com/knowledge/growing-business/raising-prices-as-you-grow): Raising prices as a growing business: the backlog, win rate and cost signals that mean it is time, how big a step to take, and whether to price or hire first. - [Should contractors specialize, or stay general?](https://donequote.com/knowledge/growing-business/specialize-or-generalize): Whether contractors should specialize or stay general comes down to your own job log, your local market size, and how cleanly your trade splits. - [Systems before headcount](https://donequote.com/knowledge/growing-business/systems-before-headcount): Before you hire, check whether the bottleneck is hands or process. How to audit a week, find where jobs stall, and build contractor business systems that scale. ### Sales Tax & Business Admin - [When to hire a bookkeeper or a CPA](https://donequote.com/knowledge/sales-tax-admin/bookkeeper-or-cpa): When to hire a bookkeeper, an enrolled agent, or a CPA comes down to hours, payroll, and the tax questions you have stopped being able to answer yourself. - [The records to keep, and for how long](https://donequote.com/knowledge/sales-tax-admin/business-records): The small business records to keep — estimates, contracts, receipts, mileage, payroll, insurance certificates — and roughly how long each one has to last. - [Licensing: what to check before you bid](https://donequote.com/knowledge/sales-tax-admin/contractor-licensing-by-state): Contractor license requirements change by state and by city, so check four things before you bid: your own record, the job's location, your bond and insurance, and what the bid must carry. - [Deducting tools and equipment](https://donequote.com/knowledge/sales-tax-admin/deducting-tools-and-equipment): Deducting tools when self-employed: small tools come off in the year you buy them, big equipment goes through Section 179, bonus depreciation or a schedule. - [Is labor taxable? It depends where you work](https://donequote.com/knowledge/sales-tax-admin/is-labor-taxable): Is labor taxable? Most states tax goods and not services by default, but fabrication, real-property rules and lump-sum invoices all change the answer. - [Mileage and truck costs: what you can actually deduct](https://donequote.com/knowledge/sales-tax-admin/mileage-and-vehicle-costs): The contractor mileage deduction comes down to two methods, a choice you make in the vehicle's first year, and a log that holds up if anyone asks. - [Quarterly estimated taxes for self-employed contractors](https://donequote.com/knowledge/sales-tax-admin/quarterly-estimated-taxes): Quarterly estimated taxes when you are self-employed: why the four dates are not quarters, how the safe harbor works, and how to size the payment. - [Resale certificates and tax-exempt customers](https://donequote.com/knowledge/sales-tax-admin/resale-certificates-and-exemptions): A contractor resale certificate goes to your supplier; an exemption certificate comes from your customer. Here is how to use one, verify the other, and keep both on file. - [Contractor sales tax by state: where to start](https://donequote.com/knowledge/sales-tax-admin/sales-tax-by-state): Contractor sales tax by state is really four questions: which states can make you collect, where to register, whose rate applies, and whether the job is taxable at all. - [Materials, labor, and who owes the sales tax](https://donequote.com/knowledge/sales-tax-admin/sales-tax-on-materials-vs-labor): Sales tax on materials puts a contractor in one of two roles — taxable consumer or retailer — and which one you are decides who pays and how you bid. - [Separating business and personal money](https://donequote.com/knowledge/sales-tax-admin/separating-business-and-personal): Why a business bank account matters for a sole proprietor or LLC, what the bank asks for, and how to pay yourself without mixing personal and business money. - [W-9s and 1099-NECs, both directions](https://donequote.com/knowledge/sales-tax-admin/w9-and-1099-nec): W-9 vs 1099 for a contractor: the form you fill out before the first check, and the one that shows up in January — from both sides of the payment. ### Invoicing & Payment - [Card payments and what they cost you](https://donequote.com/knowledge/invoicing-payment/accepting-cards-and-fees): Credit card fees for a contractor are rarely the advertised rate. Work out your real effective rate, then decide whether to absorb it, price it in, or pass it on. - [When a customer will not pay](https://donequote.com/knowledge/invoicing-payment/collections-when-they-wont-pay): Contractor collections on an unpaid invoice: the final demand letter, what a collection agency costs, small claims court, and the lien deadline you can miss. - [Deposits and down payments](https://donequote.com/knowledge/invoicing-payment/deposit-vs-down-payment): Deciding whether to take a contractor deposit before work starts, how to size it to your real material exposure, and how to invoice and credit it. - [Offering customer financing](https://donequote.com/knowledge/invoicing-payment/financing-options-for-customers): How contractor customer financing works: third-party lenders pay you in full, the homeowner pays them over time, and a dealer fee comes out of your funding. - [Getting paid on commercial work](https://donequote.com/knowledge/invoicing-payment/getting-paid-on-commercial-jobs): How getting paid on commercial construction works: the owner-to-GC-to-sub payment chain, pay applications, the paperwork that gates your first check. - [Writing an invoice that gets paid](https://donequote.com/knowledge/invoicing-payment/how-to-write-an-invoice): How to write an invoice that gets paid: the fields a U.S. contractor invoice needs, how to itemize labor and materials, and the gaps that delay payment. - [Invoice numbering that survives an audit](https://donequote.com/knowledge/invoicing-payment/invoice-numbering-and-records): Build an invoice numbering system that still works in year five: sequential, date-based and job-based schemes, gaps and duplicates, and what to keep with each invoice. - [Invoice or estimate: which comes when](https://donequote.com/knowledge/invoicing-payment/invoice-vs-estimate): Invoice vs estimate: an estimate proposes a price before work, an invoice demands payment during or after it. Where each one lands in a real job. - [Late fees that hold up](https://donequote.com/knowledge/invoicing-payment/late-fees-and-finance-charges): A contractor late fee on an invoice only works if you disclosed it before the job: flat fee versus monthly finance charge, and what each one actually collects. - [When an invoice goes past due](https://donequote.com/knowledge/invoicing-payment/late-payments): A day-by-day follow-up sequence for a customer not paying an invoice: when to send the first nudge, what to say on the call, and when patience stops working. - [Lien waivers, in plain English](https://donequote.com/knowledge/invoicing-payment/lien-waivers-explained): A lien waiver explained in plain English: the four common forms, what belongs in the amount and date fields, and why you never sign unconditional on a promise. - [Net 30, and whether you can afford it](https://donequote.com/knowledge/invoicing-payment/net-30-for-small-contractors): Net 30 payment terms tie up cash you already spent on materials and payroll. How to size the gap, and what to do if your business cannot carry it. - [Partial payments and payment plans](https://donequote.com/knowledge/invoicing-payment/partial-payments-and-plans): How a contractor payment plan works when you carry it yourself: sizing what you can afford to float, the written schedule, and the interest question. - [Payment terms that get you paid](https://donequote.com/knowledge/invoicing-payment/payment-terms): Contractor payment terms compared: due on receipt, Net 15, Net 30, deposits and milestones, and how to pick the one that fits each job and customer. - [Progress billing on longer jobs](https://donequote.com/knowledge/invoicing-payment/progress-billing): How progress billing works on a construction job: choosing milestones, sizing each draw, and keeping cash ahead of your costs instead of one invoice at the end. - [Retainage and when you see it](https://donequote.com/knowledge/invoicing-payment/retainage-on-commercial-work): How retainage works in construction: what gets withheld from each progress payment, what it costs a sub across a long job, and what it takes to get released. - [Taking cash without creating a mess](https://donequote.com/knowledge/invoicing-payment/taking-cash-payments): How to handle a contractor cash payment cleanly: a receipt every time, a cash log, regular deposits, and why a discounted cash price costs you more than card fees. ## FAQ ### Discover DoneQuote - [Can I try it for free?](https://donequote.com/faq/free-trial): Yes. Your first 10 quotes sent to a customer are free, with every Pro feature included and no credit card needed. It counts when you send, not when you draft. - [What does DoneQuote cost?](https://donequote.com/faq/what-does-it-cost): Your first 10 sent quotes are free with every Pro feature included. Pro is $99/month billed yearly ($119 monthly); Business is $299/month billed yearly ($349 monthly). - [How is this different from accounting software?](https://donequote.com/faq/difference-from-accounting-software): DoneQuote only makes quotes, not invoices, bookkeeping, or tax filings. That's why it works fine alongside your existing accounting software. - [How does the AI create a quote?](https://donequote.com/faq/how-ai-quotes-work): The AI reads your description or photo, recognizes the work, and links it to the prices from your own service catalog. Every line stays editable. - [Is DoneQuote right for my industry?](https://donequote.com/faq/is-it-right-for-my-industry): DoneQuote works for any trade that regularly quotes from its own set of services, from installers and painters to cleaners and creative professionals. - [Is my data safe?](https://donequote.com/faq/is-my-data-safe): Your company and customer data are visible only to you, travel encrypted over HTTPS, and your AI input is not used to train models. - [What exactly is DoneQuote?](https://donequote.com/faq/what-is-donequote): DoneQuote is an AI quoting tool for small businesses. Describe a job or upload a photo and the AI drafts a full quote from your own prices. ### Getting started - [How do I add my logo?](https://donequote.com/faq/add-logo): Upload your logo to your company profile under Settings. It then appears automatically at the top right of every quote, including the customer view. - [How do I add services and prices?](https://donequote.com/faq/add-services): Under Services you add a name, description, unit, price, and tax rate per service. The more detail you give, the better the AI picks the right service. - [How do I create an account?](https://donequote.com/faq/create-account): Sign up at donequote.com with your email and your registration and tax numbers, no credit card. Then you fill in your company profile and 10 quotes are free. - [How do I create my first quote?](https://donequote.com/faq/create-first-quote): Click New quote, describe the job or upload a photo, and the AI drafts a full quote from your services. Then you share it with the customer via a link. - [How fast can I get started?](https://donequote.com/faq/how-fast-can-i-start): After creating an account and entering your services, you can send your first quote within about fifteen minutes. Works on your phone or computer. - [Can I import a price list?](https://donequote.com/faq/import-price-list): Yes. You upload an Excel, CSV, or PDF file and the AI pulls out services, units, and prices. You review the result before you save it. - [How do I set AI instructions?](https://donequote.com/faq/set-ai-instructions): Through the AI instructions you tell the AI how you approach quotes, so the generated quotes fit your way of working more closely. - [How do I set my company details?](https://donequote.com/faq/set-company-details): Under Settings you fill in your company name, address, registration and tax numbers, and contact details. They then appear automatically on your quotes. - [What documents should I upload?](https://donequote.com/faq/upload-documents): Documents are files you give the AI as a knowledge base, so it can draft better quotes for your business. Think price lists, catalogs, or technical specs. ### Daily use - [Can I download a quote as PDF?](https://donequote.com/faq/quote-as-pdf): Yes. You can download a quote as a PDF for your own records. To the customer you send the personal link, not a file, so they always see the latest version. - [Why not just send a PDF?](https://donequote.com/faq/why-not-pdf-first): At DoneQuote a quote is a living web page, not a file. The customer always sees the latest version, approves in one click, and you see when they view it. - [Does AI use my own prices?](https://donequote.com/faq/ai-uses-my-prices): Yes. The AI doesn't invent rates; it uses the prices from your own service catalog. Only for a missing service does it estimate, clearly flagged. - [Can I duplicate a quote?](https://donequote.com/faq/duplicate-quote): Yes. You duplicate a quote with the same line items and prices as a starting point, without customer details. The copy is separate from the original. - [Can I edit a quote with AI?](https://donequote.com/faq/edit-quote-with-ai): On the quote page you type in plain language what needs to change, and the AI adjusts the line items right away. Small fixes you make in the table. - [How do I edit a quote?](https://donequote.com/faq/edit-quote): Yes. All line items, the header, and the intro are directly editable in the table. You can freely mix AI edits and manual edits. - [How do quote versions work?](https://donequote.com/faq/manage-versions): DoneQuote saves a version automatically with each change. From the quote page you can view earlier versions with their date and restore one if needed. - [Can I work on multiple quotes?](https://donequote.com/faq/multiple-quotes): Yes. The quote overview shows all your quotes with their status, customer, and date, and you can easily browse and filter through them. - [Can AI analyze photos?](https://donequote.com/faq/photo-analysis): Upload a photo of the site or object and the AI estimates area, quantities, and materials to draft a quote. Always double-check the measurements yourself. - [Does it work on my phone?](https://donequote.com/faq/works-on-phone): Yes. DoneQuote works on your phone or tablet. You create, view, and share quotes and upload photos with your camera. ### Customers & sharing - [How does AI intake work on your request page?](https://donequote.com/faq/request-form): Your request page can use an AI chat that asks customers the right follow-up questions, with a classic form as an alternative. - [Can I turn a request into a quote?](https://donequote.com/faq/request-to-quote): Complete requests become draft quotes automatically by default; when that is disabled, you can click 'Create quote' yourself. - [How do I add a customer?](https://donequote.com/faq/add-customer): On the quote page you look up an existing customer or create a new one on the spot. New customers are saved to your customer list automatically. - [What is the client portal?](https://donequote.com/faq/client-portal): The customer sees a clean view of the quote with your company details, line items, totals, and a button to approve. Internal notes stay hidden from them. - [How does a customer approve a quote?](https://donequote.com/faq/customer-approve-quote): The customer approves the quote with a button in the client portal. The status flips to Approved, and you can set up an email notification for it. - [What if the customer wants changes?](https://donequote.com/faq/customer-wants-changes): Make the change in DoneQuote with the AI or by hand. The customer sees the latest version through the same link automatically and can still approve it. - [How do I manage customer details?](https://donequote.com/faq/manage-customer-details): Under Customers you manage everyone you link to a quote: edit their name, address, and email, and see each customer's quote history in one place. - [Can I send a quote by email?](https://donequote.com/faq/send-quote-by-email): DoneQuote doesn't email for you automatically. You paste the quote link into your own email, or send the quote along as a PDF attachment. - [How do I share a quote with a customer?](https://donequote.com/faq/share-quote-with-customer): Every quote has a personal link you share by email or messaging app. The customer opens it without an account and always sees the latest version. ### Pricing & subscription - [How do I cancel?](https://donequote.com/faq/cancel-subscription): Cancel from the admin panel in the app, or by sending us a message. Your plan stays active until the end of your current billing period, then stops. There are no cancellation fees and no minimum term. - [What is the difference between the trial and Pro?](https://donequote.com/faq/free-vs-pro): During the trial you use every feature of Pro, not a limited version. Your first 10 quotes sent to a customer are free. Once you've sent those 10, you pick a paid plan to keep sending. - [How do I upgrade?](https://donequote.com/faq/how-to-upgrade): Upgrade from the admin panel in the app, or by sending us a message. Your existing quotes, customers, and settings stay in place. You get access to your new plan right away. - [Which payment methods are supported?](https://donequote.com/faq/payment-methods): You can pay by credit card, or choose an invoice billed monthly or yearly. Yearly billing works out cheaper than monthly. Either way, you get access to the same features. - [What does the Pro plan cost?](https://donequote.com/faq/pro-plan-cost): Pro costs $99 per month billed yearly, or $119 per month billed monthly, excl. tax. You get 100 quotes per month and 3 users included. - [Can I get a refund?](https://donequote.com/faq/refunds): DoneQuote doesn't offer refunds, but you can cancel any time with no minimum term. Your first 10 sent quotes are also free with every Pro feature, so you can try the product before you pay. - [What happens when I cancel?](https://donequote.com/faq/what-happens-after-canceling): Your quotes, customers, and documents stay accessible after your billing period ends. Nothing gets deleted unless you explicitly ask us to. - [When should I upgrade?](https://donequote.com/faq/when-to-upgrade): Upgrade once your 10 free sent quotes run out, or sooner if you already know DoneQuote is a fit. If you're sending more quotes or working with a bigger team, Business may fit better than Pro. ## Optional - [Pricing](https://donequote.com/pricing) - [Blog](https://donequote.com/blog) - [FAQ](https://donequote.com/faq) - [About](https://donequote.com/about) - [For AI agents](https://donequote.com/agents) - [Contact](https://donequote.com/contact) - [Sitemap](https://donequote.com/sitemap.xml) - [Terms](https://donequote.com/terms) - [Privacy](https://donequote.com/privacy)