Your business name
Estimate
- Estimate number
- EST-0001
- Estimate date
- Sep 1, 2026
- Valid until
- Oct 1, 2026
Bill to
Customer name
| Description | Qty | Price | Tax | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | 1 | $0.00 | — | $0.00 |
- Subtotal
- $0.00
- Total
- $0.00
Free Estimate Generator
Give a client a clear, itemised estimate before work starts — and set expectations about what could change.
- Valid-until date
- Itemised pricing
- Free PDF download
Template
Subtotal$0.00
Total$0.00
What is an estimate?
An estimate is a considered guess at what a job will cost. It is not a contract and it does not bind you to the figure, but it does set the client's expectations — so the wider your uncertainty, the more explicitly you should say so on the document.
The most useful estimates break the job into lines. A single number invites haggling over the total; five lines invite a conversation about scope, which is the conversation you actually want.
Estimate vs quote
A quote is a fixed price you are prepared to be held to. An estimate is an approximation you expect to revise once the work is scoped. Using the wrong word can cost you: a client who was given an "estimate" understands the final bill may differ, while a client given a "quote" reasonably expects the number to hold.
If you are ready to commit to a price, use the quote generator instead.
How to write an estimate that gets accepted
Three habits raise acceptance rates more than pricing does: itemise, date it, and say what is excluded.
- Break the work into lines the client can recognise
- State a valid-until date so the estimate has urgency
- List exclusions explicitly — materials, travel, revisions beyond a number
- Say what would trigger a revised estimate
- Include your payment terms now, not at invoice time
Frequently asked questions
- Is an estimate legally binding?
- Generally no, as long as the document is clearly labelled an estimate and does not read as a firm offer. A quote, by contrast, can be treated as a binding offer once accepted.
- How long should an estimate stay valid?
- Thirty days is the common default. Shorten it when your material costs are volatile.
- Can I turn an estimate into an invoice?
- Yes. Once the work is done, open the invoice generator and re-enter the agreed lines, or adjust them to match what was actually delivered.