Free Contractor Quote Template

What to put on a contractor quote

A quote is a commitment, so it has to nail down the scope exactly. List your business and license number, the client and job-site address, a quote number, the date, and a validity window, then describe the work and the firm price. The line that protects you is the change-order clause: state that anything outside the described scope is priced separately in writing, so the fixed price stays fixed for the fixed work.

Common line items

A contractor quote usually bundles the job into clear lines:

• Labor for the full described scope
• Materials and supplies
• Equipment or rental
• Permit and inspection fees
• Subcontractor or specialty work
• A clear total, fixed for the described scope

Quote vs estimate vs invoice

A quote differs from an estimate in one important way: you are committing to the number. Use a quote when the scope is clear and you are confident in your costs, and an estimate when the work could shift. Once the client accepts, convert the quote into an invoice rather than re-keying it, and bill the deposit to schedule.

How to write a quote that gets accepted

The fixed price is what wins jobs from clients who got burned by a contractor whose estimate kept climbing. Protect yourself with a tight scope and a change-order clause, then deliver exactly what you quoted. A free WaffleInvoice account lets the client approve the quote online and turns it into an invoice in one click, deposit and all.