Job Estimate Generator

Who this is for

A priced estimate that does its own sums. Materials go in one table and labour in another, each line totals itself, and the summary gives the materials, labour, subtotal, tax at whatever rate you enter and the estimated total.

Trades and small service businesses — builders, decorators, electricians, gardeners, cleaners — who price jobs before starting them.

What this helps you track

• Materials and labour kept apart, so the customer can see what is what
• Line totals from quantity and unit cost, and from hours and rate
• A subtotal, tax at your rate and a total that update as you change a line
• What is included and what is excluded, written down beside the price

How to use it

1. Fill in your business, the customer, the job address and a short description of the work.
2. Give the estimate a number, a date and a date it is valid until, and enter your tax label and rate.
3. List the materials: item, quantity and unit cost. Then list the labour: each task, the hours and the hourly or daily rate.
4. Read the totals in the summary. Say what is included and what is not in the work description — it saves an argument later.
5. Print or download it for the customer, or keep the workbook and copy the sheet for the next job.

Formats

• Printable PDF (A4 and US Letter)
• Fillable PDF with form fields
• Fill in online, saved in your browser
• Excel / Google Sheets workbook

The printable is laid out inside a box that fits both A4 and US Letter, so the two files are identical and neither one is scaled. The fillable PDF has real form fields. The workbook uses plain formulas only — SUM, IF, COUNTIF and the like — so it opens in Excel, LibreOffice and Google Sheets without anything breaking, and every calculated cell is grey so you can see which figures it worked out.

How to print

Download the A4 or US Letter file to match the paper in your printer, open it in a PDF reader and print at 100% — not "fit to page", which shrinks the writing space. Both files leave a 14 mm margin, which clears the unprintable edge on home printers. To print the online version with your entries in it, use the Print this sheet button, which prints only the sheet and none of the page around it. More on printing.

Questions

Is an estimate the same as a quote?

Usually not. An estimate is a considered guess at the cost; a quote is a fixed price. Which word carries which weight can depend on where you are and what you write on it, so say which this is and check the rules if it matters.

What rate should I charge?

Your own — there is a cell for it and no figure of ours. If you price by the day, put the days in the hours column and the day rate beside them; the arithmetic is the same.

How do I add a mark-up on materials?

Enter the unit cost as the price you will charge, not the price you paid, or add a separate line for the mark-up. The sheet totals whatever is in the column.

Can I leave the tax out?

Yes. Leave the rate blank or enter 0 and the tax line stays at zero. Whether you should charge it depends on your registration and your country.