Contractor Estimate Template for Excel and Google Sheets
Made by a working carpentry and remodeling contractor.
Pricing a job by hand on a notepad is where mistakes creep in: a missed line, a markup applied twice, sales tax on the wrong number. This contractor estimate template does the arithmetic for you. Type a quantity and a unit cost on each line and the sheet fills in the line total, the section subtotals, your markup, contingency, sales tax and a grand total your client can sign.
It is laid out the way a small remodeling or carpentry business actually prices work: labor, materials, subcontractors, permits and fees, and dumpster or disposal each get their own section, so you can see where the money goes before you send the number.
What is inside
- Labor, Materials, Subcontractors, Permits & Fees and Dumpster / Disposal sections with automatic line totals and subtotals
- Estimate totals: Markup % (overhead and profit), Contingency %, Sales Tax % with a choice of materials only, the full price, or none, and a Grand Total
- Optional add-ons shown separately and not added to the grand total, so the client sees choices without the main price moving
- A payment schedule that checks your percentages add up to 100%
- Scope of work, exclusions, terms and validity, plus an acceptance block with signature lines
- A Start Here tab with step-by-step instructions and a filled-in EXAMPLE copy so you can see how it works
How to use it
- Open the file in Microsoft Excel, or upload it to Google Drive and open it with Google Sheets. There are no macros or add-ons.
- Replace the [bracketed placeholders] with your business details and add your logo.
- Enter quantities and unit costs. Yellow cells are inputs; everything else calculates.
- Set your markup, contingency and tax rate, then fill in the scope, exclusions and payment schedule.
- Export to PDF and send it, or print the blank PDF version for a clipboard walk-through.
Who it is for
Carpenters, remodelers, handymen and small general contractors who want a clean, consistent estimate without paying for estimating software every month. If you already price jobs in a spreadsheet you built yourself, this gives you the same control with the totals, tax choice and payment check already worked out.
Sales tax rules for construction labor and materials differ from state to state, which is why the tax setting is a choice rather than a fixed rate. Check your state rules or ask your accountant.
Questions
Does it work in Google Sheets?
Yes. Upload the .xlsx to Google Drive and open it with Google Sheets. The formulas carry over.
Can I try it first?
Yes. A blank printable version of this estimate is free on our contractor estimate guide page. The paid version adds the automatic math.
Do I need change orders too?
The Change Order + Estimate Kit includes this estimate plus a matching change order tab and a fillable change order PDF.
Preview pages
Watermarked sample pages. Your download comes without the watermark. Click to enlarge.
Ready to get it?
Template only, not legal advice. Have it reviewed by a local attorney for your state before use.
Change Order + Estimate Kit
Bid & Proposal Template
Job-Costing Tracker