Builder Estimate Template
Sometimes a customer wants a figure before drawings exist or before anyone has seen inside the walls. That is the job of an estimate: an approximate price based on the information available, clearly labelled as such. For builders this matters most on older properties, where hidden rot, failing drainage or unknown ground conditions can only be priced once work is opened up. An honest estimate protects both sides, provided the document says plainly what it is and what it is not.
This template states the assumptions behind the figure: the scope as described by the customer, the materials spec assumed, and a note that the price is subject to a site survey and may change if hidden problems appear. PC sums for kitchens and bathrooms, and named allowances for subcontracted electrics and plumbing, keep the big variables visible without pretending they are fixed. Structural steels are shown against the engineer's calculations where they exist, and a separate line for contingency makes the unknowns explicit rather than burying them inside a padded total. Skip hire, muck away and plant costs are estimated lines too, so nothing arrives as a surprise later.
When the customer is ready to commit, the estimate becomes the basis for a full fixed quote. Download the template in Word or PDF below, or build it online using the quote generator and title the document as an estimate.
What to include in a builder estimate
- The word estimate in the title, so it cannot be mistaken for a fixed quote
- The scope of work as currently understood, referencing any drawings or survey
- The assumptions behind the figure: access, materials spec and site conditions
- Stage-by-stage breakdown: groundworks, structure, first and second fix
- PC sums for the kitchen and bathroom, stated as adjustable allowances
- Named allowances for subcontracted electrics and plumbing
- Contingency for unknowns such as hidden rot or poor ground conditions
- A note that the figure is subject to site survey and may change
- Your business details, the date and how long the estimate stands
Download the template
Or build it online, free
The quote generator produces the same professional document in your browser and saves as a PDF. Use it for an estimate too: title the document as an estimate and note that the figure is approximate.
Open the quote generatorBuilder estimate FAQs
What is the difference between a builder's estimate and a quote?
A quote is a fixed price for clearly defined work: once accepted, that is what the customer pays. An estimate is an approximate figure based on the information available at the time, and it can move up or down once a site survey is done or hidden problems appear during the work.
When should I give an estimate instead of a quote?
When you cannot yet see everything the price depends on. Early conversations about extensions, or older houses where rot, drainage or ground conditions are unknown, suit an estimate. Once drawings, a survey and a site visit are done, convert it into a fixed quote before work starts.
Can a builder's estimate change once work has started?
It can, if the document says so and the change comes from something genuinely unforeseen, such as hidden rot or worse ground than expected. Tell the customer as soon as the problem is found, agree the extra cost in writing, and only then carry out the additional work.
Can I edit the builder estimate template?
Yes. Download the Word version to change wording, add your logo and adjust the sections, or use the free online quote generator to build the same document in your browser, title it as an estimate and save it as a PDF.