Handyman estimate template.
A handyman estimate is usually a list: the homeowner walks you round and points. This template prices each job on its own line, so the customer can approve some jobs now and leave others for another day.
No sign-up. Works on any phone. Download as PDF.
Your business
Customer
Details
Items
Adjustments
Tax applies only to items with Taxable switched on.
Notes
Saved on this device only. Nothing is uploaded. To save as PDF on iPhone, tap Download PDF, then the Share button, then Save to Files.
Preview
Be first on iPhone.
One email when NailQuote launches. Nothing else.
We’ll use your email only for the launch. Privacy
A worked example.
Walkthrough list: mount TV, fix sticking back door, install shower grab bar, recaulk tub, replace two door knobs.
JobWalkthrough list: mount TV, fix sticking back door, install shower grab bar, recaulk tub, replace two door knobs
| Description | Qty | Rate | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mount customer’s 65 in TV on drywall into studs (customer’s bracket) 1 ea × $150.00 | 1 ea | $150.00 | $150.00 |
| Sticking back door: plane edge, adjust strike plate (estimated hours) 1.5 hr × $75.00 | 1.5 hr | $75.00 | $112.50 |
| Install shower grab bar into studs or rated anchors 1 ea × $125.00 | 1 ea | $125.00 | $125.00 |
| Remove old caulk and recaulk tub surround 1 ea × $140.00 | 1 ea | $140.00 | $140.00 |
| Replace interior door knobs (customer-selected) 2 ea × $35.00 | 2 ea | $35.00 | $70.00 |
| Estimated materials: caulk, anchors, fasteners, grab bar mounting kit · taxed 1 lot × $42.00 | 1 lot | $42.00 | $42.00 |
| Subtotal | $639.50 |
| Tax (7% on taxable lines) | $2.94 |
| Total | $642.44 |
NotesEstimate valid 30 days. Jobs can be approved individually. The door is time and materials: if it needs more than 2.5 hours we’ll call before going further. Materials billed at actual cost on the invoice.
Illustrative prices; use your own rates. Totals are calculated by the same code as the generator.
How the numbers add up
- Jobs you do often (TV mounts, grab bars, caulking) get fixed prices. The door is time and materials, because you won’t know how much to plane until it’s off its hinges.
- Every job is its own line, so the customer can approve the grab bar and caulking today and leave the TV for next month without a new estimate.
- Materials are an estimate; the invoice will show what they actually cost. Only materials are taxed here (7% of $42 = $2.94). Check your state’s rules for labour.
Fixed price or time and materials, job by job
You don’t have to pick one for the whole estimate. Use a fixed price for jobs you could do with your eyes shut, and time and materials for anything where the problem is hidden: behind a wall, under a floor, inside a door.
For time-and-materials lines, write the estimated hours and a cap that triggers a phone call. Customers accept an open-ended line much more easily when they know it can’t run away.
Writing the scope so it can’t stretch
Small jobs grow when the description is vague. Name the details:
- What’s being installed, and who supplies it (“customer’s bracket”).
- Where exactly (“shower, left wall”).
- What finishing is included: patching, painting, haul-away.
- What happens if you find something unexpected.
From approved estimate to invoice
When the work is done, switch the generator from Estimate to Invoice, delete any jobs the customer didn’t approve, replace estimated hours and materials with the actual figures, and send it before you leave.
Questions and answers.
Can I give a handyman estimate over the phone?
For a job you know well, such as mounting a TV, yes. For anything you can’t see, give a range or a time-and-materials price, and confirm on site before you start.
What if a job takes longer than the estimate?
If it’s a fixed-price line, that’s usually your cost, unless you found something the estimate excluded. If it’s time and materials, call the customer when you hit the cap you wrote down.
How do I price a job I’ve never done before?
Price it as time and materials with an hours estimate and a cap. Time yourself, and next time you can quote it as a fixed price.
Which jobs need a licensed contractor instead of a handyman?
It depends on your state. Many states limit the dollar value of work you can do without a contractor licence, and electrical, plumbing and gas work often needs a licensed trade. Check your state’s licensing board before you estimate it.
Can the customer approve only some of the jobs?
Yes, that’s why each job has its own line. Write “jobs can be approved individually” in the notes, then invoice only the jobs you did.
Be first on iPhone.
One email when NailQuote launches. Nothing else.
We’ll use your email only for the launch. Privacy