Insightly: https://googleapps.insight.

ly/projects/details/9647916
PKW/SKW: estimate template, free estimate template
Sources
KW Research: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1a0VJQ4q7vQ8yFJpwzHwMOh-
brStPzXxc2ibE8UKHfPA/edit#gid=783201657
Partner: Pipedrive

7 Free Estimate Templates to Help You Win More

Deals
An estimate template is a reusable form that can be sent to customers to provide a breakdown
of the costs associated with a project or product purchase. Estimates should include both the
materials and labor involved and these templates are designed to be easy to use for a variety of
businesses.

Pipedrive is a customer relationship management (CRM) tool that can help you create and
manage estimates, as well as stay engaged with your customers throughout the sales process.
Pipedrive features contact and deal management, along with email sync and tracking. Plans
start at $12.50 per month, per user. Visit Pipedrive to start a free trial today.

<Visit Pipedrive>

How an Estimate Works

The estimate templates included here are simply a place for you to start when sending an
estimate to a customer. Usually, an estimate is sent in order to provide a customer with an
approximate cost for a specific project and include the products and/or services that you know
will be included. Estimate templates provide you with a standard form that you can use over and
over by changing the information included for each new customer.

The biggest benefit of using a template is that you can spend your time engaging with your
customers instead of trying to figure out the right format or layout, or worrying about whether
you’re including everything that matters to the customer. Templates already provide you with the
framework and you just add the appropriate information.

Estimate Templates
Each of the estimate templates below is created in Google Docs and can be downloaded and
adjusted to fit your specific business needs. Be sure to add in your own business information
and feel free to make changes. These templates are meant to be a place to start, instead of
having to create your own templates from scratch.
Because they are designed in Google Docs, simply go to File > Make a Copy, add the
information you need, and share the document via email. Anyone can open the estimate in
Google Docs without any special software required, or you can save your estimate as a Word
document and email it to your customer. We’ve made it easy to download the templates that
work for your business, or download them all for future use.

Download the free estimate template.

7 Free Estimate Templates

Estimate Template Best For

Freelance Project Estimate Individuals who provide freelance design or contract

work

Professional Services Estimate Professional firms who provide estimates for legal,
accounting, or similar work

Repair Estimate Businesses that provide maintenance and repair

services

Contractor Estimate General contractors and other building-related

businesses

Product Cost Estimate Providing a customer with the costs associated with a
large product purchase

Consulting Services Estimate Individuals or companies that provide marketing,

business, or other consulting expertise

General Estimate Businesses that need a multi-purpose estimate template

1. Freelance Project Estimate Template
A freelance estimate template can be used when sending an estimate to a client or customer for
whom you are providing freelance services such as graphic design or content writing. This type
of estimate focuses on the time involved in providing specific services and normally does not
include specific products. Instead, the completed project is considered the deliverable.

In some cases, an estimate might provide a single cost for a deliverable (i.e., the completed
website, or a delivered design). However, more often an estimate is based on the number of
hours you anticipate spending on the project, multiplied by your hourly rate. In that case, it’s
important to provide your best approximation of how much time it will reasonably take to not
only complete the project but also allow for revisions that may be requested by a client.

<Download the Freelance Estimate Template>

2. Professional Services Estimate Template

This estimate is used for firms that provide professional services and want to provide an
advance estimate of the amount of work and cost involved in providing those services. This
template is similar to the freelance estimate template in that it focuses on the hours spent
working for the client, but often does not include a specific deliverable other than providing
professional services.
This template is commonly used by businesses such as bookkeeping and accounting,
attorneys, or auditing firms, though it can also be used by other agencies like marketing or
architectural design firms. The template allows you to break out the cost of the various services
and hourly rates, and give the customer an understanding of exactly what services you will be
providing.

<Download the Professional Services Estimate Template>

3. Repair Estimate Template

A repair estimate template usually includes a combination of both parts, or products, along with
labor costs, and is used to provide a customer with both an understanding of what needs to be
fixed, and the cost associated with making the repair. These estimates provide a summary of
the work that needs to be done, along with the specific parts required and the labor involved in
making repairs.

This type of template is frequently used by auto repair shops, HVAC repair contractors, or other
specialized service technicians who evaluate a customers’ situation and offer an estimate for
work that needs to be done or parts that need to be replaced. In addition to laying out the strict
costs, the estimate should provide the customer with some understanding of what exactly needs
to be repaired and why.

<Download the Repair Estimate Template>

4. Contractor Estimate Template

A contractor estimate is used for construction or other building trades, to provide a customer
with the approximate cost of a specific project such as a home remodel or plumbing installation.
These estimates are similar to a repair estimate, in that they factor in the materials needed to
complete a job, as well as the labor involved.

General contractors, plumbers, electricians, carpenters, and HVAC installers all use a version of
this estimate template since it allows them to account for both their labor, and any equipment,
parts, or products involved in providing their contracting service. This template is useful because
it clarifies the scope of a job, as well as an understanding of both the labor and materials that
are required to complete the job.

<Download the Contractor Estimate Template>

5. Product Cost Estimate Template

The product cost estimate template is most often used when you are trying to provide a
customer with an estimation of how much they can expect to spend on a large expense. Many
times these are capital expenses for large pieces of equipment that also include installation or
other labor or are a highly technical and complex product that requires set up or servicing. The
purpose is to lay out the costs of the product, any supporting parts, and the labor involved.

This type of estimate is common in information technology hardware sales, manufacturing

equipment sales, manufacturing device sales, as well as other highly technical products like
diagnostic testing equipment, or medical devices. The estimate template included here can be
adapted and allows you to provide the customer with a reasonable expectation of the additional
costs that are associated with the specific product they are purchasing.

<Download the Product Cost Estimate Template>

6. Consulting Services Estimate Template

Consulting services are similar to professional services in that they are mostly based on time
spent providing expertise to a client. The primary difference is that professional services like
bookkeeping, audit, or legal support, have an indirect deliverable in most cases. Consulting
services, however, are often engaged for the purpose of providing strategic assistance in
evaluating a business practice and making specific changes.

A few examples of businesses that might use this estimate template include marketing
consultants, human resources consultants, project management experts, and general business
management consultants. Each of these provides services, usually at an hourly rate, and a
consulting services estimate allows you to provide the client with an expectation of what they
will spend monthly in exchange for your expertise.

<Download the Consulting Services Estimate Template>

7. General Estimate Template

This general estimate template can be easily adapted to almost any situation where you need to
provide a customer with an estimate of the costs involved with a project or product. While there
are more specific templates listed here for a variety of uses, there are often other times when
you need to provide a customer with an estimate that doesn’t fit into one of the six other
categories. In that case, you’ll find this template to be a flexible and easy-to-use tool.

For example, if you wanted to create a proposal for your business to take on a new initiative,
you might not need a customer-facing estimate since — in this case — your estimate is for
internal use. Along with your proposal, you can use this general estimate template to provide
information about the costs associated with your proposal by breaking out the various tangible
items, along with the labor or services required.

<Download the General Estimate Template>

Job Estimate Tips & Best Practices
In addition to the estimate templates included here, there are several best practices and tips you
should consider when sending an estimate to a customer or potential customer. These
principles can help you turn more estimates into closed deals, and help you generate more
sales for your business. The good news is that none of these are complicated, but they make a
huge difference in your sales process.

Here are a few principles and tips you can use with these free estimate templates:

Keep Track of Estimates With a CRM

One of the most effective ways to keep track of estimates you send to a client is to use a CRM
that allows you to either create them or upload and store them with your customer records.
Many CRM tools even include the ability to provide estimates and track whether they’ve been
received by a customer.

A CRM like Pipedrive is a useful tool for both creating estimates, as well as communicating with
your prospects about their specific needs and opportunities. Pipedrive has plans beginning at
$12.50 per month, per user, and includes contact management, email sync, product catalogs,
and a highly visual pipeline tool. Visit Pipedrive to start a 14-day free trial of any plan.

<Visit Pipedrive>

Anticipate Cost Overages

While it’s not uncommon for a project or product to come in at a cost higher than was estimated,
that’s never a good customer experience. Your estimate should, therefore, include a reasonable
amount of overage so that a customer is not caught off-guard, or disappointed to discover that
they will be spending more than they planned. This also saves you from looking unprofessional
since you weren’t able to meet the cost estimate you provided.

In many cases, a 10-15% cost overage is understood to be normal. That doesn’t mean you
should plan to charge that extra cost, but it leaves room for your estimate to account for
unexpected costs, changes, or problems that arise during your project. It also manages your
customer’s expectations and lets them know that sometimes things happen that cause the cost
to increase. This way, they’ve at least prepared and budgeted for that possibility.

Always Include a Personal Note

Whenever you provide a customer with an estimate, you should always be sure to include a
personal note. Simply generating an estimate and emailing it over is not only impersonal, but it’s
also unprofessional. If you hope to turn an estimate into a deal, make sure to express to the
customer how much you appreciate the opportunity to work with them and be sure to reinforce
any next steps involved in getting the project moving.
For example, you might send an email similar to the following:

Dear [Client First Name],

Thank you for the opportunity to provide you with an estimate for your project. I appreciate you
considering us for your needs, and I look forward to the opportunity to provide you with
[summary of the project]

Attached to this email you’ll find a summary of the work that we discussed, as well as the
deliverables and services included. If you have any specific questions, I’d be happy to walk you
through this estimate. Additionally, if there are any items we didn’t discuss, please let me know
and I would be happy to provide an updated estimate.

To schedule your project, please let me know by responding to this email that you’d like to
move forward and we can find a spot on the calendar that works for you.

Thank you again,

[Your name]

This simple email makes a personal connection, explains the purpose of the estimate, and lets
the customer know about any specific next steps required to finalize the project or deal. Those
are key components of strong communication with your customers and results in clarity and
more won deals.

Clarify Next Steps

Make sure the customer knows exactly what you want them to do with the estimate, and how
they can move forward. I recommend that you include your contact information both on the
estimate itself, as well as the email you send with the estimate. Make it clear what you want the
customer to do, and let them know how they can accept the estimate and get their project or
purchase started.

In addition, sometimes a customer will review an estimate to find that it doesn’t completely meet
their needs, or that there was some kind of misunderstanding. In that event, the next step isn’t
to get started, but to make changes. Often a customer will simply turn away an estimate that
misses the mark unless you are proactive about letting him or her know that you’re happy to
review it with them and make any necessary changes.

Clarifying this intermediate step makes it easier for a customer to say yes because it opens the
door to have their concerns addressed, instead of simply having to decide whether to move
forward with something that doesn’t quite meet their needs. This is critical since an estimate is
meant to be a working document that lays out the costs of a project, and should be able to be
adjusted if the scope of that project is different, or if it changes.
Make a Plan to Follow Up
Just like the customer should understand what his or her next steps are, you should make a
plan to follow up as your next step. Be upfront with your customer about when you’ll follow up so
that you’re not having to chase him or her down later. Let them know that you’ll plan to give
them a call, or follow up by email in a few days to see if there are any questions, or to get their
project started.

It’s a good practice to establish to follow up within the first two business days. It sometimes feels
pushy to ask a customer if they’ve had time to look over the estimate, but it isn’t. In fact, often
the customer hasn’t had time. They are busy with work, life, and everything else going on in
their life, and your follow up email or phone call can often be the nudge they need to take a look
at what you are offering to do for them.

This is an area where a CRM like Pipedrive comes in really handy. Not only can you set up a
task reminder to let you know it’s time to follow up you can also create email templates for
emails you send frequently. That’s ideal for following up with customer estimates, and you can
even track when your customer opens the estimate. Be sure to visit Pipedrive to get started with
a free trial.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How are estimates & proposals different?

An estimate is usually less formal than a proposal which often is considered an offer to provide
products or services at an agreed-upon price. An estimate, on the other hand, is merely meant
to roughly convey the costs anticipated for a specific project, product, or service, and is often
provided prior to a signed agreement to start work.

When should I consider sending an estimate?

An estimate is a useful tool for managing customer expectations and providing an
approximation of the costs involved in a project or purchase. Because it is less formal than a
proposal, it should be used when you already have an engagement with a customer and want to
provide them with information about the costs of a proposed project.

Bottom Line
Using these free estimate templates can help you win more deals by laying out exactly what a
customer can expect to spend on their project or product purchase. It manages his or her
expectations and details exactly what they need to do to get started. Be sure to download the
free estimate templates that work best for your business and start using them to generate more
customers today.

Keep track of the estimates you send with Pipedrive. With contact management, deal pipelines,
and product catalogs, Pipedrive is an easy-to-use tool that makes it easy to manage every
aspect of your sales process, especially job proposals and estimates. Plans start at $12.50 per
month, per user, with a 14-day free trial available for each plan. Visit Pipedrive to get started.

<Visit Pipedrive>