What an estimate is
An estimate is your best calculation of what a job will cost, written down before the work starts. It gives the client a number to decide on, and it gives you a record of what you promised to do for that price.
The word matters: an estimate is an informed approximation, not a fixed price. If the job turns out bigger than what you could see (rotten framing behind the drywall, a second layer of shingles), the final bill can change. Good estimates say that out loud, so nobody is surprised later.
Estimate vs quote vs invoice
People use these words loosely, but clients and courts read them differently.
| Estimate | Quote | Invoice | |
|---|---|---|---|
| When | Before the job | Before the job | After (or during) the job |
| Price | Approximate, can change | Fixed if accepted | Final amount owed |
| Purpose | Help the client decide | Commit to a price | Ask to be paid |
| Typical use | Repairs, remodels, unknowns | Well-defined work | Every job |
| Duebolt numbering | EST-0001… | QTE-0001… | INV-0001… |
If you can see everything the job involves, send a quote. If there's real uncertainty, send an estimate and explain what could move the price.
What to put on an estimate
- Estimate number and date, so you can find it when the client calls back in three weeks.
- Your business details and license number if your state requires it on bids.
- Client name and the job address.
- The scope, line by line: labor, materials, equipment, disposal. Quantities make the price believable ("320 sq ft at $1.50" beats "Seal deck $480").
- Allowances for things the client hasn't chosen yet, such as fixtures or tile.
- Exclusions: what's not in the price.
- How long the price is valid, usually 15–30 days.
- Payment terms: deposit, progress payments, balance due on completion.
Validity periods and deposits
Material prices move and your calendar fills up, so every estimate should expire. Thirty days is common for repair and remodel work; for lumber, copper or anything with volatile pricing, 14 days is safer. In Duebolt the validity is set with the same control that sets an invoice's due date, and it prints as Valid until with the date.
A deposit protects you against a client who books and then disappears after you've bought materials. Many contractors ask for 10–30%. Some states cap it: in California, a home improvement down payment can't be more than $1,000 or 10% of the contract price, whichever is less. Check your state's contractor board before you set a number.
From accepted estimate to invoice
- Fill in the estimate above and download or share the PDF.
- The client says yes. With Pro, you can email the estimate as a link and the client taps Accept; you get a note right away.
- Do the work. If the scope changed, update the lines before you bill.
- Open the estimate in your account and tap Convert to invoice. Items, client and prices are copied into a new invoice with its own INV number.
- Enter the deposit under Deposit already paid in the invoice details. The invoice shows it as paid and asks for the balance due.
Last checked October 23, 2026.