Free template · Excel · Estimates by trade
Free remodeling estimate template
A remodeling estimate for kitchens and bathrooms: demolition, the rough-in trades, finishes, and allowances for the fixtures and tile the homeowner is still choosing.
Remodeling estimate template
Excel workbook (.xlsx) · 20 KB · 4 sheets
| Item | Description | Qty | Rate | Amount | Tax? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Demolition | Remove tub, vanity, tile and drywall; disposal | 1 | 1,850.00 | 1,850.00 | Y |
| Plumbing | Rough-in for walk-in shower and new vanity | 1 | 2,600.00 | 2,600.00 | Y |
| Electrical | Fan, lighting and heated-floor circuit | 1 | 1,400.00 | 1,400.00 | Y |
| Shower | Waterproofing system and tile labour (sq ft) | 95 | 28.00 | 2,660.00 | Y |
| Flooring | Heated floor mat and tile labour (sq ft) | 55 | 24.00 | 1,320.00 | Y |
| Allowance | Tile, owner's selection (sq ft) | 150 | 9.00 | 1,350.00 | Y |
| Allowance | Vanity, toilet, shower fixtures, owner's selection | 1 | 3,200.00 | 3,200.00 | Y |
| Finishes | Drywall, paint, trim and accessories install | 1 | 2,100.00 | 2,100.00 | Y |
| Subtotal | 16,480.00 | ||||
| GST | 824.00 | 5% | |||
| QST (Quebec) | 1,643.88 | 9.975% | |||
| ESTIMATE TOTAL | 18,947.88 | ||||
| Deposit required | 3,000.00 | ||||
| BALANCE ON COMPLETION | 15,947.88 |
Why a remodeling estimate needs its own layout
Remodels go wrong when the homeowner thinks a price included the tile they picked later, or when something behind the wall changes the job. A remodeling estimate needs allowances for the choices still to be made, a clear line on what happens when you open the walls, and a change-order process the homeowner has signed.
This template has lines for demolition, the trades, finishes and fixture allowances, and space for change-order terms. The example is a bathroom remodel for a homeowner in Quebec, with GST and QST.
What to include on a remodeling estimate, and why
- Allowances with a unit and amount. "Tile allowance $9 per sq ft" is clear; "tile included" is not. The homeowner knows what upgrading costs.
- Hidden conditions clause. What you'll do if demolition uncovers rot or bad wiring: stop, show the homeowner, price it, get approval.
- Change-order process. Every change in writing, priced and signed before the work. It's the single best protection on a remodel.
- Who supplies what. If the homeowner buys their own fixtures, say who is responsible if they're wrong or late.
- Cancellation rights, if they apply. If you sign at the customer's home, consumer rules may give them days to cancel. Include the notice your area requires.
How to price it
Fixed price with allowances
The usual approach. Your work is fixed; the homeowner's selections are allowances that adjust.
Cost-plus
For high-end or uncertain work: actual costs plus a fee or percentage, with an estimate as a guide.
Design fee
Some remodelers charge for design and selections up front, credited against the job.
Deposits and payment terms
- Deposit at signing to schedule and order long-lead items
- Payments at stages: demo complete, rough-in passed, tile complete, completion
- Change orders paid with the next stage
- Final payment after the walk-through list is done
Put the deposit and payment schedule on the estimate itself, so the customer signs up to them and they carry straight onto the invoice. For how to record a deposit you take up front, see customer deposits and retainers.
Sales tax, GST/HST and PST on remodeling work
United States
Remodeling is generally an improvement to real property; in many states the contractor pays tax on materials and the customer's price isn't taxed separately, but some states tax remodeling labour or materials on the invoice.
If you sign the contract at the customer's home, the FTC's Cooling-Off Rule may give them three business days to cancel, and many states add home improvement contract rules of their own.
Canada
GST/HST applies to the remodel once you're registered. In Quebec, QST applies too.
Several provinces give consumers a cooling-off period on contracts signed at their home. Check your province's consumer protection rules and include any notice they require.
Check a rate with the US sales tax calculator or the GST/HST calculator, then set it beside the tax lines in the template. Both tax lines can be renamed, so one estimate works for sales tax, HST, or GST plus PST or QST.
The example, filled in
The Estimate sheet opens filled in with the example in the preview: a Quebec contractor quoting a bathroom remodel, estimate RM-0331 for an example customer. The lines come to a subtotal of $16,480.00 and a total of $18,947.88, with a deposit required of $3,000.00 and a balance on completion of $15,947.88. The price holds for 21 days. The figures are made up to show the layout; they are not market rates.
In Quebec, a contractor registered for both charges 5% GST and 9.975% QST, each on the price before tax.
The notes box reads: “Allowances adjust to your selections. Hidden conditions (rot, old wiring, plumbing not to code) found during demolition are priced as a change order and approved by you before work continues. Price holds 21 days.”
Lines on the price list sheet
The Price list sheet starts with the lines remodeling businesses usually charge for. Add your rates once and copy them onto each estimate.
| Line | Unit | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Demolition and disposal | flat | By room. |
| Plumbing rough-in | flat or subcontract | Moves cost more than replacements. |
| Electrical | flat or subcontract | Circuits, fixtures, permit. |
| Tile labour | per sq ft | Floor, walls, shower. |
| Tile allowance | per sq ft | Owner's choice. |
| Fixture allowance | flat | Vanity, toilet, taps. |
| Cabinets | per linear ft or quote | Kitchens. |
| Countertops | per sq ft | Template and install. |
| Change order | each | Priced and signed before the work. |
What's in the file
| Sheet | What it holds |
|---|---|
| Estimate | The printable remodeling estimate, filled in with the example on this page: your details, the customer, project, 15 lines, two tax lines, deposit required, scope and terms, and signature lines. |
| Price list | The lines remodeling businesses usually charge for, with the unit for each. Enter your own rates once and copy them onto each estimate. |
| Estimate log | One row per estimate: status (Pending, Accepted, Declined, Expired), the invoice number once billed, a follow-up date and your win rate. |
| Instructions | How to fill it in, plus the notes on this page about what to include. |
Pale yellow cells are for your entries; white cells calculate. Nothing is locked, so you can rename lines or change the layout. The Instructions sheet repeats the steps and the notes on this page.
Download the remodeling estimate template (.xlsx)
Or send it from AcboBooks
Need one estimate today? The free invoice generator makes a PDF in your browser. Sending them every week? AcboBooks keeps your remodeling price list, turns an accepted estimate into the invoice (see estimate software), tracks what each customer owes and adds up the tax you collected. It's Windows desktop software, bought once; try it free for 15 days.
Sources
Checked October 25, 2026. Tax rules change and differ by state and province; confirm with the tax agency or your accountant.
- Canada Revenue Agency: input tax credits (information an invoice needs)
- CRA RC4022, General Information for GST/HST Registrants
- CRA: GST/HST rates by province
- IRS Publication 583, Starting a Business and Keeping Records
- Federation of Tax Administrators: links to every state tax agency
- Revenu Québec: GST/HST and QST
- FTC: Cooling-Off Rule for sales made at home or other locations
Questions
What's the difference between an allowance and a fixed price?
A fixed price is for work you've defined. An allowance is a budget for something the homeowner will choose later. When they choose, the price goes up or down by the difference.
How do I handle surprises behind the wall?
Say in the estimate what happens: you stop, show the homeowner, price the fix as a change order, and continue only after they sign.
How should remodel payments be scheduled?
A deposit, then payments tied to visible stages, with a final payment after the walk-through. Avoid getting far ahead of, or behind, the work.
Do I need a separate contract?
The signed estimate can serve as one for small jobs. For bigger remodels, many contractors attach it to a contract with the full terms.
Related
- Progress invoicing (glossary)
- Customer deposits and retainers
- Construction estimate template
- Job costing for contractors
- Accounting software for contractors
- General estimate and quote template
- All invoice and estimate templates by trade
General information, not tax, legal or accounting advice. Check with your accountant or the tax agency before relying on a template for tax.
AcboBooks
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A spreadsheet estimate stops at the signature. In AcboBooks the estimate stays with the customer and the job, and becomes the invoice when the work is done, so nothing is retyped and nothing is billed twice.
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