How to Write Contractor Estimates that Land More Jobs
Building a solid reputation as a contractor comes from knowing your craft, creating new relationships, and getting the word out about your services. However, the key to a lasting impression is all about writing excellent contractor estimates.
A proper estimate is ultimately what turns a prospect into a paying customer — and the more accurate, thorough, and transparent your estimates are, the better off your working relationship will be. Use these 6 tips to help you craft detailed, yet concise estimates that will start your projects off on the right foot.
Be transparent in all your communication.
One of the most common mistakes contractors make is not reviewing the project with the client before they send them the estimate. Prior to getting things down on paper, make sure you are both on the same page when it comes to expectations, from the budget to the timeline to the materials you will use to complete the project.
The quickest way to upset a client is to catch them off guard with surprising expenses or new information. Do your best to get on the same page before writing up the estimate, that way there’s little to no back and forth, and you don’t risk the chance of losing out on their business. Plus, being thorough from the get-go will make writing an estimate so much easier.
Include all necessary details in the estimate (but don’t go overboard).
Once you’ve nailed down the project plans with your client, you can move onto drafting the estimate. The details you include in your estimate should make clients feel well-informed and comfortable with handing you their money, but you don’t need to overload them with details that will cause confusion.
For example, don’t just give someone an estimate of $7,000. Let them know how much materials are, approximately how much labor you anticipate needing to put in (a few hours? A full day?), and how many people you’ll need on the job site. These line-by-line expense details are where clients will spend the most time when reviewing the estimate.
At the very least, you should include the following:
- Client & Contractor names
- Materials & labor costs — How much will each expense cost and what kind of calculations did you use to land on those numbers?)
- Supplier info — What kind of materials are you using and where are they from?
- Important dates and times — When the estimate was issued, a proposed timeline, and working hours
- Terms & conditions — A general statement for that lets the client know what will happen if any challenges come up during the project
Create a sense of urgency to book with you.
The communication you send along with your quote can be a game-changer, too. If you have an interested prospect, prioritize sending them a quote as quickly as possible. The faster you do this, the more likely you are to book the job. When you send the estimate, give your customer a time window of when you’d be available to do the work — this creates a sense of urgency to book you now, rather than later. “Here’s your quote for X job, and my team is available to do this work as early as Thursday of next week.”
Set a realistic timeline.
Clients are picturing the end result of the project before you even start, so they are going to want to know how much time it will take. Whether it’s a half-day job or something more time-consuming, use your previous experience to give the customer an accurate estimate for how long the project will take. If there’s anything that could cause the project to be delayed, make sure to communicate that with the client. And always add a little buffer to your timelines — it’s much better to under-promise and over-deliver than the opposite.
Be clear about your payment terms.
How are you going to accept payments? Do you offer a discount for cash payments? What about a deposit to cover certain material expenses? Whatever the case may be, outline your terms in the estimate. With an app like ChargeStripe, you can easily take a deposit payment by credit card over the phone or or send a payment request link by email or text.
Don’t forget to note your terms and conditions.
Some jobs will be a breeze, but that won’t be the case 100% of the time. It’s important to note your terms and conditions in the estimate, which is basically a statement reiterating that the estimate is just that — an estimate. This statement reminds customers that you will keep them updated if an unforeseen challenge occurs before you move forward to ensure they are okay with any extra work that may not have been listed in the original estimate.
For tools to help you land more clients and grow your business, check out these free resources for contractors.
