Construction quotation template the client can follow

How a construction quote template is structured

A construction quotation prices building work section by section, so the client can see where the money goes and what happens when plans change. Use the free construction quotation template below in Word, Excel or PDF, choose one of 24 building trade templates, or price the job in the online quote maker with groups, allowances and a deposit to book. The general file comes as a construction quote template Word document and a construction estimate template Excel workbook, both free by email.

A construction quote breaks the price into the stages a client can understand: preliminaries, then each trade or element of the build, then allowances for items not yet chosen, then the terms. That structure makes variations easy to price later, because every change maps to a line that already exists.

1. PreliminariesSite setup, temporary fencing, toilets, skips, permits and supervision, priced once for the job.
2. Trade sectionsGroundworks, structure, roofing, services, internal finishes, each with materials and labor.
3. Provisional sumsMoney set aside for work that cannot be priced yet, such as unknown ground conditions.
4. Prime cost itemsAllowances for fixtures the client will choose, with the amount stated so the client knows the budget.
5. Payment stagesDeposit, then stage payments at slab, frame, lock up and completion, or as your local contract rules allow.
6. Exclusions and variationsWhat is not included and how changes will be priced and approved in writing.

Construction estimate template or fixed quotation?

Early in a project, before drawings are final, a construction estimate template with allowances and a range is the honest choice. Once the design and specifications are settled, convert it into a fixed construction quotation so the client can sign and you can order materials.

The contractor estimate template shows how allowances and ranges look on paper, and the estimate maker adds the range for you. When you move to a fixed price, keep the same sections so the client can see what changed.

Construction quote template in Word and Excel

Builders with long schedules of work usually prefer the Excel construction quote template, because each line multiplies quantity by rate and the sheet totals every section, the tax and the deposit. The Word version suits smaller works where the scope description carries more weight than the numbers.

See the Excel quote template page for how the formulas work.

Pricing changes on a construction quotation

Changes are normal on building work, and they cause most disputes when they are agreed by word of mouth. State on the quotation that every change will be priced in writing and approved before the work is done, then use a change order for each one.

Price a change from the same rates as the original quotation where you can, add any extra preliminaries such as longer scaffold hire, and show the effect on the completion date. The change order template and the guide to variations and change orders cover the process.