What a general contractor estimate is for
Owners hiring a general contractor want to see where the money goes across many trades. An estimate organized by phase, with allowances clearly marked, licensed subcontractors named by trade, permits listed and overhead shown or explained, lets them compare bids and understand the change order process before the job starts.
What to put on a general contractor estimate
- Scope by phase or trade.
- General conditions for the job's duration.
- Allowances for owner selections.
- Subcontracted trades.
- Permits, plans and inspections.
- Overhead and profit.
- Payment schedule and estimated timeline.
A worked example
A single-story rear addition for a family room on a crawl space foundation, tied into the existing roof. The owner will choose flooring and fixtures later.
| Line | Qty | Unit | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| General conditions | 4 | month | Your price |
| Site work and excavation | 1 | each | Your price |
| Foundation, crawl space | 1 | each | Your price |
| Framing and roof tie-in | 1 | each | Your price |
| Windows and exterior door | 5 | each | Your price |
| Electrical and HVAC, by licensed subcontractors | 1 | each | Your price |
| Interior finishes allowance | 1 | each | Your price |
| Permits, plans and inspections | 1 | each | Your price |
General conditions run by the month, so a longer schedule costs more. Say so in the notes; owners understand time costs once they see it.
Line items general contractors use
| Line item | Unit | How to write it |
|---|---|---|
| General conditions | month | Supervision, temporary facilities, insurance and site costs for the job's duration. |
| Site work and excavation | each | Clearing, digging and grading. |
| Foundation | each | Footings, walls or slab per plan. |
| Framing | each | Walls, floors and roof structure. |
| Roofing | square | By subcontractor; material and warranty. |
| Windows and exterior doors | each | Allowance or specified models. |
| Plumbing, by licensed subcontractor | each | Rough and finish. |
| Electrical, by licensed subcontractor | each | Rough and finish. |
| HVAC, by licensed subcontractor | each | Equipment and ductwork. |
| Insulation and drywall | sq ft | R-values per code; finish level. |
| Interior finishes allowance | each | Flooring, trim, paint, fixtures. |
| Permits, plans and inspections | each | Building department fees and any engineering. |
| Dumpster and final cleaning | each | Debris removal and a clean handover. |
| Overhead and profit | each | Shown separately or built into the lines. |
Terms and deposit language for general contractor
- Deposit. A deposit at signing secures the schedule and covers early costs such as permits and engineering. Many states limit deposits and set contract requirements for home improvement work, so check yours.
- Payment. Progress payments tied to milestones or a schedule of values, with retainage if agreed, and final payment at substantial completion and punch list.
- Warranty. State your workmanship warranty period and how claims are made; subcontractor and product warranties pass through to the owner.
- Allowances: selections above the allowance are billed by change order.
- Hidden conditions and owner changes are priced by written change order before the work.
- Schedule depends on permits, inspections, weather and material lead times.
How to fill it in
- Put in your business details once; this browser keeps them for every template.
- Fill in the customer and the job.
- Change the line items to fit this job and add your prices.
- Set tax, the deposit and the good-until date.
- Print to PDF, download Word or CSV, or send it from Koira.
Free tools for general contractor
- Markup calculator
- Profit margin calculator
- Demolition cost calculator
- Foundation repair cost calculator
- Deck cost calculator
The same estimate for other trades: appliance repair, auto detailing, carpet cleaning, chimney, house cleaning, commercial cleaning, concrete, drywall, electrical, fence, flooring, garage door, gutter, handyman, hvac, irrigation, junk removal, landscaping, lawn care, locksmith, moving, painting, pest control, plumbing, pool service, pressure washing, remodeling, roofing, septic, snow removal, solar, tree service, waterproofing, window cleaning.