What a property maintenance estimate is for
Property managers compare maintenance bids on a monthly number, and the trouble starts when nobody wrote down what it covers. An estimate that separates the monthly walkthrough, the work order rate and minimum, turnovers and seasonal work gives the manager a clear budget and gives you a written line for every extra call.
What to put on a property maintenance estimate
- What the monthly visit covers.
- Work order rate, minimum and response time.
- Turnover pricing per unit.
- Seasonal services listed separately.
- Parts markup and approval limit.
- After-hours rate.
A worked example
A 12-unit building that wants a monthly walkthrough, filter changes and a set work order rate.
| Line | Qty | Unit | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly walkthrough | 1 | visit | Your price |
| HVAC filter changes | 12 | each | Your price |
| Work order labor | 3 | hour | Your price |
| Gutter cleaning | 220 | ft | Your price |
Write the approval limit in the notes. It decides which calls you can just fix and which need a phone call first.
Line items property maintenance companies use
| Line item | Unit | How to write it |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly walkthrough | visit | Common areas, exterior and the punch list. |
| Work order labor | hour | Billed by the hour with a minimum. |
| Unit turnover, paint and repairs | each | Per unit; scope in the note. |
| HVAC filter changes | each | Per unit, filter size. |
| Smoke and CO detector check | each | Test and battery swap per unit. |
| Light bulbs and fixtures | each | Common area lighting. |
| Gutter cleaning | ft | Per foot of gutter. |
| Grounds care visit | visit | Mowing, trimming and litter. |
| Snow and ice, per visit | visit | Walks and entries. |
| Parts and materials | each | At cost plus your markup. |
| After-hours call | each | Emergency rate and minimum. |
| Trip charge | each | For work orders outside a scheduled visit. |
Terms and deposit language for property maintenance
- Deposit. No deposit on monthly plans. Turnovers and projects over the plan limit take a deposit when approved, within your state's limits.
- Payment. Monthly plans are billed at the start of each month. Work orders are billed when completed.
- Warranty. You stand behind your repairs for the time stated. Licensed trade work is done by licensed trades and warranted by them.
- Work over the approval limit in this agreement needs the manager's OK first.
- Plumbing, electrical and gas work beyond small repairs goes to licensed trades.
- Tenant access is arranged by the property manager with proper notice.
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 property maintenance
- Maintenance plan pricing calculator
- Lawn care cost calculator
- Gutter cleaning cost calculator
- Labor rate calculator
The same estimate for other trades: appliance repair, auto detailing, carpentry, carpet cleaning, chimney, house cleaning, commercial cleaning, concrete, deck, drywall, duct cleaning, electrical, fence, flooring, garage door, general contractor, glass, gutter, handyman, holiday lighting, home inspection, hood cleaning, hvac, insulation, irrigation, junk removal, landscaping, lawn care, locksmith, masonry, moving, painting, pest control, plumbing, pool service, pressure washing, remodeling, restoration, roofing, security system, septic, siding, snow removal, solar, tile, tree service, water treatment, waterproofing, window cleaning, window and door.
More for property maintenance companies: how property maintenance companies run on Koira.