What terms and conditions do for a contractor
Your estimate says what the job is and what it costs. Your terms and conditions say how the relationship works: when prices expire, how changes are handled, when money is due, who is responsible for what, and what happens if something goes wrong. Written once and attached to every estimate, they save you from negotiating the same points on every job.
What to include
- How long prices hold, and how changes are priced.
- Deposit, payment due date, payment methods and late fees where allowed.
- Access, site conditions and the customer's responsibilities.
- Cancellation and rescheduling.
- Warranty, and what is excluded.
- How disputes are handled.
Making them count
Terms only help if the customer saw them before agreeing. Print them on the back of the estimate, link them above the signature line, or include them in the contract.
This is a template, not legal advice. Your state may require specific wording, especially for home improvement contracts, deposits and late fees. Have an attorney review your terms.