An estimate that sets out the work

A good estimate gives your customer something concrete to review: what you plan to do, the expected cost, and what is included. InvoiceMaker lets you create that document on your iPhone, iPad, or Android phone using saved client and service details, then preview and share a PDF.

Use an estimate for a proposed job before it is ready to bill. When the customer accepts the work, you can mark the estimate accepted and convert it into an invoice without entering the same items again. Review the invoice before you send it, especially if the scope changed.

How to write an estimate

  1. Identify your business and customer. Include the customer’s billing details and enough information to identify the project or job location.
  2. Describe each part of the work. Separate labor, materials, and other agreed charges. Use quantities and rates that a customer can follow.
  3. State what is included. Add notes for the scope, assumptions, or work that would need a separate agreement.
  4. Review the total. Check any discount or tax details that apply to your business and the job.
  5. Preview and share the PDF. Read the document as your customer will see it before using your phone’s share sheet.

A simple work estimate example

Sample project: repaint a home office

Preparation and painting: 8 hours × $55 = $440
Paint and materials: 1 × $85 = $85
Estimated total: $525

Scope note: walls only; ceiling and woodwork excluded. Customer to clear furniture before work begins. Illustrative amounts; no tax included in this example.

The note matters as much as the number. “Paint room” leaves room for misunderstanding; stating which surfaces are included gives you and the customer a shared reference.

Move from estimate to invoice

Keep the accepted estimate as the record of the proposed work. When it is time to bill, use the conversion action, check the items and final quantities, and set the invoice’s due date and payment details. A PDF estimate itself is not a record of payment.

If a customer asks for extra work, agree on the change before adding it to the final invoice. For the difference between each document, see estimate vs invoice vs receipt.

Made for small service jobs

Contractors, cleaners, painters, and freelancers often repeat the same basic services across customers. Saved items help keep the description and rate consistent, while the document remains editable for the specific job. InvoiceMaker handles that everyday document workflow; the figures and terms still come from you.

Ready to bill completed work? Use the contractor invoice checklist or follow the invoice writing guide.