PropertyBefore you send the estimate,
check the whole job.
A practical checklist for handymen, remodelers and small crews. Use it with your current spreadsheet, notebook or estimating app. It helps you identify missing details; it does not supply a market price or replace your review.
The quick check
Can another person read your estimate and understand what is included, which materials you priced, what remains uncertain, and how extra work will be handled? If not, clarify the scope before quoting.
1. Define the work before pricing it
- Name the room, surface or repair and describe the finished result.
- Separate each task: removal, preparation, installation, finishing and cleanup.
- Record measurements and units. Check openings, transitions, access and substrate condition.
- Photograph conditions that affect the work. Keep private customer details out of public examples.
- List unresolved questions. Inspect or price a clearly stated allowance before promising a fixed scope.
2. Confirm material quantities and costs
- Specify the material, grade, size, color and finish that the customer expects.
- Calculate quantities from verified measurements. Explain any waste allowance.
- Confirm compatible preparation products, fasteners, trim and consumables.
- Use current supplier quotes where possible; include delivery, disposal and rental costs that apply.
- Record customer-supplied items, who orders them and what happens if they arrive late or do not fit.
3. Build labor from the actual tasks
- Estimate crew hours for preparation, installation, finishing and cleanup separately.
- Account for setup, protection, material handling and return visits.
- Use your own completed-job history to check the expected hours.
- Keep internal labor cost separate from the labor price charged to the customer.
- State assumptions about access, occupied rooms and working conditions that could change the plan.
4. Check the price against the costs
- Add confirmed material, labor, rental, subcontractor and other direct job costs.
- Check your selling price against those costs and your target gross margin.
- Remember that markup and gross margin use different denominators. A 50% markup is not a 50% margin.
- Allow for your business overhead when deciding whether the job price works for you.
- Recheck arithmetic, quantities, allowances and rounding before sending the estimate.
5. Explain the boundaries and extra work
- List included work and exclusions in plain language.
- Identify hidden conditions that require inspection or a separate price.
- Document added scope, additional customer price and schedule effect before starting extra work.
- Confirm the customer’s approval and use the agreement process appropriate for your business.
- Keep the original scope and later changes together so both sides can see what was agreed.
6. Review the customer version
- Check company name, logo, contact information, customer details and job location.
- Use clear line items and a total that matches the scope and selected options.
- Confirm the expected schedule, payment terms and estimate validity for this job.
- Read the exported PDF on a phone and check that internal costs and margins are not included.
- After the job, compare actual hours and material costs with the estimate and update your rates.
Example: “Replace two doors and fix some trim”
Before giving a total, confirm door dimensions, slab or prehung units, jamb condition, hardware, casing, finish, disposal and any flooring transitions. Define the trim repair by location and length. Keep any other “small things” as separate tasks until inspected and agreed.
This example explains the scope questions—not a recommended price. Labor, materials and hidden conditions vary by job.
Check markup and margin with your own costsPut the checklist to work on one job
PropertyPromoKit turns job photos and walkthrough notes into an editable estimate draft. Review the scope, quantities and prices, then download it with your logo. One saved project stays free. No card required. Optional multi-project access is $24.99/month for 1 owner + up to 5 crew members.
See the walkthrough steps · Follow up on an estimate · Document extra work · Find your trade checklist
Common estimating questions
Can I price a job from photos alone?
Photos can help document visible conditions, but they do not verify measurements, hidden damage, access or material compatibility. Resolve those questions before committing to a fixed scope and price.
What if the customer adds “a few small things”?
Write each extra task down. Explain whether it is included, needs inspection or requires an added price. Confirm the scope and customer response before doing the extra work.
Can AI decide my final price?
Use AI as a draft assistant. You still need to verify quantities, supplier prices, crew costs, exclusions and the final customer price.
Do I need an account to use this checklist?
No. This page and the margin calculators are free to read without signing in. PropertyPromoKit also offers one saved project free, with no card required.