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Plumbing estimate template
The full template below — scope lines, the exclusions that stop free work, terms and a signature block. Copy it, print it, or take the Word version and put your logo on it.
Plumbing estimate
[Your company name, address, licence and contact]
Estimate no. ________ Date ________ Valid until ________
Prepared for
Job address
Scope of work
- Supply and install fixtures and trim as listed, connected and tested
- Rough-in supply and drain, waste and vent to code for the fixtures listed
- Isolation valves at each new fixture and at the affected branch
- Removal and disposal of the existing fixtures being replaced
- Pressure and leak test of all new work before close-in
- Coordination of rough-in inspection where the scope requires it
- Protection of finished floors on the route between the door and the work area
Price
Subtotal ________ Tax ________ Total ________
Deposit due on acceptance ________ Balance due ________
Not included in this price
- Opening and patching of walls, ceilings and floors for access; drywall, tile and paint by others
- Replacement of galvanized, Poly-B or lead piping discovered once walls are open
- Drain cleaning, camera inspection or root removal in the building or municipal drain
- Water heater, softener or treatment equipment unless listed as a line item
- Relocation of existing drain lines within a concrete slab
- Permit fees and backflow prevention testing or registration
- Mould remediation and repair of damage from pre-existing leaks
Terms
- This estimate is valid until the date shown above; pricing after that date is subject to material cost at the time of order.
- Work outside the scope above proceeds only on a written change order signed by both parties, priced before the work begins.
- Payment is due on the terms shown; overdue accounts carry interest at ____% per month.
- Workmanship is warranted for ____ months from completion. Manufacturer warranties on supplied materials pass to the owner.
- Access to the work area, power and water are provided by the owner during working hours.
Acceptance
The owner accepts the scope, price and terms above.
Signature Printed name Date
How to price the job before you fill this in
Plumbing work prices per fixture for rough-in and set, hourly plus materials for repairs, with an access allowance on anything behind a finished wall. Whatever unit you use, the price underneath it has to cover three things: the loaded cost of the hours, the share of overhead those hours consume, and the margin you intend to keep. Miss any one and the job looks profitable right up until year-end.
The plumbing estimate that loses money is the one that assumed the wall opens cleanly and the existing pipe is what the last guy said it was. Write an access allowance in hours, and put old-pipe discovery in the exclusions — that single line is the difference between a change order and eating a day.
If you've never run the numbers, do it in this order: loaded labour rate, overhead per billable hour, then the rate you should charge. It takes about fifteen minutes once.
The parts of this template that do the most work
The exclusions. Every line in that list exists because someone did that work for free. Deleting a line because it seems negative is how you end up back there — read the exclusions guide before you cut any of them.
The change order clause. Priced and signed before the work happens, every time. Verbal agreements on site are collected at the end of the job, if at all.
The expiry date. Material pricing moves and your quote shouldn't be open forever. Fourteen to thirty days is normal.
The signature block. An estimate that gets signed is a contract. An estimate that only informs is a price the customer takes to somebody else.
Send it the same day
Speed closes plumbing work more reliably than being the cheapest. The homeowner who has just watched you walk their job is more interested in you than they will be tomorrow, and considerably more than in three days. Fill in the scope on site, price it that evening, send it before you go to bed.
Questions contractors actually ask
How do I price a job where I can't see the existing pipe?
Quote the visible scope firmly, list an hourly rate for discovery work, and exclude replacement of piping found in the walls. Customers accept a stated unknown far more easily than an invoice that arrives 40% over the quote.
Should the plumbing estimate list fixture models?
Yes, by make and model number. 'Bathroom faucet' is a $90 dispute waiting to happen; a model number is not.
What deposit is reasonable on a bathroom renovation?
Enough to cover the fixture and material order, with progress payments tied to visible milestones — rough-in complete, fixtures set. State the trigger for each payment, not just the amount.
Can I use this template commercially?
Yes. Use it on your own jobs, put your company name and logo on it, and reuse it as often as you like. Reselling the template itself as a product is not permitted.
Is this a legally binding contract?
Once both parties sign, an estimate with scope, price and terms generally forms a contract — but contract law varies by province and state, and this is general information rather than legal advice. For high-value work, have a lawyer review your standard terms once. It's a one-time cost that covers every job afterwards.
The Word version, plus nine other trades
The Vault includes this template and nine more as editable Word files, the pricing calculator that produces the number you put in it, and pre-written terms for each trade.
Pricing calculator, 10 trade estimate templates in Word, pre-written exclusions and terms, and the 10-minute pricing guide. One payment, no subscription, 30-day guarantee.
Other trades
All ten estimate templates, from roofing to handyman.