A good plumbing estimate does two jobs. It wins the work, and it stops the argument at the end about what was included. Here's how to write one, step by step.
1. Look before you price
Check what you'll be working with: pipe material and condition, shut-off valves that may not close, access under the house or behind walls, and the water heater's venting and gas line if you're replacing one.
Take photos. They help you price back at the truck, and they show the client later what you saw.
2. Separate the work into lines
List each part of the job on its own line: the fixture or equipment, the parts and fittings, labor, and any service call or haul-away charge. An itemized estimate is easier to approve than a lump sum, and easier to adjust if the client wants to change one thing.
3. Price labor the way you'll actually work
Use a flat price for the jobs you do all the time, such as a water heater swap or a toilet replacement. Use hours times your rate when you can't know the time up front, and say how many hours you expect.
4. Price parts with your markup
Include the fixtures, valves, fittings and supplies, at the price you charge, not what you paid. If the client is supplying a fixture, say so, and say what your warranty does and doesn't cover in that case.
5. Cover permits and code work
If the job needs a permit, put the permit fee on its own line. If bringing something up to code is part of the job (an expansion tank or a new shut-off, for example), list it so it isn't a surprise.
6. Set your terms
Say how long the price holds (30 days is common, shorter when material prices move), what deposit you need to schedule the work, and when the balance is due.
Put anything the price depends on in writing: access to the site, the client moving furniture, or work hidden behind walls that you can't price until you open them up.
7. Send it while you're still there
The best time to send an estimate is before you leave. The homeowner is still thinking about the job, and you're not competing with the next quote they get.
Text or email a link they can open on their phone and approve with a tap, rather than a PDF they have to print, sign and scan.
A sample plumbing estimate
Here’s the kind of estimate these steps add up to, made in Invoizr. Names and numbers are made up.
Common mistakes
- One lump sum with no detail, which invites haggling and makes changes hard.
- Leaving out the trip or service charge, then adding it to the invoice.
- Not saying what happens if you find a bigger problem once the wall is open.
Free plumbing estimate template
A printable PDF with the lines plumbers need most, ready to fill in by hand. No sign-up needed.
Or write it on your phone: Invoizr builds the estimate from your saved prices, sends it as a link the client approves with a tap, and turns it into an invoice when the job is done. See how Invoizr works for plumbers, or try it free for 14 days.