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Google Sheets Estimate Template

Two estimate spreadsheets you can open in Google Sheets: a calculator that adds markup, contingency and tax to your costs, and a materials-and-labor estimate that subtotals each side and combines them

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Quick answer:This page has two estimate spreadsheets, each as an Excel (.xlsx) file with live formulas, a Word (.docx) version and a blank PDF to fill in by hand. The estimate calculator with markup multiplies quantity by unit cost on each line, works out markup and contingency as percentages of the cost subtotal and tax as a percentage of the cost subtotal plus markup and contingency, each from a rate cell you can change, and shows the estimated total. The materials and labor estimate keeps materials and labor in separate sections, each with its own subtotal, adds them into one total with a sales tax line, and works out a proposed deposit. To use either in Google Sheets, upload the .xlsx to Google Drive and open it, or use File > Import in Sheets. The formulas were written as Excel formulas and have not been tested in Google Sheets, so check them after opening.

JOB COST ESTIMATE

Contractor

Business name:
Example Painting Co.
Address:
31 Example Road, Sampletown
Phone / email:
[Phone or email]

Estimate details

Estimate no.:
EC-0721
Date:
21 Oct 2026
Valid until:
20 Nov 2026
Prepared by:
[Estimator name]

Client and job

Client name:
Sample Dental Practice
Job site:
4 Example Plaza, Sampletown
Job description:
Repaint reception, hallway and two treatment rooms
Area:
About 2,300 sq ft of walls and ceilings

Costs

  • Description: Wall paint, premium eggshellAmount: 828.00
    Qty:
    18
    Unit:
    gal
    Unit cost:
    46.00
  • Description: Ceiling paint, flat whiteAmount: 224.00
    Qty:
    7
    Unit:
    gal
    Unit cost:
    32.00
  • Description: Primer for patched areasAmount: 84.00
    Qty:
    3
    Unit:
    gal
    Unit cost:
    28.00
  • Description: Masking, patching and sundriesAmount: 145.00
    Qty:
    1
    Unit:
    lot
    Unit cost:
    145.00
  • Description: Painter laborAmount: 2,688.00
    Qty:
    64
    Unit:
    hr
    Unit cost:
    42.00
  • Description: Scaffold tower rentalAmount: 195.00
    Qty:
    3
    Unit:
    day
    Unit cost:
    65.00
Cost subtotal
4,164.00
Markup (20%)
832.80
Contingency (5%)
208.20
Sales tax, if applicable (0%)
0.00
Estimated total
5,205.00

How this estimate is calculated

  • Each line amount is quantity times unit cost
  • Markup and contingency are percentages of the cost subtotal
  • Tax, if applicable, is a percentage of the subtotal plus markup and contingency

Not included

  • Moving furniture or equipment
  • Work outside normal practice hours

Accepted by (client signature)

Print name

Date

Prices are valid until the date shown above.

Estimate calculator with markup: sample preview. Download it below with the other layout.

Key Features

Everything you need in a professional estimate template.

Estimate calculator: each cost line multiplies quantity by unit cost into a cost subtotal
Markup, contingency and tax each come from their own rate cell, so you change one number and the total updates
Materials and labor estimate: separate materials and labor sections with their own subtotals, a combined total, sales tax and a proposed deposit from rate cells
Estimate number, valid-until date, notes and a client acceptance block on both layouts
Each layout comes as .xlsx (with formulas), .docx, and a blank PDF to print and fill by hand
Opens in Google Sheets by uploading the .xlsx to Google Drive or using File > Import

Download one of 2 estimate layouts

The PDF is a blank form to print and fill in by hand. The Word and Excel files contain the sample details shown in the preview, ready for you to replace with your own.

JOB COST ESTIMATE

Contractor

Business name:
Example Painting Co.
Address:
31 Example Road, Sampletown
Phone / email:
[Phone or email]

Estimate details

Estimate no.:
EC-0721
Date:
21 Oct 2026
Valid until:
20 Nov 2026
Prepared by:
[Estimator name]

Client and job

Client name:
Sample Dental Practice
Job site:
4 Example Plaza, Sampletown
Job description:
Repaint reception, hallway and two treatment rooms
Area:
About 2,300 sq ft of walls and ceilings

Costs

  • Description: Wall paint, premium eggshellAmount: 828.00
    Qty:
    18
    Unit:
    gal
    Unit cost:
    46.00
  • Description: Ceiling paint, flat whiteAmount: 224.00
    Qty:
    7
    Unit:
    gal
    Unit cost:
    32.00
  • Description: Primer for patched areasAmount: 84.00
    Qty:
    3
    Unit:
    gal
    Unit cost:
    28.00
  • Description: Masking, patching and sundriesAmount: 145.00
    Qty:
    1
    Unit:
    lot
    Unit cost:
    145.00
  • Description: Painter laborAmount: 2,688.00
    Qty:
    64
    Unit:
    hr
    Unit cost:
    42.00
  • Description: Scaffold tower rentalAmount: 195.00
    Qty:
    3
    Unit:
    day
    Unit cost:
    65.00
Cost subtotal
4,164.00
Markup (20%)
832.80
Contingency (5%)
208.20
Sales tax, if applicable (0%)
0.00
Estimated total
5,205.00

How this estimate is calculated

  • Each line amount is quantity times unit cost
  • Markup and contingency are percentages of the cost subtotal
  • Tax, if applicable, is a percentage of the subtotal plus markup and contingency

Not included

  • Moving furniture or equipment
  • Work outside normal practice hours

Accepted by (client signature)

Print name

Date

Prices are valid until the date shown above.

Estimate calculator with markup

A spreadsheet estimate where each cost line multiplies quantity by unit cost, then markup, contingency and tax come from editable percentage cells and the total updates automatically.

A priced proposal — not an invoice

Download

MATERIALS AND LABOR ESTIMATE

Contractor

Business name:
Example Landscaping
Address:
8 Example Nursery Road, Sampletown
Phone / email:
[Phone or email]

Estimate details

Estimate no.:
ML-0356
Date:
23 Oct 2026
Valid until:
22 Nov 2026
Prepared by:
[Estimator name]

Client and job

Client name:
Riley Sample
Job site:
63 Sample Gardens, Sampletown
Job description:
160 sq ft paver patio and a 30 ft x 3 ft path
Total paved area:
250 sq ft

Materials

  • Description: Concrete pavers, 60 x 40 cmAmount: 1,050.00
    Qty:
    250
    Unit:
    sq ft
    Unit price:
    4.20
  • Description: Crushed stone baseAmount: 368.00
    Qty:
    8
    Unit:
    ton
    Unit price:
    46.00
  • Description: Bedding sandAmount: 156.00
    Qty:
    3
    Unit:
    ton
    Unit price:
    52.00
  • Description: Edge restraintAmount: 252.00
    Qty:
    120
    Unit:
    lin ft
    Unit price:
    2.10
  • Description: Polymeric jointing sandAmount: 189.00
    Qty:
    6
    Unit:
    bag
    Unit price:
    31.50
Materials subtotal2,015.00

Labor

  • Description: Excavation and gradingAmount: 880.00
    Qty:
    16
    Unit:
    hr
    Unit price:
    55.00
  • Description: Install and compact baseAmount: 660.00
    Qty:
    12
    Unit:
    hr
    Unit price:
    55.00
  • Description: Lay pavers and cut edgesAmount: 1,320.00
    Qty:
    24
    Unit:
    hr
    Unit price:
    55.00
  • Description: Mini excavator and plate compactor rentalAmount: 480.00
    Qty:
    2
    Unit:
    day
    Unit price:
    240.00
Labor subtotal3,340.00
Subtotal (materials + labor)
5,355.00
Sales tax, if applicable (0%)
0.00
Estimated total
5,355.00
Proposed deposit (10%)
535.50

Notes

  • Material quantities include an allowance for cuts and waste
  • Excavated soil is spread on site unless removal is requested
  • Labor hours are estimates; the hourly rate applies to each hour listed

Accepted by (client signature)

Print name

Date

Prices are valid until the date shown above.

Materials and labor estimate

A spreadsheet estimate with separate materials and labor sections, each with its own subtotal, combined into one estimated total with a tax line and a proposed deposit.

A priced proposal — not an invoice

Download

Which spreadsheet to use

Both spreadsheets price work before you do it; neither is an invoice. They differ in how the price is built.

Estimate calculator with markup

For pricing up from your own costs. Each line holds a cost (materials, labor hours, equipment rental) with a quantity, a unit and a unit cost, and the sheet multiplies them into a cost subtotal. Below that, three rate cells do the rest:

  • Markup is a percentage of the cost subtotal (20% in the sample).
  • Contingency is also a percentage of the cost subtotal (5% in the sample), not of the marked-up amount.
  • Sales tax, if applicable is a percentage of the cost subtotal plus markup plus contingency (0% in the sample).

The estimated total is the sum of those lines. Change any rate and the total recalculates, so you can try different markup or contingency rates before you commit to a number. The sample is a commercial repaint priced from paint, sundries, painter hours and scaffold rental.

The printed estimate shows the cost lines, the markup and contingency amounts, and a short note explaining how the total is calculated. That is an open-book estimate: the client sees your costs and your markup.

Materials and labor estimate

For jobs where the client wants to see what the materials cost and what the time costs. Materials and labor are separate sections, each with its own lines and subtotal. The two subtotals add into one subtotal, a sales tax line comes from a rate cell (0% in the sample), and a proposed deposit is worked out from its own rate cell (10% of the estimated total in the sample).

There is no markup line: you enter your selling prices directly, so the client sees what they would pay for each item and each hour, not your costs. The sample is a paver patio and path, with equipment rental listed under labor because it is charged by the day. It suits trade, installation and repair work generally.

How to open the .xlsx file in Google Sheets

The downloads are Excel files, so there is no Google link to copy. You can bring one into Google Sheets in either of two ways:

  1. Upload and open from Google Drive. Upload the .xlsx to Drive, double-click it, and click Open with Google Sheets at the top of the preview. Choose File > Save as Google Sheets to convert it to a native Sheets file. If you don't convert it, Google says the changes you make are saved in the original Excel format (Use both Excel & Sheets).
  2. Import into a spreadsheet that is already open. In Sheets, choose File > Import, pick the .xlsx, and choose an option such as Create new spreadsheet or Insert new sheets. Google lists .xlsx among the file types it can import (Import data sets & spreadsheets).

The formulas were written as Excel formulas and have not been tested in Google Sheets. After opening, change one quantity and one rate, and check that the line amount, subtotals and total all update before you rely on the sheet.

Working with the markup, contingency and tax cells

Type only into the quantity, unit, unit cost and rate cells. The amount, subtotal and total cells are formulas; typing a number over one of them breaks the link to the total.

The rates in the file are sample values to show how the sheet works, not recommended rates. Set your own:

  • Markup covers your overhead and profit on top of cost. Use whatever rate your business needs to make the job worthwhile.
  • Contingency is an allowance for things you can't price exactly yet, such as hidden damage or quantities you will only know once the work starts. Because it sits on its own line, tell the client what it is for, for example in the notes.
  • Tax rate. Whether sales tax applies to the work, and at what rate, depends on where you work and what you are providing. Check with your state or local tax authority, and leave the rate at 0% if no tax applies.

If you'd rather not show your costs and markup to the client, use the materials and labor layout and enter selling prices instead.

Markup is not the same as margin

Markup is a percentage of your cost; margin is a percentage of the price. A 20% markup on $1,000 of cost gives a price of $1,200, but the $200 you add is only 16.7% of that price. If you're aiming for a 20% margin, you need a 25% markup ($1,000 cost, $1,250 price). The markup calculator and profit margin calculator convert between the two.

Filling in the materials and labor estimate

  • Materials: one line per item, with quantity, unit and unit price. Include an allowance for cuts and waste in the quantities, as the sample notes do. The sheet multiplies each line and adds them into the materials subtotal.
  • Labor: one line per task, with hours (or days) and a rate. Equipment you charge by the day can go here too. These add into the labor subtotal.
  • Tax: the tax rate applies to the combined subtotal. If materials and labor are taxed differently where you work, this single line won't reflect that; check with your state or local tax authority and adjust the sheet or the note.
  • Proposed deposit: set the deposit rate cell to what you would ask for on acceptance, or delete the line if you don't take deposits. It is a proposal, not a payment request; you ask for payment on an invoice once the client accepts.

Each section has one blank line, and each subtotal adds a fixed block of rows. If you run out of lines in a section, insert new rows between existing lines of that section (not below its last line), copy the amount formula into them, and check that the subtotal's range now includes them.

Protecting the formula cells

To stop the amount, subtotal and total cells from being typed over, select them and use Data > Protect sheets and ranges. You can limit who can edit the range, or choose Show a warning when editing this range, which lets an edit through after a confirmation. Google notes that protection "shouldn't be used as a security measure" (Protect, hide & edit sheets).

If you protect cells in Excel before uploading, set the protection again in Sheets: Google says locked and hidden cells in a protected Excel workbook become viewable and editable in Google Sheets (Work with Office files).

Sending the estimate

Send the client a PDF rather than a link to the live sheet. A PDF is a fixed copy they can't edit by accident, and it doesn't expose your formulas or any working you keep elsewhere in the file.

  • Print or save as PDF: select the estimate area, choose File > Print, pick Selected cells or Current sheet, then click Next. In Firefox or Safari a PDF downloads at this step; in Chrome a print window opens (Print from Google Sheets).
  • Email it from Sheets: Sheets can email a copy of the file as an attachment in another format, such as PDF (Export spreadsheets).
  • Keep what you sent. Save each estimate as its own file under its estimate number, or name the version in version history before you send it, so you can always find the figures the client saw (Find what's changed in a file).

When the client accepts

Keep the signed acceptance with the estimate, then bill the agreed work on an invoice, for example the Google Sheets invoice template. Billed lets you create and send estimates and convert an approved estimate into an invoice (estimating software).

Other estimate formats

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What's included in this estimate template

Estimate calculator with markup Materials and labor estimate
Use it for Turning your costs into a price, with markup and contingency shown Showing the client materials and labor separately at your selling prices
What you type Cost lines (quantity, unit, unit cost); markup, contingency and tax rates Materials lines (quantity, unit price), labor lines (hours or days, rate); tax and deposit rates
What the formulas work out Line amounts, cost subtotal, markup, contingency, sales tax, estimated total Line amounts, materials subtotal, labor subtotal, combined subtotal, sales tax, estimated total, proposed deposit
Files .xlsx (with formulas), .docx, blank PDF .xlsx (with formulas), .docx, blank PDF

When this isn't for you

If the work is done and you are asking to be paid, send an invoice, not an estimate. If the client mainly needs to read a scope of work, with phases, assumptions and a timeline rather than a calculation, a document layout such as the Google Docs estimate template is easier to read.

How To Send Estimates With Billed

Billed lets you create and send estimates, then turn an approved estimate into an invoice.

1

Sign Up Free

Create your free Billed account. No credit card required.

2

Create Your Estimate

Add your logo, your client's details and the line items, with quantities and units for each.

3

Send It, Then Invoice

Send the estimate to your client by link or email. Once they approve it, convert it into an invoice.

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about this estimate template.

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