Construction resource library
Construction estimating guides by trade
A plumbing visit, a roof replacement, and a concrete pour need different quantities. Choose your trade for scope checks, worked cost examples, and the handoff from an approved estimate to an invoice.
Updated: October 29, 2026.
Start with the scope, then follow the money
Takeoff establishes quantities. Pricing adds labor, materials, equipment, overhead, and profit. An invoice requests payment for approved work. Job costing compares the original assumptions with the actual result. Choose tools for the stage your business needs to improve.
QuickAdmin supports estimates and invoices from the quantities you enter. Do not assume it measures plans, engineers a system, or validates code requirements. Keep specialist measurement and professional review in your project process.
Plumbing
Separate diagnosis, repair, replacement, and commercial rough in. Record fixtures, fittings, access, removal, testing, and planned return visits.
A water heater quote should identify equipment, connections, removal, and any separately priced access or restoration.
Download plumbing cost example (CSV)
Free tools for this work
- True labor cost calculator
Include wages, additional labor costs, and nonbillable time in your estimate.
- Trip charge advisor
Estimate travel distance, drive time, and a charge to review for the visit.
- Free invoice generator
Prepare a customer invoice in your browser from the approved scope.
Roofing
Keep roof measurements separate from the customer scope. Price covering, accessories, tear off, flashing, disposal, delivery, and access.
A 2,000 square foot roof is 20 roofing squares before a project specific material allowance. Confirm product coverage and ordering quantities.
Download roofing cost example (CSV)
Free tools for this work
- AI materials list estimator
Draft a materials list from a job description and verify its quantities.
- Weather risk assessor
Review forecast risks for outdoor work in the city you enter.
- Profit margin calculator
Compare markup and margin using your cost and selling price.
Drywall
Distinguish quantity takeoff from pricing. Record wall and ceiling area, board specification, finish level, waste, access, labor, and cleanup.
A quantity worksheet should explain sheet size and waste before the estimate applies labor, overhead, and profit.
Download drywall cost example (CSV)
Free tools for this work
- AI materials list estimator
Draft a materials list from a job description and verify its quantities.
- True labor cost calculator
Include wages, additional labor costs, and nonbillable time in your estimate.
- Profit margin calculator
Compare markup and margin using your cost and selling price.
Electrical
Record drawing revision, device quantities, cable and fittings, labor, access equipment, testing, and planned return visits.
Keep person hours distinct from crew hours. Estimating records do not replace design or professional project review.
Invoice original scope and changes
Download electrical cost example (CSV)
Free tools for this work
- True labor cost calculator
Include wages, additional labor costs, and nonbillable time in your estimate.
- Project description generator
Turn short job notes into a draft scope that you can review and edit.
- Free invoice generator
Prepare a customer invoice in your browser from the approved scope.
HVAC
Use separate templates for repairs and replacements. Identify the equipment allowance, removal, connections, access, startup, and handover.
An equipment quote is only one input. Record the installation scope and commissioning allowance as their own cost assumptions.
Compare estimated and actual job costs
Download hvac cost example (CSV)
Free tools for this work
- True labor cost calculator
Include wages, additional labor costs, and nonbillable time in your estimate.
- Trip charge advisor
Estimate travel distance, drive time, and a charge to review for the visit.
- Profit margin calculator
Compare markup and margin using your cost and selling price.
Painting
Price preparation, protection, primer, coats, trim, access, cleanup, and return visits separately from paint purchasing quantities.
State measured surface area and coat count. Use manufacturer coverage information and your own production history when calculating material and labor.
Define separate drywall repair scope
Download painting cost example (CSV)
Free tools for this work
- AI materials list estimator
Draft a materials list from a job description and verify its quantities.
- Weather risk assessor
Review forecast risks for outdoor work in the city you enter.
- Profit margin calculator
Compare markup and margin using your cost and selling price.
Concrete
Record dimensions, thickness, base preparation, forms, reinforcement, delivery, placement, finishing, access, and cleanup.
Convert square feet and thickness in feet into cubic feet, then divide by 27 for cubic yards. Label any ordering allowance separately.
Download concrete cost example (CSV)
Free tools for this work
- AI materials list estimator
Draft a materials list from a job description and verify its quantities.
- Weather risk assessor
Review forecast risks for outdoor work in the city you enter.
- Crew labor budget
Build a crew labor budget from your own staffing and cost inputs.
Landscaping
Separate recurring maintenance from installations. Price beds, soil or mulch volume, plant counts, travel, equipment, disposal, and visits.
A mulch estimate needs bed area and depth. Keep installation scope separate from recurring service quantities and frequencies.
Download landscaping cost example (CSV)
Free tools for this work
- AI materials list estimator
Draft a materials list from a job description and verify its quantities.
- Weather risk assessor
Review forecast risks for outdoor work in the city you enter.
- Trip charge advisor
Estimate travel distance, drive time, and a charge to review for the visit.
Handyman
Price the complete visit: task list, travel, setup, labor, materials, shopping time, cleanup, and owner supplied items.
A short installation may still require a full visit. List each approved task and price additions before they reach the final invoice.
Create a clear customer invoice
Download handyman cost example (CSV)
Free tools for this work
- Trip charge advisor
Estimate travel distance, drive time, and a charge to review for the visit.
- Project description generator
Turn short job notes into a draft scope that you can review and edit.
- Free invoice generator
Prepare a customer invoice in your browser from the approved scope.
General contracting
Separate original scope, subcontractor packages, allowances, approved changes, purchases, actual costs, and billing milestones.
A progress invoice should distinguish approved contract value, completed work, previous billing, payments, and remaining balance.
Read the general contracting guide
General contractor invoice template
Download general contracting cost example (CSV)
Free tools for this work
- Crew labor budget
Build a crew labor budget from your own staffing and cost inputs.
- Receipt scanner
Extract draft expense fields from a receipt image, then review the result.
- Free invoice generator
Prepare a customer invoice in your browser from the approved scope.
Remodeling
Organize the estimate by room and phase. Separate demolition, protection, subcontractors, selections, restoration, and closeout.
Document allowances and owner selections before turning the scope into an approved change.
Use the shared contractor estimating workflow
Free tools for this work
- Project description generator
Turn short job notes into a draft scope that you can review and edit.
- AI materials list estimator
Draft a materials list from a job description and verify its quantities.
- Profit margin calculator
Compare markup and margin using your cost and selling price.
Carpentry and framing
Record dimensions, lumber specification, connections, labor, equipment, delivery, and waste assumptions.
Keep framing quantities separate from finish carpentry. Label structural review and concealed condition assumptions in the project records.
Use the shared contractor estimating workflow
Purchasing and supplier bill workflow
Free tools for this work
- AI materials list estimator
Draft a materials list from a job description and verify its quantities.
- True labor cost calculator
Include wages, additional labor costs, and nonbillable time in your estimate.
- Profit margin calculator
Compare markup and margin using your cost and selling price.
Masonry
Identify unit type, wall area, openings, mortar or grout allowances, access, labor, delivery, and cleanup.
Use the actual unit coverage and project requirements. Separate material purchasing allowances from installed quantities.
Use the shared contractor estimating workflow
Free tools for this work
- AI materials list estimator
Draft a materials list from a job description and verify its quantities.
- Crew labor budget
Build a crew labor budget from your own staffing and cost inputs.
- Profit margin calculator
Compare markup and margin using your cost and selling price.
Flooring and tile
Separate removal, subfloor preparation, product quantity, pattern, installation labor, transitions, access, and disposal.
A room area alone does not explain cuts, substrate repairs, or a changed layout. Preserve those assumptions with the quote.
Use the shared contractor estimating workflow
Free tools for this work
- AI materials list estimator
Draft a materials list from a job description and verify its quantities.
- True labor cost calculator
Include wages, additional labor costs, and nonbillable time in your estimate.
- Free invoice generator
Prepare a customer invoice in your browser from the approved scope.
Excavation and sitework
Record measured quantities, equipment, crew time, hauling, disposal, access, mobilization, and defined ground condition assumptions.
Distinguish measured volumes from ordering and hauling allowances. Route changed conditions through the agreed approval process.
Use the shared contractor estimating workflow
Free tools for this work
- Crew labor budget
Build a crew labor budget from your own staffing and cost inputs.
- Weather risk assessor
Review forecast risks for outdoor work in the city you enter.
- Trip charge advisor
Estimate travel distance, drive time, and a charge to review for the visit.
How to use the cost examples
Each downloadable example uses fictional quantities and rates. Cost rows are separate from summary rows. Replace all inputs with your own supplier quotes and loaded labor cost, then recalculate overhead and the selling price. These worksheets are examples, not local price lists or automatic estimating tools.
A 20% markup is about 16.7% margin. For a target margin of 20%, divide your cost basis by 0.80. Do not add overhead twice if it is already included in a loaded cost or selling rate.
Use the free contractor tools library to check costs, prepare an invoice, or draft a materials list. Review AI suggestions and supplier quantities before using them in a customer proposal.
Which plan covers the workflow?
Free currently includes 6 estimates and 3 invoices per month, one user, and two jobs. Basic adds unlimited estimates and invoices, payments, and overdue reminders. Advanced adds time and shift management and photos and documents. Premium adds change orders, purchase orders, estimate budgets, per job bills and expenses, and QuickBooks invoice synchronization.
Use a sample job to evaluate the features you need. Preserve the approved scope, document changes, account for prior payments, and compare actual costs with your estimate at closeout.