# Free Remodeling Estimate Template (Excel + PDF) for 2026 Canonical URL: https://www.simplywise.com/blog/remodeling-estimate-template/ Plain text: https://www.simplywise.com/blog/remodeling-estimate-template/llms.txt Publisher: SimplyWise, Inc. (https://www.simplywise.com) Published: May 29, 2026 Updated: August 13, 2026 Category: Free Templates Summary: Free remodeling estimate template sectioned by trade. Demo, plumbing, electrical, drywall, flooring, paint, finish carpentry, fixtures. --- Templates > Remodeling > Estimate Template ## Free Remodeling Estimate Template A contractor-ready remodeling estimate template, sectioned by trade, with demo, plumbing, electrical, flooring, paint, contingency, and markup built in. Then download it instantly in PDF, Excel, or Google Sheets. Finally, fill it out in under 30 minutes. Download PDF Excel Google Sheets No signup required. Just download and start estimating. Trusted by thousands of remodeling contractors REMODELING ESTIMATE Cornerstone Remodeling LLC Client: Mark and Sara Lin 2204 Cottonwood Dr, Phoenix, AZ 85048 Date: April 24, 2026 | Valid for 30 days Demolition, debris, lead pre-test $2,400 Plumbing rough-in and fixtures $4,800 Electrical, devices, panel evaluation $3,600 Drywall, insulation, flooring $6,200 Cabinetry, counters, finish carpentry $7,400 Paint, fixtures, appliance allowance $2,940 Contingency and markup $2,440 TOTAL $29,780 Trusted by thousands of contractors 4.8 Stars App Store Google Play #1 Estimating App ## What Every Remodeling Estimate Should Include Also, a clean remodeling estimate template segments cost by trade, from demolition through fixtures, so the homeowner can see exactly where every dollar goes. Notably, skipping any of the line items below is how remodelers leak margin on jobs that should have been profitable. ### Required line items on every remodeling estimate ✓ Company name, license number, insurance, and contact info ✓ Client name and full project address ✓ Scope tier classification (cosmetic, full replacement, gut-to-studs) ✓ Demolition, debris removal, and dumpster loads ✓ Lead and asbestos pre-test on pre-1978 housing ✓ Plumbing rough-in, fixture counts, water heater ✓ Electrical device counts, circuit runs, panel evaluation ✓ Drywall hang-and-finish square footage and insulation R-value ✓ Flooring square footage by material, plus waste factor ✓ Paint (wall, ceiling, trim) with primer separate from finish ✓ Finish carpentry (trim, doors, cabinetry install, hardware) ✓ Fixtures and appliances priced as allowances ✓ Labor by trade (crew hours at a loaded billable rate) ✓ Permit fees and plan-review allowance ✓ Allowances for customer-selected items (cabinets, faucets, appliances) ✓ Exclusions (the contractor’s largest defense at job close) ✓ Contingency sized to scope tier (5 to 20 percent) ✓ Overhead allocation (typically 23.6 percent of revenue per NAHB) ✓ Markup on cost of sales (roughly 1.43x to hit a 29.9 percent gross margin) ✓ Payment schedule, bid expiry, warranty terms, and signature line ## How to Write a Remodeling Estimate in 5 Steps First, use the remodeling estimate template above as your trade-by-trade checklist. Then the five steps below walk through filling it out from the first site walk to the signed PDF the homeowner accepts. ### Step 1: Walk the Site and Classify the Scope Tier First, document each room and surface with a keep, repair, or replace decision. Then classify the project against the three convention tiers: cosmetic refresh (paint, flooring, fixtures, no mechanical work), full replacement (cabinetry, counters, floors, fixtures, possibly some mechanical work), or gut-to-studs (strip to framing, rebuild systems, full finish-out). In addition, photograph everything: elevations, mechanical rooms, every fixture. Notably, classifying the scope tier at the walk-through is the single highest-leverage estimating decision. As a result, getting that call wrong is the most common source of bid error. ### Step 2: Fill the Trade Sections with Quantity Take-offs Specifically, move section by section through the eight trade tabs. For example, demolition takes off in square feet of selective demo, cubic yards of debris, and dumpster loads. Plumbing takes off in fixture counts and rough-in runs. Electrical in device counts, circuit runs, and a panel evaluation. Drywall in hang-and-finish square feet plus insulation R-value and type. Flooring in square feet by material. Paint in wall square feet, ceiling square feet, and trim linear feet. In addition, finish carpentry tracks trim, doors, cabinetry install hours, and hardware, while fixtures price by customer-selected SKU or by allowance. ### Step 3: Apply Current Unit Costs and Waste Factors First, pull material unit costs from current supplier sheets, not last year’s. In fact, the Houzz 2026 study (https://www.houzz.com/magazine/2026-u-s-houzz-and-home-study-renovation-trends-stsetivw-vs~185090855) found 35 percent of homeowners who exceeded budget did so because they selected higher-end materials mid-project, so your baseline has to be today’s price. Then apply the waste factor by trade: 8 to 12 percent for flooring and drywall, 15 percent for tile. As a result, the template’s waste-factor columns auto-calculate the adjusted square footage so the unit-cost math stays clean. ### Step 4: Load Labor at a Billable Rate, Not a Wage Generally, BLS median wages are the floor input, not the bill rate. For example, per the Bureau of Labor Statistics (https://www.bls.gov/ooh/construction-and-extraction/carpenters.htm) (May 2024 data), national median hourly wages are $28.51 for carpenters, $29.98 for electricians, and $30.27 for plumbers. Then, to reach the billable rate the template applies, add burden (benefits, payroll tax, workers’ compensation, typically 25 to 40 percent), then overhead, then margin. As a result, a common build-up on a $30 wage adds roughly $10 burden, then overhead and margin, arriving at $75 to $90 per hour billable at the low end of common contractor bill rates. ### Step 5: Add Overhead, Contingency, and Margin to Hit the Bid Total Finally, use 23.6 percent operating-expense share as the overhead allocation per NAHB. In addition, size contingency to scope tier: 5 to 8 percent on cosmetic refreshes, 8 to 12 percent on full replacements, 12 to 20 percent on gut-to-studs (upper end for pre-1978 homes where lead and structural settlement risk is statistically higher). Then, to hit the 29.9 percent gross margin benchmark, divide cost of sales by 0.701, which produces roughly a 1.43 times markup on cost. As a result, the template’s signature tab does this math automatically once cost of sales is filled. ## Average Remodeling Job Costs to Guide Your Estimates Generally, these are national-average reference points to drop into your remodeling estimate template. However, actual costs vary by region, finish level, and scope. As a result, use these as the starting point, then override every line item per job. Figures from the Remodeling 2024 Cost vs Value Report, Zonda Media. | Project | Tier | 2024 National Average | | --- | --- | --- | | Kitchen remodel | Minor (refaced cabinets, counter, appliance kept) | $26,790 | | Kitchen remodel | Major mid-range | $77,939 | | Kitchen remodel | Major upscale | $158,530 | | Bathroom remodel | Mid-range, retain layout | $25,251 | | Bathroom remodel | Upscale, full replacement | $80,920 | | Universal-design / aging-in-place add-on | Above tier | +$10K to +$20K | Costs vary by region, finish level, and scope. Get a location-specific remodeling estimate in seconds with the SimplyWise Cost Estimator → Margin Reference ## Scope Tiers, Contingency, and Markup to Put on Every Estimate Notably, the difference between a profitable remodel and a money-loser is whether contingency and markup were sized correctly at bid time. Therefore, set contingency to the scope tier in writing, and mark up cost of sales to hit the industry-average gross margin. Cosmetic refresh contingency 5 to 8 percent Full replacement contingency 8 to 12 percent Gut-to-studs contingency 12 to 20 percent Markup on cost of sales divide by 0.701 (roughly 1.43x) The margin math To land the 29.9 percent industry-average gross margin, divide your cost of sales by 0.701. For example, $20,000 in cost of sales divided by 0.701 is $28,531, which yields a roughly 1.43 times markup. Then allocate 23.6 percent of revenue to operating expenses per NAHB, and the net margin lands near the 6.3 percent industry average. Figures reference the NAHB Remodelers’ Cost of Doing Business 2026 edition (https://eyeonhousing.org/2026/04/remodelers-saw-profit-margin-gains-in-2024/) (FY2024 data): 29.9 percent gross margin, 6.3 percent net margin (highest since 1996), trade-contractor costs 30 percent of revenue, operating expenses 23.6 percent of revenue. ## Permits, Lead-RRP, and Pre-1978 Risk Flags Generally, the line items that turn into six-figure mid-job change orders are the ones contractors skip at bid time. In fact, on older housing stock, the regulatory flags below belong on the estimate before the first wall comes down, so the customer sees how the number was built and the contractor is protected when the inspector arrives. The pre-1978 checklist Lead pre-test + asbestos inspection + aluminum-wire check, before demo First, on homes built before 1978, the EPA Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting (RRP) Rule (https://www.epa.gov/lead/lead-safe-certified-firms) requires a certified firm for any renovation that disturbs painted surfaces. Then, pre-1981 homes can additionally trigger asbestos inspection under EPA NESHAP 40 CFR Part 61 Subpart M. Finally, aluminum branch wiring, common in 1965 to 1973 construction, drives a re-wire allowance contractors regularly miss at bid time. Default-included flags by home age - Pre-1978: lead pre-test and certified RRP firm required for painted-surface disturbance - Pre-1981: asbestos inspection under EPA NESHAP 40 CFR Part 61 Subpart M - 1965 to 1973: aluminum branch-wire inspection and re-wire allowance - All ages: residential alteration permit for structural, electrical, plumbing, or mechanical work Generally, the International Code Council reports a typical plan-review window of 14 to 28 calendar days. However, cosmetic refreshes (paint, flooring, fixture swap) often do not require a permit, while a gut-to-studs always does. Therefore, build the permit fee and plan-review window into the schedule so the customer is not surprised by the timeline. ## Estimating Best Practices for Remodelers In summary, six rules that turn a good remodeling estimate template into a profit-protecting bid every time. ### Segment the bid by trade, never lump-sum Notably, a lump-sum bid hides the cost structure, while a trade-segmented bid exposes it. For example, when a homeowner sees which trade absorbed an upgrade, the next contractor’s lump sum looks opaque by comparison. As a result, trade segmentation is exactly what wins jobs over the next contractor on the list. ### Classify the scope tier at the walk-through First, decide cosmetic refresh versus full replacement versus gut-to-studs before you spec a single line item. In fact, getting that call wrong is the most common source of bid error. Therefore, document each surface keep, repair, or replace, and photograph everything before you build the estimate. ### Size contingency to the scope tier Generally, 5 to 8 percent covers a cosmetic refresh, 8 to 12 percent a full replacement, and 12 to 20 percent a gut-to-studs. For example, a pre-1978 gut should sit at the upper end where lead and structural settlement risk is statistically higher. As a result, the contingency line is the buffer that keeps a budget overrun from eating your margin. ### Bill labor at a loaded rate, not a wage Specifically, BLS median wages are the floor, not the bill rate. By comparison, a $30 wage carries roughly $10 burden, then overhead and margin, arriving at $75 to $90 per hour billable. Therefore, never drop a raw wage into the template, or you give away the burden, overhead, and margin the job needs. ### Write the exclusions list in full In particular, anything not explicitly listed in a trade section is, by template convention, excluded. For example, default-include structural engineering, soil testing, asbestos abatement beyond the pre-test, and hazardous waste beyond standard demo. As a result, the exclusions tab is the contractor’s largest defense at job close. ### Carry customer selections as allowances Generally, fixtures and appliances are selected after the bid is written, so carry them as allowances with a target dollar value and a select-by deadline. For example, when the customer misses the deadline, the allowance defaults to target and the job proceeds. Therefore, a per-item allowance is the only defense against fixture-selection bid disputes. Industry Perspective Per the NAHB Remodelers’ Cost of Doing Business Study, 2026 edition (https://eyeonhousing.org/2026/04/remodelers-saw-profit-margin-gains-in-2024/) (FY2024 data), trade-contractor costs averaged 30 percent of revenue across residential remodelers, the single largest line item on the profit-and-loss statement. A template that segments those costs by trade at bid time is the only way a contractor sees margin leaks before the job closes. Lump-sum bids only surface trade margin issues at job close, which is too late to recover. ## Common Mistakes a Remodeling Estimate Template Fixes In fact, a remodeling estimate template is only useful if it forces you to fill in the line items that contractors most often skip. Specifically, here are the mistakes the template is built to catch before they cost you money on the actual job. ### Skipping the lead and asbestos pre-test Notably, on pre-1978 homes the EPA Lead RRP Rule requires a certified firm for painted-surface disturbance, and pre-1981 homes can trigger asbestos inspection. For example, skipping these line items at bid time is the most common source of a six-figure mid-job change order. As a result, the template default-includes the pre-test row under Demolition so you cannot ship the bid without addressing it. ### Under-bidding paint Generally, paint is the most commonly under-bid trade on a remodel. For example, contractors price one number instead of taking off wall square feet, ceiling square feet, and trim linear feet separately, then forget primer is a separate coat. As a result, the template forces three separate paint rows and prices primer apart from finish so the trade carries its real cost. ### Dropping a raw wage into labor In particular, BLS median wages ($28.51 carpenter, $29.98 electrician, $30.27 plumber) are the floor input, not the bill rate. Conversely, billing the raw wage gives away burden, overhead, and margin. Therefore, the template applies a configured loaded rate to labor hours per section, so the wage never ships as the bill rate. ### Forgetting the waste factor Specifically, flooring and drywall run 8 to 12 percent waste, and tile runs 15 percent. For example, ordering exact square footage means a second supplier trip and a stalled crew. As a result, the template’s waste-factor columns auto-adjust the quantity so the order quantity is right the first time. ## Remodeling in 2026, by the Numbers The market context behind every remodeling estimate template you fill out this year. $522B projected U.S. homeowner improvement spend by end of 2026, +1.6% YoY (JCHS LIRA, April 2026) $20K median homeowner renovation spend, with 90th-percentile at $150K (Houzz 2026 study) 37% of homeowners exceeded their initial budget on a 2025 renovation (Houzz 2026 study) 29.9% industry-average gross margin, FY2024, with 6.3% net (NAHB Cost of Doing Business 2026) Sources: JCHS Leading Indicator of Remodeling Activity (https://www.jchs.harvard.edu/blog/remodeling-growth-set-downshift-late-2026), Houzz 2026 U.S. Houzz and Home Study (https://www.houzz.com/magazine/2026-u-s-houzz-and-home-study-renovation-trends-stsetivw-vs~185090855), NAHB Cost of Doing Business 2026 edition (https://eyeonhousing.org/2026/04/remodelers-saw-profit-margin-gains-in-2024/). ## Remodeling Estimate Template vs. Estimating Software Generally, the free template is a perfect starting point. However, the next step up is photo-to-estimate software that pulls current material pricing and exports a branded PDF in a single tap. Wondering which estimating app to pick for your trade? See our 10 best estimating apps for electricians ranking. Notably, the same 100-point rubric applies across remodeling, roofing, plumbing, and HVAC, with current pricing and free-trial details on every option. DIY Template ### Free - ✓ Eight pre-built trade sections - ✓ PDF, Excel, Google Sheets - ✓ Print or email to clients - ✓ Manual line-item entry - ✓ No live material pricing Free to Try ### SimplyWise Cost Estimator From $29.99/mo. Free to try. - ✓ Photo-to-estimate in seconds - ✓ Current material pricing by location - ✓ Trade-sectioned, branded PDF estimates - ✓ Send straight to clients - ✓ Track every estimate in one place ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What sections are in the remodeling estimate template? ### What gross margin should a remodeling estimate target? ### Does the template work for kitchen and bath remodels? ### How much contingency should I add to a remodeling estimate? ### What file formats can I download this remodeling estimate template in? ### How is the SimplyWise Cost Estimator different from this free template? ### Do I need a permit for a remodel? ### Does the template handle pre-1978 lead-safe work? ## More Free Templates for Contractors CONCRETE ESTIMATE Apex Concrete LLC Ready-mix 4000 psi (8 cubic yards) $1,440 Excavate, grade, gravel base $820 Labor (3-person crew, 1 day) $1,680 TOTAL $5,585 ### Concrete Estimate Template Driveways, patios, and slabs with material, labor, cubic yards, and markup built in. PAINTING INVOICE TrueColor Painting Co. Interior walls, 2 coats (1,800 sf) $2,700 Trim and doors, primer + finish $960 Materials and supplies $540 TOTAL $4,200 ### Painting Invoice Template Interior and exterior paint jobs with coats, trim, and materials itemized for billing. CHANGE ORDER Cornerstone Remodeling LLC Added scope: relocate plumbing wall $3,200 Upgraded countertop selection $1,850 Schedule impact (3 days) $0 CHANGE TOTAL $5,050 ### Construction Change Order Template Scope changes, cost adjustments, and schedule impacts documented and signed mid-project. ## Ready to save hours on every remodeling estimate? Finally, pair the free remodeling estimate template above with the SimplyWise Cost Estimator. As a result, a jobsite photo turns into a trade-sectioned, contractor-ready estimate in seconds. Of course, free to try. SimplyWise Templates Blog Privacy (https://simplywise.com/privacy) Terms (https://simplywise.com/terms) --- ## About SimplyWise SimplyWise, Inc. (New York, NY) builds mobile apps for contractors, tradespeople, and small business owners. The SimplyWise Cost Estimator turns a job site photo into an itemized estimate with labor and material costs in about 6 seconds, and the client signs the branded quote to approve it. It is rated 4.8 on the App Store. It is free to try with a 7-day free trial, then $29.99 per month or $239.99 per year (about $20 per month on the annual plan), and one subscription includes every app in the SimplyWise suite. - Download: https://www.simplywise.com/download - App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/simplywise-cost-estimator/id6670619664 - Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.simplywise.costestimator - Every SimplyWise page as plain text: https://www.simplywise.com/blog/llms.txt