What goes on a plumbing estimate
Plumbing estimates mix flat-rate items (a service call, a fixture install, a permit) with time and materials (labour hours, feet of pipe, a lot of fittings). Keeping them on separate lines makes the estimate easy to check and easy to turn into an invoice when the actual hours are in.
The template starts with the common lines for a repair or a water heater swap. Delete what you don’t need, add model numbers in the detail field, and star the lines you use often so they fill in next time.
The lines in this template
| Line | Unit | Taxable by default |
|---|---|---|
| Service call / diagnostic | each | No |
| Labour | hr | No |
| Water heaterMake, model, capacity and fuel type | each | Yes |
| Fittings, valves and supply lines | lot | Yes |
| Pipe (PEX / copper / PVC) | ft | Yes |
| Drain cleaning / camera inspection | each | No |
| Fixture install (faucet, toilet, disposal) | each | No |
| Haul-away of old equipment | each | No |
| Permit and inspection | each | No |
9 lines, prices left blank for yours. “Taxable” is only the starting tick, so match it to your state’s rules.
Tips from the trade
- Put the water heater’s make, model, capacity and fuel type in the detail line.
- State what is excluded, such as opening and patching walls, in the notes.
- If you charge flat-rate pricing, set the unit to “each” and the quantity to 1.
Questions people ask
Should a plumbing estimate show labour separately?
It helps. Customers accept a price more readily when they can see the parts and the labour, and if the job runs long the invoice can show the extra hours on the same line. If you work flat-rate, use one line per task instead.
Do I charge sales tax on plumbing labour?
It depends on your state and on whether the work counts as a repair or a capital improvement. The template marks parts as taxable and labour as not taxable by default; change the “Tax” tick on any line to match your state’s rules.
Should I quote a water heater as one price or line by line?
Either. One flat price is easy to read; separate lines for the heater, fittings, labour and haul-away make it easy to show what changed if you find a problem. The template uses separate lines; delete the ones you fold into a flat rate.
What if I find more work once I open the wall?
Say so in the notes before you start. The template’s notes already say that access through walls or ceilings, and patching afterwards, is quoted separately. Add a new estimate for the extra work, or add lines to the invoice with the customer’s agreement.
Can I turn the estimate into an invoice when the job is done?
Yes. Click “Turn into invoice”. The client, scope and prices carry over, the estimate number is noted on the invoice, and any deposit you asked for is shown as received so the invoice shows the balance due.