Writing plumbing estimates on the back of an invoice pad is a tradition. It's also a terrible way to run a business.
I've seen plumbers who are excellent at the work but consistently lose money because their estimates are missing costs. They forget to include the trip to the supply house. They lowball the labor because they quoted it in their head while the customer was talking. They don't account for the callback if something goes wrong.
A good estimate template fixes most of this. Not because it's magic, but because it forces you to think through every cost before you give a number.
What belongs in a plumbing estimate
Every estimate you send should have these sections. Miss one, and you're eating the cost:
- Customer info: Name, address, phone, email. Basic, but I've seen estimates with no customer name on them.
- Job description: What you're doing, in plain language the customer understands. "Replace 40-gal gas water heater" not "WH swap."
- Materials list with costs: Every part, fitting, and supply. Marked up.
- Labor: Hours times your rate. Not a guess, an actual calculation.
- Additional charges: Permits, dump fees, travel, equipment rental.
- Total: Clear, no ambiguity.
- Terms: How long the estimate is valid, payment terms, warranty info.
The template
Here's a complete estimate format. Adjust the numbers to fit your market and your costs.
Header
| Your Business Name License # / Phone / Email / Website | ESTIMATE Estimate #: 2026-0042 Date: 02/26/2026 Valid for: 30 days |
Customer information
| Customer | Service address |
|---|---|
| Robert & Maria Chen 555-0147 rchen@email.com | 1842 Birch Lane Unit B Austin, TX 78745 |
Job description
Remove existing 40-gallon gas water heater. Install new 50-gallon gas water heater (Bradford White RG250T6N or equivalent). Includes new flex connectors, T&P valve, expansion tank, and code-required drip pan. Haul away old unit.
Materials
| Item | Qty | Unit cost | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50-gal gas water heater (Bradford White) | 1 | $685 | $685 |
| Stainless flex connectors | 2 | $18 | $36 |
| T&P relief valve | 1 | $22 | $22 |
| Expansion tank | 1 | $48 | $48 |
| Drip pan (aluminum) | 1 | $15 | $15 |
| Gas flex line | 1 | $24 | $24 |
| Misc fittings, tape, sealant | 1 | $20 | $20 |
| Materials subtotal | $850 | ||
Labor
| Description | Hours | Rate | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water heater removal and installation | 3.5 | $125/hr | $437.50 |
| Labor subtotal | $437.50 | ||
Additional charges
| Description | Total |
|---|---|
| City permit | $85 |
| Haul-away and disposal of old unit | $50 |
| Additional subtotal | $135 |
Total
| Estimate total | $1,422.50 |
Terms
This estimate is valid for 30 days from the date above. Material prices subject to change after that period. 50% deposit required to schedule work. Balance due upon completion. 1-year labor warranty on all work performed. Manufacturer warranty on equipment per their terms.
Where most plumbers lose money on estimates
The template is straightforward. The mistakes happen in how you fill it in.
Underestimating labor hours. If you think a job will take 3 hours, quote 3.5 or 4. Things go wrong. Shutoff valves that won't shut off. Fittings that don't match. Surprises behind walls. The customer doesn't care that you're faster than you quoted, but they absolutely care if you go over.
Forgetting the supply house run. If you need to pick up materials, that's time. A 30-minute run plus 30 minutes of driving is an hour of your day. Either stock your truck better or build that hour into your labor.
Not marking up materials enough. "I'll just pass through the cost" sounds customer-friendly, but you're sourcing those materials, transporting them, and standing behind them. 25-40% markup is standard in the plumbing industry. The customer is paying for convenience and your expertise in selecting the right products.
Leaving out permits and fees. If the job requires a permit, include it in the estimate. Don't eat it and don't surprise the customer with it later.
How to present estimates so customers say yes
A good estimate is also a sales document. A few things that increase your close rate:
Give options when it makes sense. For a water heater replacement, you might offer a standard unit and a high-efficiency unit. Two options, two prices. Let the customer choose. Three options is fine. More than that and people freeze up.
Explain what they're getting. The job description should be in plain English. "Install new water heater" tells them nothing. "Remove your old 40-gallon unit, install a new 50-gallon Bradford White with updated code-required safety equipment, and haul away the old one" tells them exactly what they're paying for.
Send it fast. The first plumber to send a professional-looking estimate usually gets the job. If you can send it the same day as the site visit, you're ahead of 80% of your competition.
Follow up. If you haven't heard back in 3 days, a quick text or call. "Hi Maria, just checking if you had any questions about the water heater estimate I sent over." Half the time, they just forgot to respond.
Digital vs. paper estimates
Paper estimates are fine for simple jobs, but digital has real advantages:
- You can send them instantly from the job site
- You have a record of what you quoted and when
- You can reuse templates for common jobs
- The customer can approve by text or email
You don't need expensive estimating software to go digital. A spreadsheet template that you fill in and email as a PDF works great. The free ProTradeOps toolkit includes a plumbing estimate template that's ready to customize, along with expense tracking and job costing sheets.
Get the free estimate template
Download the ProTradeOps toolkit with plumbing estimate templates, job costing sheets, and expense trackers.
Download free →One more thing: track your close rate
Once you're sending clean estimates, start tracking how many turn into jobs. Write down every estimate you send and whether the customer said yes.
If you're closing less than 40% of your estimates, something's off. Either your prices are too high for your market, you're not following up, or your estimates don't communicate the value well enough. If you're closing over 70%, you might be too cheap.
The sweet spot for most residential plumbing businesses is 50-65%. That means you're priced fairly and you're winning more than you lose.
Start with the template. Customize it for your business. Send better estimates this week.
One step further: Templates work, but Jobber lets you save your common line items and build estimates from your phone on-site. The customer gets a professional PDF and can approve it with one click. Harder to ignore than an email attachment.
Some links on this page are referral links. We may earn a small commission if you sign up, at no extra cost to you.
← Back to Blog