By Jeff Burt, founder of Invoice Goat. Updated October 1, 2026.
How to Read Your Quote Totals
The box next to the form updates as you type. Here is what each line means on the PDF your customer gets.
- Subtotal is every line item added up: quantity times price, for labor and materials.
- Sales tax is the rate you enter, applied to the subtotal. Leave it at 0 if you don't charge tax on this job.
- Quote total is the subtotal plus tax. This is the number your customer is agreeing to.
- Deposit to start shows only if you enter a deposit percentage. It is a share of the quote total that you ask for before work begins.
- Valid until is the last day you will hold these prices. Material costs move, so a short window protects you.
Quote or Estimate: Which One to Send
People use the two words loosely, but customers tend to read them differently. An estimate is your best guess at the price before you know everything about the job, and it tells the customer the final bill could change. A quote is a price you stand behind for the work you listed. Send an estimate when you can't see behind the wall yet. Send a quote when the scope is clear, and say in the notes what happens if the job grows.
What to Put on a Contractor Quote
- Your business name, phone and email, so the customer can call you back.
- The customer's name and the job address.
- A quote number and date, so you can both find it later.
- One line per piece of work or material, written so the customer knows what they are paying for.
- Sales tax, if you charge it, and any deposit you need to start.
- Notes on what is included, what is not, and when payment is due.
- A date the prices expire, and a place to sign.
How the Math Works
Each line total is quantity times price, rounded to the cent. Quantities can have decimals, so 2.5 hours of labor works. The subtotal adds up the line totals. Sales tax is the subtotal times your tax rate, rounded to the cent, and the quote total is the subtotal plus that tax. The deposit is the quote total times your deposit percentage, rounded to the cent.
One limit to know: the tax rate applies to every line. Some states tax materials but not labor. If that is true where you work, enter 0 and add the tax as its own line, or check with your accountant. The tool runs in your browser and builds the PDF there; we don't save your quote.
A Worked Example
The example in the form is a small electrical job. Four recessed lights at $185 each come to $740. A breaker swap is $140, and materials are $236.50. That makes a subtotal of $1,116.50. With no sales tax, the quote total is $1,116.50, and a 25% deposit to start is $279.13.
Change the sales tax to 8% and the tax line becomes $89.32, the total becomes $1,205.82 and the deposit becomes $301.46. Try it in the form above to check.
Get Quotes Signed Faster
A PDF works, but it puts the next step on your customer: print, sign, scan, send back. With Invoice Goat, you send the quote as a link and your customer signs it on their phone. As of September 2026, 64% of quotes sent through Invoice Goat are approved in under 24 hours. One price covers every feature; see Invoice Goat pricing.
Questions
Is this quote template free?
Yes. Fill it in and download as many quotes and estimates as you like. The PDF is made in your browser and we don't keep a copy.
Can I use it as an estimate template instead?
Yes. Switch the document from Quote to Estimate at the top of the form. The title, the total line and the file name change to match.
Can my customer sign the PDF?
The PDF has a signature and date line, so your customer can sign a printed copy. If you want them to sign on their phone, send the quote from Invoice Goat instead.
Does it work on my phone?
Yes. The form works in any phone browser, so you can price a job while you are still on site and send the PDF by text or email.
To link to this tool: Free Quote Template and Estimate Maker, Invoice Goat, https://invoicegoat.com/tools/quote-template