Estimate template: a plain-text outline for freelancers

An estimate tells a client roughly what a job will cost before work starts. It is a considered guess, not a final bill, so it must say what the guess rests on. Copy the outline below, replace every [BRACKETED] item and send it as a short document or an email.

Estimate outline to copy

1. Header ESTIMATE no. [NUMBER], dated [DATE], from [YOUR NAME OR BUSINESS] to [CLIENT NAME]. Add how long it stays valid: [NUMBER] days.
2. Job description One or two sentences naming the work: [SERVICE] for [PROJECT NAME]. Keep it close to the words the client used.
3. Line items One line per task: [TASK], [HOURS OR QUANTITY], [RATE], [LINE TOTAL]. Group small tasks so the list stays readable.
4. Assumptions State what the numbers depend on: [CONTENT SUPPLIED BY DATE], [NUMBER] revision rounds, [NUMBER] pages or items.
5. Exclusions Name what is not covered: [EXCLUSION 1], [EXCLUSION 2], plus third-party costs such as [STOCK, FEES, TRAVEL].
6. Total and range Estimated total: [LOW] to [HIGH], or [SINGLE FIGURE]. Say what moves the figure within that range.
7. Timing and payment Work can start on [DATE] and take about [DURATION]. Payment: [DEPOSIT] up front, the rest on [MILESTONE OR DATE].
8. Next step Reply by [DATE] to confirm and you will send [PROPOSAL, AGREEMENT OR INVOICE].

Worked example (invented, for illustration)

Priya, a freelance illustrator, sends an estimate to a fictional garden shop for six spot illustrations. Line items: sketches, six finished drawings at 3 hours each, file preparation. At a rate of 40 per hour the figure comes to 840.

Assumptions: the shop picks the six subjects on the first call and sends one consolidated set of comments. Exclusions: packaging layout and printing. The estimate gives a range of 840 to 1,000, and says a second revision round adds up to 160.

It stays valid for 14 days and closes with a request to reply so that Priya can send the agreement.

Common mistakes and a checklist

Calling a rough figure a fixed price, then arguing about the difference later.
Leaving assumptions out, so any change looks like a broken promise.
Hiding third-party costs until the final invoice.
Adding line totals wrongly; recheck the sum with a calculator.
Forgetting a validity date, so an old figure is still being quoted months later.
Mixing hours and fixed fees in one list without saying which is which.
Leaving [BRACKETS] or another client's name in the file.

If the client wants one binding figure, turn the estimate into a quote. If you only need the shorter document for a set price, see the quote template guide. Whichever you send, keep a copy with its number and date, and note in your own records which version the client accepted. When the real cost lands outside your range, tell the client early and in writing, with the reason, before you carry on with the work.

Related guides: Quote template · How to write a proposal

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