Guides

Plumbing Estimate Template: What to Include and a Free Copy

Every field a plumbing estimate needs, a copy-and-paste template with a water heater example, when the 3-day cancellation rule applies, and the exclusions to spell out.

Ijharul Islam October 21, 2026 8 min read

A plumbing estimate template, in short, should include your business name, license number and contact details; the customer and job address; an estimate number, date and expiry; a plain-English scope of work with exclusions; the price, as one price per option for flat-rate work or itemized labor and materials; tax; deposit and payment terms; your warranty; and a signature or online approval. Copy the template below.

More on this topic: Pricing, estimates and getting paid, every guide in one place.

Most plumbing estimates that go unsigned don't lose on price. They lose because the customer can't tell what they're buying, can't compare two options, or never gets the estimate in a form they can say yes to. A clear template fixes most of that. This guide lists the fields, gives you a template to copy with a water heater example, and covers two rules that catch plumbers out: license numbers on bids and the federal three-day cancellation rule for sales made at the customer's home.

Key takeaways

Scope beats line items. A plain-English description of what's included, and what isn't, prevents more disputes than a parts list.
Give options. Two or three choices (repair vs replace, standard vs upgraded heater) let the customer say yes without haggling.
Put an expiry on it. Supplier prices move; 30 days is a common, defensible window.
Some states require your license number on bids and contracts, including California and Florida.
Sales made in the home can carry a 3-day right to cancel under the FTC's Cooling-Off Rule; requested repairs are mostly exempt, add-on sales aren't.
Send it before you leave and follow up; a printed estimate on the counter rarely gets signed.

What should a plumbing estimate include?

Field	Why it's there
Business name, address, phone, email	So the customer can reach you, and to look professional
License number	Required on bids and contracts in some states
Estimate number and date	So you can match the approval, the job and the invoice
Expiry date	Protects you from supplier price changes
Customer name, phone, email, service address	Billing and job address are often different
Problem found	What the tech saw, in plain English, with a photo if possible
Scope of work	Exactly what you'll do: remove, install, connect, test, haul away
Exclusions	What isn't included: drywall, permits, code upgrades, concealed conditions
Price per option	One total per option for flat-rate work; itemized labor and materials for time and materials
Tax	Where your state taxes parts or labor
Deposit and payment terms	How much up front, when the rest is due, how to pay
Warranty	Manufacturer warranty and your labor warranty, in years
Approval	Signature and date, or online acceptance

ServiceTitan's 2026 plumbing estimate template uses the same core fields, including the contractor license number, an estimate number and date, an expiry date, deposit and payment terms, and signature lines.

Plumbing estimate template (copy and paste)

[Business name] · License [number] · [Address] · [Phone] · [Email]
Estimate #[1042] · Date: [Oct 21, 2026] · Valid until: [Nov 20, 2026]
Customer: [Name], [phone], [email]
Service address: [address]
What we found: [Your 40-gallon gas water heater, installed 2013, is leaking from the tank. The tank can't be repaired.]
Option 1: [Standard 40-gallon gas water heater, 6-year tank warranty] · [$X]
[Remove and haul away the old heater. Install new heater, gas connector, water connectors, shut-off valve and expansion tank (required by local code). Connect to the existing vent. Fill, test for leaks and gas leaks, and set temperature. 1-year labor warranty.]
Option 2: [Upgraded 40-gallon gas water heater, 12-year tank warranty] · [$Y]
[Everything in Option 1, plus a longer tank warranty and a 2-year labor warranty.]
Not included: [Permit fee, billed at cost if required. Repairs to the gas line or vent beyond the connections above. Drywall, flooring or paint. Any condition hidden behind walls or floors, which we'll price before doing any work.]
Payment: [Deposit of 25% when you approve; balance due on completion by card, check or ACH.] Prices include [sales tax / labor; tax added where applicable].
Approval: I approve Option [ ] and the terms above. Signature [ ] Date [ ]

For the price itself, build each option from your price book rather than from memory; our guide on how to build a plumbing price book shows the math, and good, better, best pricing shows how to set the options.

Should a plumbing estimate be itemized?

Itemize what helps the customer decide, not your costs. For flat-rate work, show one price per option with a clear scope; listing parts invites the customer to price-check a fitting at the hardware store. For time and materials work, show the hourly rate, estimated hours, materials and any trip or diagnostic fee, and say the final bill depends on actual time. Never show your markup.

Do you need your license number on a plumbing estimate?

In some states, yes. California's Contractors State License Board says licensed contractors must include their license number in all construction contracts, subcontracts and calls for bid, and in all advertising. Florida's statute 489.119 requires a contractor's registration or certification number on each offer of services, business proposal, bid, contract or advertisement. Rules differ by state and by trade license, so check your licensing board; putting the number on every estimate is the easy way to comply everywhere.

Does the 3-day right to cancel apply to plumbing estimates?

Sometimes. The FTC's Cooling-Off Rule gives buyers until midnight of the third business day to cancel a sale of $25 or more made at their home ($130 or more elsewhere, such as a temporary location). Two exemptions matter for plumbers:

Requested repairs. If the customer asked you to come and repair or maintain something, that work is exempt. But any additional goods or services you sell during the visit, other than replacement parts needed for the repair, aren't.
Emergencies. If the customer contacted you about a bona fide immediate personal emergency, they can waive the three days, but only with a separate, dated and signed statement in their own handwriting.

So a burst pipe the customer called about is exempt, but a whole-house water filter sold at the kitchen table during that visit isn't. When an upsell is sold in the home, give the buyer the cancellation notice the rule requires and don't start that work until the three days have passed. States can have their own home-solicitation rules on top of the FTC's; this is general information, not legal advice.

How long should a plumbing estimate be valid?

Thirty days is a common choice: long enough for a customer to get another bid and talk it over, short enough that water heater and fixture prices haven't moved much. Put the date on the estimate, not just “30 days”. If you renew an expired estimate, re-check the supplier prices first. The free contractor estimate generator prints that date from the days you set, along with the deposit and a signature line.

What happens after you send the estimate?

Follow up. Many plumbing estimates for bigger jobs aren't approved on the spot, and a short text on day 2 with one useful answer closes more than a long email. Our guide on following up on unsold estimates has the timing and templates, and how much deposit to ask for covers the deposit line. When the job is done, the invoice should match the approved option word for word.

Mistakes that lose plumbing jobs

One take-it-or-leave-it price on a job where the customer would happily choose.
Vague scope: “replace water heater” with no word on the expansion tank, haul-away or permit.
No expiry date, so a six-month-old price comes back to bite.
Handwritten estimates left on the counter with no way to approve them from a phone.
Starting add-on work sold in the home before the three-day window has passed.

Where CrewRobin fits

CrewRobin builds this estimate for you from your price book and maintenance plans: good, better, best quotes go out by text, the customer picks an option and signs online, and follow-up texts go out on day 2, 5 and 10. You can ask for a deposit (any percent or a fixed amount) when the quote is approved, paid by card through your own Stripe account and taken off the final invoice. See how it works for plumbers.

Frequently asked questions

What should be included in a plumbing estimate?

Your business details and license number, the customer and service address, an estimate number, date and expiry, the problem found, a plain-English scope of work, exclusions, the price per option, tax, deposit and payment terms, warranty, and a signature or online approval.

What is the difference between a plumbing estimate and a quote?

An estimate is usually an approximate price that can change with actual time and materials; a quote is a fixed price for a defined scope. Many plumbers use the words interchangeably, so say on the document whether the price is fixed and for how long.

Do plumbers have to put their license number on estimates?

In some states, yes. California requires it on contracts and calls for bid, and Florida on every offer of services, proposal, bid and contract. Check your state's licensing board.

Can a customer cancel a plumbing job after signing?

Under the FTC's Cooling-Off Rule, a buyer can cancel a sale of $25 or more made at their home until midnight of the third business day. Repairs the customer requested are exempt, but extra goods or services sold during the visit are not.

How long should a plumbing estimate be good for?

Thirty days is common. Write the actual expiry date on the estimate, and re-check supplier prices before renewing one that has expired.

Put it to work this week

Send plumbing estimates with options the customer can approve, sign and pay a deposit on from their phone. CrewRobin is free until your first 10 booked jobs, no card up front. Start free or see pricing.

Sources

Figures from outside CrewRobin were checked against these pages in October 2026. Most industry benchmarks come from vendors and agencies, so treat them as ranges, not rules.

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