Deck building estimate template

Deck builder estimate: footings and framing, decking boards and railings, permit fee and haul-away, valid until the date you set. An estimate until the client accepts it.

Templates by industry

  • Footings and framing
  • Decking boards and railings
  • Permit fee and haul-away

Preparation guide

Separate site conditions, measured quantities, material specifications and changes so quoted scope can be compared with completed work.

Deliverables and line items
Footings and framing, Decking boards and railings, Permit fee and haul-away: specify the planned quantity and delivery scope for each item.
Site and measured quantities
Record the site, work zones, areas, lengths or counts, and access hours.
Materials and work stages
Specify materials, labor, removal, disposal and making-good allowances, and completion criteria for each stage.
Scope to agree
Break the estimate into labor, materials, equipment hire and any subcontractors, and add permit fees, haul-away and a contingency line. State how long the estimate holds, what could change it, such as rot found under old boards, and the payment schedule.
  • Agree how quantity changes following measurement or drawing revisions will be approved.
  • Confirm client-supplied materials and work that other contractors must finish first.
  • Check quote validity, the customer approval method and payment milestones.

  1. Confirm scope and quantities

    Example: start with "Footings and framing", confirm the required quantity and client inputs, then agree completion criteria for each item.

  2. Review and approve the quotation

    Confirm acceptance evidence for "Permit fee and haul-away", all line quantities, exclusions and quote validity with the customer, and retain the approved version.

  3. Deliver and prepare billing

    Confirm completed quantities, site photos, agreed test results and any remaining remedial work. When the agreed milestone is complete, prepare an invoice using actual quantities and approved changes.

What the document must show

These details make a quotation easier to approve and to file.

  • Your business name, address and registration or tax number
  • The customer's name and address
  • Issue date and a document number you do not reuse
  • Each line item with quantity, unit price and amount
  • Tax shown separately from the net amount, and the total payable
  • Payment terms: due date, bank details or accepted payment methods
  • Sales tax is set by the state and often the city or county, so use the combined rate for the delivery address; some services and purchases for resale are exempt.

The sales tax depends on where the work is supplied, so set the rate that applies to your customer before sending.

Official rate reference: US government: state and local taxes

Frequently asked questions

Deck building estimate template: what should it include?
Start with the line items this template already carries — Footings and framing, Decking boards and railings, Permit fee and haul-away — and replace them with what you actually supplied. Then check the required details above, especially the document number and the separated tax amount.
How is tax calculated on this template?
The sales tax depends on where the work is supplied, so set the rate that applies to your customer before sending. The editor keeps the net amount, the tax and the total apart, and recalculates all three when you change a quantity, a unit price or the country setting.
How do I turn an approved quotation into an invoice?
Open the approved quotation and convert it. The original stays unchanged, and the invoice carries the same line items so the customer can match the two documents.
Is this template free?
Yes. Editing and PDF export are free with an account; there is no payment step and no watermark on the document.
Can I download it as Excel, Word or PDF?
Yes. The spreadsheet and the Word file download straight from this page, and the spreadsheet keeps its formulas, so changing a quantity updates the tax and the total. For PDF, open the template and use Print / PDF.
Can I use it in another language or currency?
Yes. The document language can be set to any of 33 languages, and changing the country setting updates the currency, the date format and the tax rate.