What an estimate is and why you need one
An estimate is a list of works and their prices for a specific job site. For the client it shows what they are paying for. For the contractor it is the basis of the agreement: anything not in it becomes a separate conversation about extra works.
Below are seven steps that work for any renovation or construction job, whether you write the estimate in a spreadsheet or in software.
1. Visit the site and measure the quantities
Know the quantities before you price anything. Measure areas, lengths and heights, count openings, points and fixtures. Write everything down, even small items: both the price and the later need to correct the estimate depend on accurate quantities.
Take photos. They help you remember the conditions and later show the client what the starting point was.
2. Group the works
To keep the estimate clear for the client and for you, group works by stage or by room.
- preparation: demolition, removal, protection;
- services: electrics, plumbing, heating;
- main works: walls, floors, ceilings;
- finishing: painting, tiling, flooring;
- final cleaning and handover.
3. Give every item a unit, a quantity and a price
Each line needs three parts: a unit (m², m, pcs), a quantity and a unit price. The total is the product. This lets the client see how the final sum is built and compare it with other offers.
Use your own real rates, not random numbers. If you do the same kinds of work all the time, a rate library saves you from guessing every time.
4. Separate labour and materials
State clearly what is included. A common arrangement is to price labour separately while materials are bought by the client or by the contractor from a separate list. What matters is that the client does not assume materials are included when they are not, or the other way round.
If you buy the materials, say whether the price is fixed or will be adjusted to actual invoices.
5. Write down assumptions and limits
At the end of the estimate briefly list what you based it on: the condition of the walls, whether there is a lift, whether waste removal is needed, how long the price is valid. State what is not included.
This is not legal text, it is clarity. With an assumption on paper you can calmly say later: "this was not foreseen, I suggest an extra work".
6. State timing and the payment plan
The client wants to know two things: when you will finish and when and how much they pay. Write the planned start and end and how payments are split (deposit, stages, final balance). See the guide on deposits and stage payments for more.
7. Present it and record the approval
Send the estimate so the client can open it easily on a phone and get a clear approval: who approved, when and which version. A spoken "fine, go ahead" is hard to prove a few weeks later.
If the estimate changes, save it as a new version and ask for approval again, so it is always clear which version applies.
The most common mistakes
- an estimate with only a total and no quantities;
- no statement of what is and is not included (materials, removal, cleaning);
- changes made verbally, without a new version or approval;
- prices from memory with no basis in your own rates;
- the client gets a PDF but nobody records that they agreed.
How this works in manoobjektas.lt
In manoobjektas.lt you enter your rates once, build the estimate from a list, totals are calculated automatically and the PDF goes out with your logo. The client opens a link without signing up and approves with one tap. Every change is saved as a new version. On the Pro and Max plans you can get an estimate draft from a description of the work, which you always review and edit yourself.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to write an estimate?
It depends on the size of the job and whether you have your rates ready. With your own rate library, an estimate for a typical apartment renovation can be put together in tens of minutes rather than an evening.
Should materials be shown separately from labour?
It is recommended. When labour and materials are separated, the client sees what they pay for and you avoid disputes about whether a material was included.
What if the estimate must change after approval?
Save the change as a new version and ask the client to approve it again. Extra works are better recorded separately, as an extra work with a price and an approval.
Does this kind of estimate suit public procurement?
No. This guide and manoobjektas.lt are for work with private clients and business clients. Public procurement estimates follow prescribed forms and rules.