Contractor Estimating & Job-Profit System
Bid every job by the numbers — and know your profit before you sign
A 9-tab Excel estimating system for contractors: materials takeoff, labor, equipment & subs, overhead allocation, markup vs. margin pricing, a job-profit dashboard, and a client-ready proposal.
Most contractors estimate from gut and spreadsheets cobbled together job to job. This system replaces that with one workbook that carries your numbers from takeoff to a signed proposal.
Set your rates once on the Setup tab — labor burden, sales tax, markup, target margin, and your monthly overhead per billable hour. Fill the Materials, Labor, and Equipment & Subs tabs, and the Overhead & Markup tab rolls everything up, spreads overhead onto the job, and shows two suggested bid prices. The Job Profit Dashboard tells you the gross profit, margin, and profit-per-hour before you commit. The Client Proposal tab prints clean with your business info and totals.
Built for solo and small-crew contractors across every trade. One-time purchase, no subscription.
What's included
What this helps with
- 1Stop under-bidding — every job carries its share of overhead and profit
- 2See gross margin before you sign, not after the job loses money
- 3Price by markup or target margin with one toggle
- 4Hand clients a clean, professional proposal in minutes
Inside this product
- ⚙️ Setup, Your rates: burden, tax, markup, margin, overhead per hour
- 📐 Cost tabs, Materials takeoff, labor with burden, equipment & subs
- 📊 Job Profit Dashboard, Gross profit $, margin %, profit per labor hour
- 📄 Client Proposal, Auto-fills your business info, scope, deposit & total
Common questions
Do I need special software?
No. It works in Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets. All formulas are standard.
Does it work for my trade?
Yes — the system is trade-agnostic and includes a cross-trade cost library. For deep per-trade line items, pair it with a focused template like the Concrete, Painting, or Drywall estimate template.
What is the difference between markup and margin?
Markup is a percentage added to your cost; margin is the share of the final price that is profit. The system shows both so you can price either way — a 20% markup is only about a 16.7% margin.
Is it a one-time purchase?
Yes. Pay once, keep the file, and get future updates to this product.
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