Contractor bid template

A free contractor bid template in Word and PDF with scope, price, exclusions, a payment schedule and a validity date, plus a customer acceptance signature.

Signed by: Contractor, then Customer.

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The Word and PDF downloads are free, no sign-up. Updated October 25, 2026 by Suresh Ganapathy.

A contractor bid is a written offer to do a specific job for a specific price, open until a set date. General contractors, trades and subs send one when a customer is comparing quotes, and the customer signs it to accept. Our free contractor bid template in Word and PDF lays out scope, price, exclusions, payment schedule and the expiry date on one or two pages.

When do you need a contractor bid?

You need one when a customer is deciding between you and someone else and wants a firm number for a defined job. The FTC’s guide for homeowners tells them to get written estimates from several firms and not to automatically choose the lowest bidder, so a clear bid is often what wins the work.

Here’s a hypothetical. Priya runs a small deck-building company. A homeowner wants a 14 by 16 foot composite deck and has two other contractors coming out this week. Priya’s bid says what’s in (footings, framing, decking, one set of stairs, railing), what’s out (permits, removing the old patio, lighting), the price of $21,400, how it’s paid, and that the price holds for 30 days. When the homeowner compares three bids, hers is the one where they can see what they’re actually buying.

What is the difference between a bid, an estimate and a contract?

A bid is a firm offer, an estimate is an informed guess, and a contract is the full signed agreement. They’re three steps that often happen in order, and mixing them up causes most pricing arguments.

An estimate says roughly what the job will cost before every detail is settled. The final price can move. If that’s what you need, use our construction estimate template.
A bid (also called a contractor proposal or construction bid form) commits you to a price for the scope written in it, as long as the customer accepts before the validity date.
A contract sets out everything: scope, price, schedule, permits, warranties, change orders, what happens if things go wrong. For bigger residential jobs, follow an accepted bid with a full construction contract.

Once work starts, any change to the scope or price goes on a signed change order, not a revised bid.

What should a contractor bid include?

Our contractor bid template follows the order a customer reads in. Here’s what each part does.

Contractor and customer details. Business name, address, phone, email and license number if your trade is licensed, plus the customer’s name and the job address. California’s licensing board tells homeowners a contract should identify the contractor with an address and license number, and customers look for the same on a bid.

Scope of work. What you’ll build, install or repair, with materials, brands or grades, quantities and dimensions. This is the part that makes a bid comparable. “New deck” can’t be compared to anything. “224 sq ft composite deck, pressure-treated frame, 12 footings, one 4-step stair” can.

Exclusions. What the price doesn’t cover. Permits, debris removal, repairs to hidden damage, painting, landscaping repair after the work. The FTC lists cleanup and the contractor’s duty to get permits among the things a contract should spell out, so say clearly on the bid whether they’re in or out. Exclusions protect both sides.

Price. A lump sum, or a line-item breakdown if you want to show it, plus any allowances for things the customer still has to choose.

Payment schedule. How much is due when. The FTC suggests tying payments to progress, and notes that some state laws limit down payments. In California the licensing board says a home improvement down payment should never exceed 10 percent of the contract price or $1,000, whichever is less (with an exception for contractors who have a blanket performance and payment bond on file). New York City’s consumer agency tells homeowners to pay no more than 25% upfront. Fill in the template’s schedule to match your state.

Timeline. An estimated start date and how long the work takes once started, with a note that weather and material delays can move it.

Validity date. The date the offer expires. After it, you can re-price. Pick a period you can actually hold your material prices for.

Acceptance. The customer signs to accept the bid on its terms. The template has a checkbox for whether the accepted bid is the whole agreement or whether a full contract follows.

What should you check for your state?

Check your state’s home improvement rules before you send a bid to a homeowner. California’s licensing board says there must be a written contract for all home improvement projects over $500, so in California make sure whatever the customer signs covers everything the board expects in a contract. A short bid often won’t. New York City requires home improvement contractors to give a signed written contract, with a separate Notice of Cancellation form, before work begins.

Then there’s the cooling-off rule. If you sell to a homeowner at their home, the FTC’s Cooling-Off Rule can apply to sales of $25 or more, giving the buyer until midnight of the third business day to cancel. The seller has to give a written notice of cancellation at signing. Our template has a reminder line for this; the notice form itself is described in the federal rule linked below.

Public and government jobs are different. They usually require their own bid form, bonds and submission rules. Use theirs.

How do you fill it in and get it signed?

Visit the site and measure before you price anything.
Fill in the scope and exclusions first, then the price. It’s easier to price a list than a vague idea.
Set the payment schedule within your state’s deposit limits and add the validity date.
Sign the bid yourself, then send it to the customer to accept. Signing first shows you stand behind the price until the expiry date, and the customer’s signature completes the deal.
Once accepted, send the full contract if your state or the job size calls for one, and keep the signed bid with it.

E-signing a bid is generally fine. Under the federal ESIGN Act, a contract can’t be denied legal effect solely because an electronic signature was used to form it. Our guide on whether electronic signatures are legally binding explains the rule and its exceptions.

Download it, fill in the blanks, and send it for e-signature with any tool you like. (SignWren is built for paperwork like this; start free and send it from your browser.)

This template is general information, not legal advice. For a specific contract or dispute, talk to a lawyer licensed where you are.

The contractor bid proposal template

Download as Word

Template from signwren.com. General information, not legal advice. Check your state's rules and adapt it before you use it.

CONTRACTOR BID PROPOSAL

Bid number: [bid #]
Date of bid: [date]
This bid is valid until: [date]

Contractor: [Contractor's full legal name or business name]
Address: [address]
Phone and email: [phone], [email]
License number: [license number, if your trade or state requires one]

Customer: [Customer's full legal name]
Address: [mailing address]
Phone and email: [phone], [email]

Job address: [address where the work will be done, if different]
Project: [short description, e.g. "New composite deck, rear yard"]

The Contractor offers to do the work described below for the price and on the terms in this bid. This is a firm bid, not an estimate: the price below holds for the scope described, as long as the Customer accepts it on or before the validity date above.

1. Scope of Work

The Contractor will provide all labor, materials, tools and equipment needed to complete the following:

[Describe the work in detail: what will be built, installed, repaired or removed, where, and to what size. List materials with brands, grades, colors and quantities where they matter.]

Plans, drawings or specifications this bid is based on: [list them with dates, or "none"].

2. Exclusions

This bid does not include the following. Any of these can be added by a signed change order.

☐ Building permits and inspection fees
☐ Removal and disposal of existing materials or debris
☐ Repair of hidden or unforeseen conditions (for example rot, mold, or damage found behind walls or under floors)
☐ Painting, staining or finishing
☐ Electrical, plumbing or HVAC work
☐ Landscaping or lawn repair after the work
☐ Engineering, surveying or design fees
☐ Other: [describe]

3. Responsibilities

Permits will be obtained by: ☐ Contractor ☐ Customer ☐ Not required.
Daily cleanup and final cleanup of the work area: ☐ Included ☐ Not included.
Customer will provide: [e.g. access to the site, water and electricity, a clear work area, or "nothing beyond site access"].

4. Price

Total bid price: [$ amount]

Price breakdown (optional):

Item	Amount
Labor	[$ amount]
Materials	[$ amount]
Subcontractors: [trade]	[$ amount]
Equipment and disposal	[$ amount]
Allowances (see below)	[$ amount]
Total	[$ amount]

Allowances. Where the Customer has not yet chosen an item, this bid includes an allowance: [item] at [$ amount]. If the Customer's choice costs more or less, the difference is added or credited by change order.

Taxes. Sales tax on materials is ☐ included ☐ not included in the price above.

5. Payment Schedule

Payments are tied to progress, as follows:

Payment	When it's due	Amount
Deposit	On acceptance	[$ amount]
Progress payment	[milestone, e.g. framing complete]	[$ amount]
Progress payment	[milestone]	[$ amount]
Final payment	On completion and final walk-through	[$ amount]
Total		[$ amount]

The deposit will not exceed any limit set by the law of the state where the work is done. Payment by: ☐ check ☐ card ☐ bank transfer ☐ other: [describe]. Late payments: [terms, or "none"].

6. Schedule

Estimated start date: [date, or "within [number] days of acceptance"]
Estimated duration once work starts: [number] working days.

Dates may move because of weather, material delays, permit or inspection timing, or changes the Customer requests. The Contractor will tell the Customer promptly about any expected delay.

7. Changes

Any change to the scope, price or schedule after acceptance must be in writing and signed by both parties as a change order before the changed work starts.

8. Warranty

The Contractor warrants its workmanship for [period] from completion. Manufacturer warranties on materials pass to the Customer. This warranty does not cover damage from misuse, neglect or normal wear. [Add or change terms as needed.]

9. Insurance

The Contractor carries ☐ general liability insurance ☐ workers' compensation insurance ☐ other: [describe]. Certificates are available on request.

10. Acceptance and Next Steps

When the Customer signs below on or before the validity date, this bid is accepted. After that date, the Contractor may revise the price before accepting a signature.

On acceptance (tick one):

☐ This bid, including all sections above, is the agreement between the parties for this work.
☐ The parties will sign a full written construction contract based on this bid before work begins. If the contract and this bid differ, the contract controls.

Right to cancel. If this bid is accepted at the Customer's home or another place that is not the Contractor's place of business, the Customer may have a legal right to cancel within a set number of days. Where that applies, the Contractor will give the Customer the required written notice of cancellation at signing.

Electronic signatures. The parties agree this agreement may be signed electronically and in counterparts, and an electronic signature has the same effect as a handwritten one.

Governing law. This bid is governed by the laws of the State of [State].

Signatures

Contractor
Signature: ______________________________
Name: [full name]
Date: [date]

Customer
Signature: ______________________________
Name: [full name]
Date: [date]

Quick answers

What is the difference between a bid and an estimate?

An estimate is an educated guess at what a job will cost, and the final price can move. A bid is a firm offer to do a defined scope of work for a stated price, open for acceptance until a set date.

Is a signed contractor bid a contract?

It can be. A bid is an offer, and when the customer signs to accept it on its stated terms, that acceptance can form a binding agreement. For home improvement work, many states require a written contract with specific contents, so larger residential jobs often move to a full construction contract after the bid is accepted.

How long should a bid be valid?

Long enough for the customer to decide, short enough that your material prices still hold, for example 30 days. There's no single rule. Write the expiry date on the bid itself.

How much deposit can a contractor ask for?

It depends on where the job is. California's licensing board says a home improvement down payment should never exceed 10 percent of the contract price or $1,000, whichever is less, with a narrow bond exception. New York City tells homeowners to pay no more than 25% upfront.

Does the customer have a right to cancel after accepting a bid?

Sometimes. Under the FTC's Cooling-Off Rule, many sales made at the buyer's home for $25 or more can be cancelled until midnight of the third business day, and the seller has to give a written notice of cancellation. Some states add their own cancellation rules.

Sources

This template and guide are general information, not legal advice. Laws vary by state; for anything important, have a lawyer licensed where you are review it.

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