How to make an estimate on your phone (and send it as a PDF)
Updated on October 25, 2026
Contractors and small businesses lose jobs when the price takes days to arrive. With your phone you can put together a professional estimate in a few minutes, even in front of the client, and send it as a PDF. This guide shows what to include and the whole path, from the first field to sending it.
What a good estimate includes
- Who is doing the job: your name or business name, phone, email and, if you have them, a tax ID and your logo.
- Who it is for: the client’s name and a contact.
- What is included: each item with a description, quantity and price. Detailed items sell better.
- The total: with any discount, and the amount in words.
- How long it is valid: until when the price holds. 7 to 30 days is common.
- Payment terms: upfront, deposit and balance, or installments.
- Notes: timeline, warranty and what is not included.
Step by step on your phone
- Open the estimate maker in your phone’s browser.
- In Your business or you, add your name, contact and, if you want, your logo (a JPG or PNG from your gallery).
- In Client, add the name of who will receive the estimate.
- In Line items, fill in the description, quantity and unit price of each item. Tap Add item for the next one. The line total shows below each item.
- To give a discount, choose Amount or Percent and type it. The total and the amount in words update right away.
- In Terms, check how long it is valid (it starts at 15 days) and write the payment terms and notes.
- Choose a template, check the preview and tap Download estimate as PDF.
Your business details, logo and terms stay saved on the phone. For the next estimate, tap New estimate: the number follows your sequence, and you only change the client and the items.
Example line items
| Description | Quantity | Unit price | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Interior wall painting, 2 coats (sq ft) | 250 | $1.50 | $375.00 |
| Drywall patching | 3 | $45.00 | $135.00 |
| Trim painting (hours) | 2.5 | $40.00 | $100.00 |
Subtotal of $610.00; with a 10% discount, the total is $549.00. The quantity takes up to 2 decimal places, for hours, feet or pounds.
How to send it and get a yes
- Email: attach the PDF and write a short note with the total and the expiry date. If the logo makes the file big, compress the PDF.
- Message: send the PDF as a document, not as a photo.
- Signed approval: ask the client to sign the estimate on their phone with sign PDF and send it back.
An estimate is not a tax invoice
An estimate is a proposal, and the PDF says so in the footer. When the job is done and paid, make a receipt with the receipt generator and send an invoice if your client needs one.
Common mistakes
- Vague items. “Painting” does not say how many rooms or how many coats.
- No expiry date. Without one, a client can come back months later asking for the old price.
- Leaving out what is not included. Materials, delivery and extra visits cause arguments if they are not written.
- Sending a screenshot. A PDF looks more professional and the client can copy the text.
The estimate is built in your browser: the items, prices and logo never leave your device. For after the payment, see the guide how to write a payment receipt.