How long should an estimate stay valid?

Material prices and your own schedule both shift, which is why an open-ended estimate can turn into a bad deal for you if a homeowner sits on it for months and then expects the original price. A 30-day window is common and gives the homeowner enough time to decide without exposing you to months of price drift.

When lumber, steel, or fuel prices are moving quickly, shortening that window to 15 days protects you without feeling unreasonable to the client, as long as you say so plainly.

Whatever window you pick, put the expiration date on the estimate itself so there is no argument about it later.

Turbo Link's documents and proposals carry a clear record of when they were sent and signed, so an expired estimate is easy to spot rather than something you have to remember.