What should an estimate include?

A vague estimate is where a lot of contractor disputes start. The homeowner remembers one thing, the contractor remembers another, and neither wrote it down clearly enough to settle it.

At minimum, an estimate should describe the actual scope of work in plain language, list the materials involved, state the total price and payment schedule, and give a realistic timeframe for start and completion. It should also say how long the estimate itself is valid, since material costs move.

Photos of the current condition, if the job involves a repair, help both sides agree later on what was actually there before the work started.

Turbo Link lets a contractor send a proposal or document for e-signature with an audit trail, so the scope and price the homeowner agreed to are recorded, not just remembered.