T-405 FREE TOOL

20-point estimate checklist

Run it before every estimate goes out. Check the boxes on screen or print it.

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Measuring1. Measuring from a photo or by eye. A made-up measurement multiplies its error in every line item that depends on it.2. Measuring the grade beam on the outside perimeter. You count the corners twice. Use the centerline.3. Not deducting doors and windows from walls. You order extra block and drywall, and your price comes in high against the competition.4. Deducting small openings you should not deduct. An opening under about 4 ft² usually costs more in cuts than it saves. Pick a rule and use it every time.5. Mixing units on the same sheet. ft² with m², inches with feet. Convert everything before you add.6. Getting the thickness wrong in inches. 4 inches is 0.333 ft, not 0.4. On a big slab that is yards of difference.7. Dividing linear feet by 20 instead of counting cuts. Rebar and lumber are ordered by cut pattern, not only by total footage.

Waste and rounding8. Leaving out waste. No job uses exactly what the plans show.9. Using one waste % for everything. Diagonal tile does not waste like block does.10. Hiding waste inside the quantity. If it is not in its own column, you cannot check it or learn from it.11. Not rounding to the unit it is sold in. Nobody sells 7.78 yards or 6.6 sheets of drywall.

Scope12. Not writing down what the estimate excludes. Whatever is not written, the client assumes is included.13. Forgetting the "small" items. Chairs, tie wire, nails, tape, sealants, fasteners. Together they add up.14. Forgetting cleanup and debris. Dumpsters and haul-offs are a real cost on every job.15. Leaving out permits and inspections. They cost money and they cost days.16. Giving a number without marking your assumptions. Every assumed measurement should say ASSUMED so you and the client can check it.

Price17. Using old prices without checking the date. A supplier quote older than 60 days may no longer hold.18. Copying prices from the internet or another city. Your market has its own prices. Use yours.19. Taxing labor when it is not taxable, or not taxing materials. Check what is taxable in your state.

After the job20. Not comparing estimated against purchased. That difference is your real waste. Without it, you repeat the same mistake on the next job.

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Projectbuiltbyestrada.ai	Sheet20-point estimate checklist	No.T-405
Drawn byD. Estrada	LocationMcAllen, TX · 26.2034° N, 98.2300° W	Date2026-09-24