What belongs in a contractor estimate

Measured scope. State the quantity and the unit — squares, linear feet, square footage, unit count — not just a description. A measured line is checkable; an adjective is not.

Explicit exclusions. Permits, disposal, unforeseen rot, parking, after-hours access. What you leave out matters as much as what you include.

Validity date. Material prices move. An estimate without an expiry is an open-ended promise.

Payment terms. Deposit, progress and final payment, with the due window stated in days.

A recorded acceptance. Verbal approval is not evidence. Acceptance should attach to the exact version the customer saw, which is why estimate versions are frozen once they leave draft.