Does this template create approval by itself?
No. It organizes proposal information. Approval requires explicit client action before the proposal is treated as approved.
Contractor Proposal Template
A contractor proposal template for organizing scope, pricing, exclusions, assumptions, schedule notes, and the client approval action needed before work begins.
What this proposal template is for
Use this template before work begins to organize what is included, what is excluded, how pricing is presented, and what client action is needed.
It helps create a clear proposal artifact. Separate business documents remain outside this template.
What a contractor proposal should include
- Project name, client name, job address, proposal date, and contractor contact.
- Scope of work, deliverables, exclusions, assumptions, and owner-supplied items.
- Pricing, payment notes, schedule notes, and any dependencies.
- A client approval boundary that requires explicit client action before approval is recorded.
Printable contractor proposal template
Use these fields as a printable proposal artifact or copy them into your estimating workflow.
Project information
Project name: ______________________________
Client name: _______________________________
Job address: _______________________________
Proposal date: _____________________________
Prepared by: _______________________________
Scope and assumptions
Included scope: ____________________________
Materials or allowances: ___________________
Exclusions: ________________________________
Assumptions: _______________________________
Owner-supplied items: ______________________
Pricing and schedule
Labor price: $______________________________
Material price: $___________________________
Other costs: $______________________________
Total proposal price: $_____________________
Estimated start: ___________________________
Schedule notes: ____________________________
Client action
Approval action required: _________________
Client name: _______________________________
Approval date: _____________________________
Contractor follow-up notes: _______________
Client approval boundary
A proposal artifact is not an approval record. Approval requires explicit client action before the proposal is treated as approved.
Filled proposal example
- Scope
- Remove existing vanity, install owner-selected 48-inch vanity, reconnect sink plumbing, install mirror, patch wall at old fixture location, and clean work area.
- Exclusions
- New flooring, wall tile, hidden plumbing repairs, electrical relocation, and owner-supplied vanity defects are excluded unless added later.
- Price
- $3,420 total proposal price, based on listed labor, materials, disposal, and contractor markup.
- Client approval
- The proposal artifact is not an approval record until the client takes the explicit approval action.
Scope, exclusions, and assumptions
- Write included work as job tasks the client can recognize.
- Use exclusions to keep omitted work out of the base proposal.
- List assumptions when price or schedule depends on access, owner selections, or existing conditions.
Pricing and payment notes
- Show the proposal price and the categories behind it at the level your workflow uses.
- Keep payment notes operational and customer-facing.
- Do not use the template to imply invoices, payments, bookkeeping, or accounting have been finalized.
How StackQuotes supports proposal records
StackQuotes helps contractors organize proposal artifacts, scope notes, price notes, exclusions, assumptions, and related job records.
StackQuotes can record explicit client approval actions, but a proposal draft or printed template is not an approval record by itself.
Client approval boundary
A proposal artifact is not an approval record. Approval requires explicit client action before the proposal is treated as approved.
StackQuotes helps organize the artifact and record explicit approval actions; separate contract paperwork remains outside the proposal template.
Common proposal mistakes this helps avoid
- Writing a broad scope that does not say what is included.
- Leaving exclusions and assumptions out of the customer-facing artifact.
- Mixing proposal notes with approval records.
- Using unclear payment or schedule notes that create confusion later.
- Starting work before the client action required by your workflow is captured.
FAQ
Is a proposal the same as client approval?
No. A proposal artifact is not an approval record. Approval requires explicit client action.
What should be listed as exclusions?
List work, materials, conditions, or services that are not included in the proposed price.
Can I use this for estimates too?
Yes, but keep the artifact label clear for your workflow so clients understand whether they are reviewing an estimate or a proposal.
Related contractor resources
Markup vs Margin CalculatorCheck the relationship between markup, margin, cost, and selling price.Profit Margin CalculatorEstimate margin from job cost, price, and target profit assumptions.Hourly Rate CalculatorBuild an hourly rate from labor cost, overhead, utilization, and target profit.Contractor Pricing GuideReview practical pricing concepts for contractor estimates and proposals.How to Price a Job as a ContractorWalk through job pricing from scope and cost assumptions to customer-facing price.Run Better resourcesSee how StackQuotes helps organize proposal artifacts and job records.Construction Change Order TemplateUse a change-order artifact when approved proposal scope needs a documented change.