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Are your bids protecting your margin?

Contractor Job Costing Workbook

Build estimates with overhead and profit built in, then track every cost and change order while the job runs so you catch trouble early.

Made for: Small contractors, remodelers and trades who bid jobs.

$19
Buy on EtsyWatch the walkthrough
Instant download · 1 Excel workbook (.xlsx) · Opens in Google Sheets too
Contractor Job Costing Workbook dashboard with example numbers

What it does

  • Builds a bid from your costs, overhead and target margin, turns it into a client-ready proposal, then tracks actual costs and approved change orders against each job.
  • Tracks every invoice and draw with retainage, shows who owes you and what's overdue, and keeps a work-in-progress (WIP) schedule of over/under billing.
  • Keeps your subcontractor paperwork in check: W-9s, insurance and workers' comp expiry dates, and who needs a 1099.

Watch the walkthrough

Jay walks through every tab with example numbers, so you know exactly how to set it up.

What's inside

11 tabs, including a Start Here guide. Example rows show the format; type over them with your own numbers.

DashboardAll jobs at a glance: contract value, billing, collections, retainage, over/under billing and projected profit.
EstimatePrice a job: burdened labor, materials, subs, overhead and your target margin give the bid price.
ProposalA clean, printable client proposal built from the Estimate. Shows the price only, never your costs.
JobsOne row per job you win: budget by cost type, projected profit, % complete (WIP), billing and balance owed.
CostsEvery cost against a job: labor (with hours), materials, subs, equipment, permits.
Change OrdersExtras and changes. Only rows marked Approved = Y add to the contract.
BillingEvery invoice or draw, including retainage releases, with a Paid / Unpaid / Overdue status.
SubcontractorsYour subs: W-9, insurance and workers' comp expiry dates, paid this year and 1099 flags.
Job BudgetPick a job to see estimated vs actual cost by type, labor hours and variance.
SettingsCompany info for the Proposal, pricing, retainage, payment terms and reminder windows. Set these first.

How to set it up

  1. Settings: your company name and contact (for the Proposal), overhead %, target margin, labor burden %, retainage and payment terms.
  2. Estimate: list labor, materials, subs, equipment and permits for a bid. The bid price and the budget by type appear on the right.
  3. Proposal: add the scope of work, then print or save as PDF for your client. Internal costs never show on it.
  4. Jobs: when you win, add the job with its contract price and the budget by type (copy it from the Estimate's 'Copy to Jobs' box).
  5. Costs, Change Orders and Billing: log costs (with labor hours), change orders and every invoice as they happen. Add the Date paid when the client pays.
  6. Subcontractors: list your subs and their insurance dates. Dashboard and Job Budget add everything up automatically.

Questions

Does it work in Google Sheets?

Yes. It is built in Excel and opens in Google Sheets: upload the file to Google Drive and choose Open with Google Sheets. Excel (desktop or Microsoft 365) gives the smoothest experience. Apple Numbers is not supported.

Do I need to know formulas?

No. Blue text on a yellow cell is something you type. Everything else calculates for you, and the Start Here tab explains each step.

How do I get the file?

Buy it on Etsy and download it instantly from your Etsy purchases. Nothing is shipped.

Is this tax or legal advice?

No. Tax figures are planning estimates to help you set money aside. Check with a tax professional for your situation.

Something else? Message us on Etsy or tap Ask Jay at the bottom of the page.

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