Win more bids
Practical, no-fluff guides on writing proposals and quotes that close, for roofers, electricians, plumbers, HVAC pros, and every trade in between.
New in ProposalPro: a Guided Interview, Price to Be Confirmed, and Four Ways to Price
Three things went live on November 11, 2026: a guided interview that asks the proposal questions one at a time, proposals you can send before you have the price, and time and materials or unit rate pricing. All on every plan, free included.
Read the guideCommercial Plumbing Proposal Template, With a Finished Example
What a commercial plumbing bid needs that a residential quote does not: basis of bid, fixture schedule, exclusions, bonding, phasing, base bid with alternates and unit prices, plus a finished restaurant fit-out example.
Read the guideElectrical Proposal Example: A Complete Sample You Can Copy
A complete electrical proposal example for a 100 A to 200 A service upgrade with three new circuits: counted scope, itemized pricing, permit and inspection, exclusions, payment schedule, warranty and signature block.
Read the guideHow to Quote a Job Before the Site Visit (Without Regretting the Number)
A lead wants a quote before anyone has seen the job. What you can responsibly send now, what has to wait, a short phone script, and how a price to be confirmed proposal keeps the lead warm.
Read the guideTime and Materials, Lump Sum or Unit Rate: How to Write the Price Section of a Proposal
The four ways to price a contractor job (materials + labor, lump sum, time and materials, unit rate), when each fits, and a filled-in price section for each, with not-to-exceed caps and minimum charges.
Read the guideContractor Proposal & Bidding Statistics 2026
Every number verified against the primary source in August 2026: how many US contractors there are, what the trades earn, what customers expect from a quote, the $299B slow-payment drag, remodeling demand, and why no published bid-win-rate benchmark actually exists.
Read the guideVoice to Proposal: Dictate the Job From the Driveway
ProposalPro now takes dictation: talk through the job on your phone after the walkthrough, review the transcript, and the proposal form fills itself. Included on every plan, free included, and the AI only writes what you actually said. Unknowns go in a visible Assumptions section, never invented.
Read the guideHandoff AI vs ProposalPro: Which Contractor Quoting Tool Do You Actually Need?
Handoff AI estimates the job for you: AI-generated costs, quantities, and material pricing from $119/month billed annually. ProposalPro turns the price you already know into a signable proposal for $9/month. An honest comparison of two different tools, including when Handoff is clearly the better buy.
Read the guideJobTread vs ProposalPro: Run the Business, or Win the Job?
JobTread is excellent whole-business construction management at $199/month, plus $20 for each additional user. ProposalPro is the proposal alone, at $9. An honest comparison of two different purchases, including why JobTread earns its recommendation, and when it's more software than your problem needs.
Read the guideHouzz Pro vs ProposalPro: Lead Machine or Proposal Tool?
Houzz Pro is an all-in-one platform for remodelers and designers, from $199/month before advertising. ProposalPro does one thing, the proposal document, for $9/month. An honest comparison, including when Houzz Pro is clearly the better buy.
Read the guideContractor Quote Template for Canada: GST/HST, Deposits, and What to Include
How Canadian contractors should structure a quote: the GST/HST line by province, the $30,000 small-supplier rule, PST quirks in BC, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, deposits, and a worked Ontario example with the tax shown correctly.
Read the guideCan You Just Use ChatGPT to Write Your Contractor Proposals?
Yes, ChatGPT can write a contractor proposal, and for a one-off job it's a fine choice. An honest look at where the copy-paste-prompt approach holds up, where it costs you jobs, and when purpose-built proposal software earns its keep.
Read the guideGood, Better, Best: The HVAC Proposal That Sells the Middle Option
How to present a good, better, best HVAC proposal that raises your average ticket: why three tiers beat one price, what to change between them, and a worked example table you can copy.
Read the guideCommercial HVAC Proposal Template: RFP-Ready Bids That Win
A commercial HVAC proposal template for RFP and bid work: basis of bid, scope by system, submittals, bonding, phasing and commissioning, base bid with alternates and unit prices, plus a worked rooftop-unit example.
Read the guideHVAC Proposal Example: A Complete Sample You Can Copy
A complete HVAC proposal example for a furnace-and-AC changeout: equipment, scope, itemized pricing, rebates, allowances, warranty split, and payment terms, filled in and ready to adapt.
Read the guideJobber vs Joist (2026): Which One Fits Your Trade Business?
Jobber vs Joist with prices verified in November 2026: what each actually is, quoting and the new AI features compared, the per-user price math, who should pick which, and when neither fixes the real problem.
Read the guideConstruction Proposal Template: Every Section Explained (Example Included)
A complete construction proposal template: scope of work, materials and specs, timeline, itemized pricing, allowances, exclusions, payment schedule, warranty, and acceptance, with a copy-paste skeleton.
Read the guideHow to Bid a Construction Job (Step-by-Step + Worked Example)
The construction bidding process step by step: the bid/no-bid call, quantity takeoff, pricing labour and subs, overhead and margin math, and a bid package that wins profitable work.
Read the guideHow to Price a Remodeling Job (Proposal Example Included)
How to price a remodeling job: phase-by-phase takeoff, sub quotes with coordination markup, finish allowances, a discovery clause, and the markup-vs-margin math.
Read the guidePainting Proposal Template: What to Include and How to Price It (Example Included)
A painting proposal template that wins: itemized prep, a named paint system, counted surfaces, rot and lead handling, and a worked exterior repaint example.
Read the guideLandscaping Proposal Template: How to Write and Price the Job (Example Included)
A landscaping proposal template that wins: scope by zone and layer, a real plant schedule, hardscape base specs, split warranties, and a worked backyard example.
Read the guideBest Proposal Software for Contractors in 2026 (Honest Comparison)
Honest 2026 comparison of contractor proposal software: Jobber, Joist, Better Proposals, Proposify, PandaDoc, Houzz Pro, and ProposalPro, with prices verified in November 2026 and who each one fits.
Read the guideHow to Write an Electrical Proposal That Wins the Job (Template + Example)
How to write an electrical proposal that wins: scope by circuit and panel, permits and inspections, old-wiring allowances, and a worked 200-amp example.
Read the guideHow to Make a Quote for a Job (Step-by-Step + Example)
A simple, repeatable process for making a job quote that wins work and protects your margin: gathering details, pricing the hidden costs, writing it up, and a full worked example you can copy.
Read the guideHow to Write a Roofing Proposal That Wins the Job (Template + Example)
A roofing proposal that wins: tear-off vs overlay, the named shingle system, ventilation and flashing, a rotted-decking allowance, both warranties, and how to handle a storm/insurance claim honestly.
Read the guideHow to Write a Plumbing Proposal (With a Template You Can Steal)
A plumbing proposal structure that wins jobs and protects your margin: specific scope, named fixtures, access and restoration, allowances for the unknowns behind the wall, and clear warranties.
Read the guideHow to Write an HVAC Proposal That Wins the Install
What an HVAC proposal needs that a generic bid doesn't: equipment by model number, the Manual J load calc, full install scope, the three warranties, and the rebates and financing that close the deal.
Read the guideTradesman Quote Template: How to Quote a Job and Actually Get Paid
A reusable tradesman quote template, plus how to price a job so it's profitable: itemised breakdowns, exclusions, deposits, validity periods, and the quoting mistakes that lose work.
Read the guideHow to Write a Contractor Proposal That Wins the Bid
A field-tested structure for contractor proposals that close: scope, exclusions, allowances, payment terms, and the details that separate a winning bid from a lowball quote.
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