Frequently Asked Questions

Yes — completely free with no signup, no account, and no monthly fee. The tool runs entirely in your browser. Your information is never sent to any server and is not stored or shared anywhere. Use it as many times as you like for as many proposals as you need.

Click the “Print / Save as PDF” button after generating your proposal. In the print dialog change the destination or printer to “Save as PDF” — this option is available in Chrome, Edge, Firefox, and Safari. Click Save and choose your save location. Your logo, formatting, line items, and all content will be preserved exactly as displayed.

Yes — click the logo upload area at the top of the form and select your image (PNG, JPG, or SVG). Your logo will appear in the top-left corner of the generated proposal, just as it would on professional printed letterhead. The image is processed entirely in your browser and is never uploaded to any server.

Yes — click the “Add Line Item” button to add as many lines as your job requires. Each line has a description, quantity, unit, and rate field. Totals are calculated automatically. You can remove any line by clicking the ✕ button on the right.

Yes — enter your local tax rate (as a percentage) in the Tax Rate field and the tool automatically calculates the tax amount and adds it to the total. If your work is not taxable, leave the tax rate at 0%.

A signed proposal can constitute a legally binding contract in most states when it contains the essential elements — offer (what you will do), acceptance (client signature), and consideration (payment amount). The more detail in the proposal the stronger the contract. For large or complex jobs consider having a formal contract reviewed by an attorney in your state. Always retain a signed copy for your records.

No — the proposal generator is available to anyone regardless of licensing status. However whether you need a license to perform the work itself depends entirely on your state and the type of work. See our Contractor License by State guide for your state’s specific requirements. Operating without a required license can result in fines and may prevent you from legally collecting payment for work performed.

25–50% upfront is the industry standard for residential contractor work. The deposit should at minimum cover your material costs so you are never out of pocket. For larger projects a phased payment schedule — such as 1/3 at signing, 1/3 at midpoint, 1/3 on completion — balances your cash flow protection with the client’s desire not to pay everything upfront.

Never simply discount your price without removing scope. If a client wants to reduce cost, discuss what items from the proposal could be removed or deferred to bring the price down. This protects your margins and prevents you from doing the same work for less money. You can also offer a small discount for faster payment — for example, 5% off for payment in full at project completion rather than net 30 days.

30 days is the industry standard and is included by default in the terms of this proposal generator. Material costs fluctuate and your schedule fills up — an open-ended proposal creates pricing and availability risk. If a client wants to accept a proposal after the validity period has expired, issue a new proposal with updated pricing before proceeding.

A change order is a written document that modifies the original proposal — adding or removing scope, adjusting the price, or changing the timeline. You need a change order signed by both parties any time the client asks for something beyond the original proposal, any time unexpected conditions require additional work, and any time material costs change significantly. Never proceed with changes on a verbal agreement — put it in writing every time.