A proposal with the exclusions written down
Most disputes on small and mid-sized jobs are not about the price. They are about something the client assumed was included and the contractor assumed was not. This proposal template gives that assumption its own section, ahead of the price, because a sentence written before the job starts is worth more than any argument after it.
Excel / Google Sheets compatible · no sign-up required
Three steps to a working document
Describe the work, not the outcome
Line by line, specific enough that someone who was not at the site visit could read it and know what they are getting. "Renovate the kitchen" is not scope. "Supply and install cabinetry per drawing A-3" is.
Fill the exclusions section properly
It is pre-filled with the ones that cause the most trouble — permits, engineering, abatement, owner-supplied appliances, landscaping, anything not on the drawings. Delete what does not apply and add what does. Anything not written there, the client will assume is included.
Price it with the province set
Enter the contract price and the province code; the tax rate comes from the lookup table and the total and deposit calculate from it.
Get it signed
The acceptance block at the bottom is what turns the proposal into an agreement. Until both parties sign, it is a quote, and the sheet says so in the terms.
This is a commercial proposal format, not a construction contract, and it is not legal advice. The terms included are a starting point only. For anything substantial, use a proper contract — CCDC documents in Canada, AIA in the United States — or have your own agreement reviewed by a lawyer in your province or state.
When the spreadsheet stops scaling
In BuildersBridge the proposal is generated from the estimate, so the scope, the exclusions and the price stay attached to the job — and an accepted proposal becomes the budget you cost against instead of a document that gets filed and forgotten.
See how it works in BuildersBridgeCommon questions
What is the difference between a proposal, a quote and an estimate?
An estimate is your best assessment of what the work will cost, and it can move. A quote is a fixed price you are committing to. A proposal is the document around either of them — scope, exclusions, price, terms and acceptance — and it is what the client actually signs.
Why do exclusions matter so much?
Because scope disputes are almost always about an assumption, not a lie. The client pictured a finished result; you priced a defined set of work. Every item you exclude in writing is an argument that cannot happen later, and permits, engineering and owner-supplied items are where it happens most.
How long should a proposal stay valid?
Thirty days is common, and the template defaults to it. Material prices and subcontractor availability move, and an open-ended price is a commitment you did not intend to make. Say the date on the document.
Should I include a deposit?
The template calculates one at 15% of the total, which you can change or delete. Whether you can ask for a deposit, and how much, is affected by consumer protection rules in some provinces and states for residential work — check what applies where you operate.