A contractor contract template needs eight things to actually protect you: the parties, the scope of work, the price, a payment schedule, a timeline, a change-order process, warranty and cleanup terms, and dated signatures. Get those right and you've prevented the disputes that cost contractors the most money and sleep.
We run our own home-service companies, so we've signed and written plenty of these. Below is a plain checklist of what goes in each section and why — useful whether you're drafting your first contract or tightening one that's burned you before.
Your legal business name, license number, and contact info, and the customer's name and the job address. Sounds obvious, but a contract that doesn't clearly name who's bound is hard to enforce.
The most important section. Spell out exactly what's included and, just as important, what isn't. A vague scope is where every "but I thought that was included" fight starts.
The total, and whether it's fixed, cost-plus, or time and materials. If it's an estimate that can move, say so and explain what would change it.
Deposit, progress payments tied to milestones, and a final payment on completion. Never finance the whole job out of your own pocket and hope to be paid at the end.
A start date and an estimated finish, with language for weather and customer-caused delays so a slow homeowner decision doesn't become your fault.
A clause requiring any change in writing, with its own price and timeline, signed before you do it. This single clause saves more money than any other.
What you warranty and for how long, plus that the site will be left clean. Clear warranty terms cut down on callbacks you didn't agree to.
Both parties, dated. An unsigned contract is just a quote. Get it signed before any work or material is ordered.
Here's the part a template can't fix. A great contract is what you sign after the customer has already chosen you. The work that gets you chosen happens earlier — when they find you in search, read your reviews, and decide you're the real, licensed business they trust. If that part isn't working, you don't have enough contracts to sign.
That's the part we handle: a website that shows your license, insurance, and reviews, and SEO that gets you in front of people looking for your trade. The contract protects the job; being found is what produces the job in the first place.
We don't post stock testimonials. On a 15-minute call we screen-share the real dashboards behind our own businesses — live leads, rankings, and the exact page that produced each one. See the proof →
If you're booked solid on referrals and just needed the contract checklist, take it and run — you don't need to spend a dime with us. A solid template, a clear scope, and signatures will protect you. Come back when referrals stop filling the schedule and you want work from people searching for your trade.
When that's the case, our Start Getting Leads plan is $249/month for a site with lead capture, and Grow in Google adds the SEO content engine at $597/month, month-to-month, and you own it. See general contractor websites, SEO for contractors, SEO for home services, and what local SEO costs.
Yes, with a customizable scope and price section. Standardize the boilerplate and change only the job-specific parts. Just have a lawyer review the base once for your state.
In most states, yes — e-signatures hold up for standard contracts. A signed PDF or an e-sign tool is fine and far faster than chasing a paper copy.
Don't start the work. A customer who balks at a fair, clear contract is usually a customer who'll dispute the bill later. The contract is also a filter for who to work with.
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