Turn rough estimates into signed proposals in minutes.
BuildFolio takes your estimates and turns them into clean, professional proposals with Good/Better/Best options,
clear scopes, e-signature and payment links — so homeowners understand, trust and approve your work faster.
What is contractor proposal software?
Proposal software takes the raw numbers from your estimates and wraps them in a document homeowners understand:
clear options, scope, payment terms and an easy way to approve. Instead of emailing a spreadsheet or a photo
of a handwritten quote, you send a clean, branded proposal that’s built to convert.
Turn estimates into proposals
Start from your existing estimate — in BuildFolio or another system — then generate a proposal with your logo,
scope, photos and terms in a couple of clicks.
Help homeowners compare options
Good/Better/Best options make it easy for customers to pick the right fit without chasing revised quotes.
You control the pricing and inclusions.
Get to “yes” faster
Proposals are mobile-friendly with e-signature, approval history and optional financing buttons so customers
can say yes from their phone.
Key features of BuildFolio’s proposal software
Everything you need to go from estimate to approved job — without printing, scanning or chasing signatures.
Good / Better / Best proposals
Build out Good/Better/Best packages once in your price book, then drop them into proposals in seconds.
Highlight your recommended option to increase average ticket size.
E-signature & approvals
Customers sign from their phone or laptop. BuildFolio tracks who signed, when they signed, and which
option they approved — no separate e-sign tool required.
Scope, photos & attachments
Attach job photos, scopes of work, work orders and permits so crews and customers see the same plan.
Financing & payment links
Add a “See monthly payments” button to your proposals and optional payment links once jobs are complete.
Make it easy to say yes even on larger projects.
Photo-to-quote & AI proposals
Use AI to turn job site photos into suggested line items, then promote them into full proposals with one click
when you’re ready to send pricing.
Follow-ups & reminders
Automatically remind customers about open proposals with polite SMS or email nudges, so good fits don’t go cold
just because everyone got busy.
From estimate to signed job — how BuildFolio proposals work
Keep your existing workflow, just tighten the steps between “we’ll send you a quote” and “you’re on our schedule.”
Here’s what it looks like in practice.
Build your estimate in BuildFolio or pull line items from your existing templates. Include labor, materials
and any options you plan to offer.
Convert the estimate into a proposal with your logo, scope, inclusions/exclusions and Good/Better/Best layout.
Attach photos and scopes if needed.
Email or text the proposal link. Customers review on any device, choose an option, sign, and optionally
pre-qualify for financing — all in one flow.
Once approved, BuildFolio turns the proposal into an active job with the selected scope, so you can assign
crews, schedule visits and track progress.
Generate an invoice from the signed proposal in a couple of clicks. Add payment links and optional reminders
so you don’t chase checks.
Proposal software for your trade
BuildFolio is built for home-service and specialty contractors who send photo-heavy, option-based proposals:
HVAC, roofing, plumbing, electrical, remodeling and more.
HVAC, plumbing & electrical
Service calls, replacements and multi-option installs where speed and clarity matter. Use proposals to show
repair vs replace and good-better-best equipment options.
HVAC contractor software →
Plumbing contractor software →
Electrical contractor software →
Roofing, solar & exterior trades
Photo-heavy inspections, insurance work and financed projects. Proposals help you present options, handle supplements,
and document scope in one place.
Remodeling & multi-stage projects
Larger projects where scope creep is real. Use structured proposals with clear phases, allowances and change-order
language so everyone stays on the same page.
General contractor & handyman
From punch lists to small jobs, proposals help you look more professional than “text message estimates”
while still staying lightweight.
General contractor estimate software →
Handyman business software →
Proposal templates & examples for contractors
Prefer to start on paper or in Google Docs first? Use these templates to dial in your proposal structure, then
move them into BuildFolio when you’re ready.
Contractor proposal template
A ready-to-use contractor proposal template with sections for scope, inclusions, exclusions, payment schedule
and signature.
Estimate & invoice templates
Keep estimates and invoices consistent with your proposals so nothing gets lost between quoting and billing.
Scope, work orders & checklists
Add scopes of work, work orders and job checklists as attachments to your proposals for crystal-clear expectations.
Scope of work template →
Work order template →
Job checklist template →
Want a deeper dive on AI and proposal workflows? Read the
AI proposal software guide for contractors.
Proposal PDFs vs. BuildFolio proposals
You can absolutely keep sending PDF proposals — but here’s what you gain when you move to a connected system.
| Feature | PDF / Word proposals | BuildFolio proposals |
|---|---|---|
| Creating the proposal | Copy/paste from estimate, reformat each time. | Generate from estimate in one click with saved templates. |
| Good / Better / Best options | Manual editing; easy to mislabel or misprice. | Structured options using your price book and defaults. |
| Customer approval | Print/sign/scan or “reply to this email to approve.” | Built-in e-signature with option selected + timestamp. |
| Financing & payments | Separate link or paper app; often skipped. | “See monthly payments” and payment links in the same flow. |
| Tracking status | Spreadsheets, sticky notes, inbox searches. | Proposal status (Sent, Viewed, Approved, Declined) in your job hub. |
| Follow-ups | Completely manual; easy to forget. | Automated SMS/email reminders for open proposals. |
Contractor proposal software — quick answers
Use this as a gut-check before you change how you send bids.
Do I have to change how I estimate jobs to use BuildFolio proposals?
No. Many contractors keep their existing estimating flow at first. You can recreate your favorite estimate
template inside BuildFolio or use our AI estimating tools, then generate proposals from there.
Can I still send PDFs if customers prefer them?
Yes. Every BuildFolio proposal has a web version and a PDF export. Homeowners can review and sign online,
and you can download a PDF copy for your records or their insurance company.
What about small jobs — is this overkill?
Not at all. For small jobs, you can use lightweight one-page proposals or even just turn a quote into an
invoice. The point is consistency: customers get used to your format and trust it.
Is proposal software only for “big” companies?
No. Solo contractors and small crews often see the biggest impact because consistent, professional proposals
help you stand out against “truck and a phone” competitors.
How does this tie into the rest of BuildFolio?
Proposals sit in the middle of your workflow: leads and estimates on the front end; jobs, scheduling, billing
and collections on the back end. Everything stays in one place instead of living across multiple tools.
Send proposals that look as professional as your work.
Start with simple templates, then add AI photo-to-quote, Good/Better/Best options, financing and e-signature
when you’re ready.