> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.homespace.co/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Send tiered estimates customers sign on the spot

> Build Good / Better / Best tiered estimates with photos, send a link, and collect a deposit the moment the customer signs — before you leave the driveway.

A single price on an estimate forces a yes-or-no decision. A tiered estimate — Good, Better, Best — turns that into a conversation about which option fits the customer's situation. Across 12,400 Homespace businesses, tiered estimates close at **64%** compared to **26%** for single-price estimates, and the median time from send to signature is just **14 minutes**.

Go to **Dashboard > Estimates** to access the estimates feature.

## Single price vs. tiered estimates

| Metric                           | Single price | Tiered (Good / Better / Best) |
| -------------------------------- | ------------ | ----------------------------- |
| Close rate                       | 26%          | 64%                           |
| Average ticket lift              | —            | +38%                          |
| Median time to signature         | 2.3 days     | 14 minutes                    |
| Discount requests per estimate   | 0.81         | 0.12                          |
| Customer satisfaction (post-job) | 4.2 / 5      | 4.8 / 5                       |

*Measured across 12,400 Homespace shops.*

## How to create and send an estimate

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open a new estimate">
    Go to **Dashboard > Estimates** and click **New estimate**. Select the customer from your contacts or create a new one by entering their name, address, and phone number.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Pull a trade template">
    Choose a template from your trade's library. Templates come pre-loaded with common line items from your price book — HVAC tune-ups, plumbing fixes, roofing repairs, lawn services, and more. You can customize any template and save it for reuse.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Build your three tiers">
    For each tier (Good, Better, Best), add or remove line items, adjust quantities, and set your markup. Cost, markup percentage, and margin calculate live as you edit — so you can see your numbers before the customer does.

    <Tip>
      The middle tier (Better) is where most customers land. Price it at the margin you'd be happy running the job at, and use Best to offer premium materials or a longer warranty.
    </Tip>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Attach photos from the truck">
    Tap the camera icon on any line item to attach a photo directly from your phone. Photos documenting the problem — a rusted fitting, a cracked panel, storm damage — remove the "why so much?" call later. Each photo is tied to the specific line item it supports.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Send to the customer">
    Click **Send** and choose how to deliver the estimate:

    * **SMS link** — the customer taps a link from their phone and sees the estimate immediately
    * **Email** — a branded email with the estimate attached as an interactive viewer

    The customer does not need to create a Homespace account to view or sign.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Customer signs and pays the deposit">
    The customer opens the estimate on their phone, reviews the three tiers, selects one, and signs with their finger. If you've enabled a deposit, payment is captured the moment they sign via Stripe. The signed estimate is stored on the job record automatically.
  </Step>

  <Step title="A job draft is created automatically">
    Once the estimate is signed, Homespace creates a job draft in **Dashboard > Calendar** with the signed tier's line items, the customer details, and any attached photos already populated. Drag the job onto your dispatch board to schedule it.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## The live price book

Your price book is the catalog of services and parts that powers every estimate. When you update a price in the price book, it reflects on every active estimate automatically.

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Cost and markup" icon="calculator">
    Enter your cost for any item and set a markup percentage. Homespace calculates the sell price and margin in real time so you always know your numbers before you send.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Trade templates" icon="layers">
    HVAC, plumbing, roofing, lawn, electrical, and more — each trade comes with a starter catalog you can fork and customize. Add your own items at any time.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Margin badges" icon="badge-check">
    Each tier shows an internal margin badge visible only to you and your team. If a tier is priced too thin, the badge flags it before you send.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Parts list handoff" icon="package">
    When an estimate is signed, the materials list from the accepted tier populates the job's parts list automatically — ready for your tech to pull from inventory.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## On-site signing and deposits

The customer-facing estimate viewer is designed for a phone screen and requires no app installation.

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="How the customer signs">
    The customer opens the link on their phone. They see the three tiers side by side, can tap each one to expand the line-item detail, and then tap **Select this option** on their chosen tier. A signature pad appears — they sign with a finger or stylus. The signed estimate is timestamped and attached to the job record.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Capturing a deposit at signature">
    Enable deposits from **Dashboard > Estimates > Settings > Deposits**. Set a fixed amount or a percentage of the estimate total. When the customer signs, they are prompted to pay the deposit immediately via card, ACH, or Apple Pay. The deposit amount is deducted from the final invoice automatically.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What the customer receives after signing">
    Immediately after signing, the customer receives:

    * A PDF copy of the signed estimate via SMS or email
    * A deposit receipt if payment was collected
    * A confirmation of next steps (scheduling, arrival window, etc.) if you've configured a follow-up message
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Dispute protection">
    The signed estimate, the attached photos, and the customer's signature together form a complete paper trail. If a chargeback is filed, Homespace packages this evidence into a rebuttal automatically.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Win/loss tracking

Every sent estimate is tracked through its full lifecycle. From **Dashboard > Estimates**, you can see:

* **Open** — sent but not yet viewed
* **Viewed** — the customer opened the link
* **Signed** — accepted and deposit collected (if applicable)
* **Declined** — the customer chose not to proceed
* **Expired** — estimate lapsed without a response

The analytics view shows close rates by tier, by tech, by trade, and by time period — so you can see what's working and what to adjust.

<Note>
  Win/loss analytics require at least 10 sent estimates to display meaningful data. If you've recently started using Homespace, the analytics panel will show a progress indicator until you reach that threshold.
</Note>