Why print the cure schedule?

Because walking on a floor too early or putting rugs down before it cures ruins it, and the customer has no way to know the timeline. Dates on the estimate — walk on X, light furniture Y, rugs Z — protect the floor and your warranty simultaneously.

Should furniture moving be included?

Price it or exclude it, but never leave it silent. Moving a household's furniture out and back is a real half-day with real breakage risk, and it's one of the most commonly assumed-included items in the trade.

How do I quote a floor with pet damage?

Inspect first and be honest. Urine that has penetrated below the finish into the wood cannot be sanded out — it needs board replacement or a decision to live with it. Saying that at estimate time is far better than revealing it after the sanding is done.

Hardwood Floor Refinishing Estimate Template (Free)

What belongs on the estimate

Business name, license number, contact info
Customer name, property address, phone
Area by room with total square footage
Species and existing finish
Sanding — number of passes and grit progression
Repairs — board replacement, lacing, filling
Stain — color, sample panels
Finish — system, sheen, coat count
Stairs — treads and risers
Cure schedule and exclusions

The template

[Your Business Name] · License #________
[Phone] · [Email]

Estimate #____        Date: __________
Prepared For: [Customer Name]   Phone: __________
Property: _____________________________________
Rooms: _________________________  Total: ___ sq ft
Species: ______  Existing finish: ______________
Previously sanded: [yes / no / unknown]

--------------------------------------------------
Description                              Amount
--------------------------------------------------
Furniture moving (OPTION)                $______
Shoe molding removal + reinstall         $______
Dustless containment + setup             $______
Sanding — ___ sq ft, ___ passes          $______
Board replacement — ___ boards           $______
Lacing into existing area                $______
Filling + edge work                      $______
Stain sample panels x___                 $______
Stain application — [color]              $______
Finish — ___ coats [system / sheen]      $______
Stairs — ___ treads @ $___               $______
Stairs — ___ risers @ $___               $______
Screen + recoat (ALTERNATIVE quote)      $______
--------------------------------------------------
Subtotal                                 $______
Tax (if applicable)                      $______
Estimate Total                           $______

PAYMENT: ___% deposit at signing
         Balance at final coat.

CURE SCHEDULE
  Walk on (socks): ___ hrs after final coat
  Light furniture: ___ days
  Rugs / heavy furniture: ___ days

NOT INCLUDED: subfloor repair, squeak elimination,
baseboards or painting, appliance moving, floors
sanded below the tongue (replacement required).

Quote the screen-and-recoat as an alternative

Some floors don’t need a full sand. Putting the cheaper option right on the same estimate — as a named alternative with its own price — makes you the honest one in the room, and it’s a faster, cleaner job whenever it’s appropriate.

State whether the floor can take another sanding

Floors have a finite number of sandings in them. If it’s been done twice already or the nails are getting close to the surface, say so in writing — proceeding silently and hitting nails mid-job is about the worst version of that conversation you could have.

Skipping the copy-paste

Software with your per-square-foot sanding and coating rates, stair pricing, and cure schedule already saved builds this estimate fast and turns the accepted version into a deposit invoice.