Resource Center
Free Contractor Resources
Run your contracting business your way, with tools built for the kind of work you do, including free templates, calculators, guides, and more to help you win jobs, save time, and get paid faster.
Blog Articles
Stay sharp with practical articles on estimating, invoicing, pricing, and cash flow—written specifically for contractors like you.
Free Estimate Templates
Download free, customizable estimate templates to quote jobs clearly and professionally so you can win more work.
Free Invoice Templates
Get free invoice templates for contractors that are easy to customize and send so you get paid faster and stop chasing down payments.
Free Calculators
Free calculators to estimate costs quickly, protect your margins, and make sure every quote you send is accurate and competitive.
Help Center
Get answers fast with step-by-step guides and how-to articles covering every part of the Joist app, available anytime you need a hand.
Why Use an Invoicing and Estimating App?
Running a contracting business means doing it all. You're quoting jobs, managing timelines, and ordering materials, all while producing great work and keeping your customers happy. Between time on site and time in the truck, paperwork and payment follow-ups can easily fall behind. That's where Joist can help.
Join over 1.3M contractors and get started with Joist.
Create estimates, send invoices, and get paid faster with HVAC estimating and invoicing software.
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Invoicing and Estimating Software Resources by Industry
Find tools, templates, and expert tips designed for your trade—from electrical and plumbing to roofing, painting, and beyond.
Free Resources for Contractors
Get started with free tools and expert resources made for all contractors. From free templates and calculators to guides written for the trades, Joist has what you need to help your business grow.
Table of Contents
Topic
Free resources
Estimating & Pricing
Guides on how to price jobs, calculate costs, and add markups to your estimates so every bid is accurate, competitive, and supports your bottom line.
Invoicing
Practical advice on writing clear, professional invoices, using templates, and choosing the tools and workflows that make billing faster and easier.
Cash Flow & Payments
Tips to keep cash moving, reduce late payments, and stay on top of your finances from the first estimate all the way through to final payment.
Client Management
Guides on managing client relationships, handling communication, and building the repeat customer base that keeps your contracting business growing.
Financing & Growth
Simple ways to offer customers flexible financing options, land bigger jobs, and grow your contracting business with more confidence and less risk.
Accounting & Reports
Practical guidance on tracking income, managing job expenses, staying on top of tax prep, and keeping your books clean without hiring an accountant.
Tech & Workflow
Tools, apps, and smarter workflows to help you automate the admin, cut down on paperwork, and stay organized from the first job of the day to the last.
Payroll & People
Resources for hiring subcontractors, handling payroll the right way, and building the team systems that keep every job running on time and on budget.
Business Foundations
From licensing and insurance to writing a business plan, learn how to grow from owner-operator to running a thriving contracting business.
Product Releases
Stay up to date on the latest Joist features, product updates, and improvements. We’re built to help contractors like you work smarter every day.
Scheduling & Teams
Guides on scheduling jobs, coordinating crews, dispatching field teams, and managing multiple projects so nothing falls through the cracks.
Marketing & Reviews
Whether you're trying to generate leads, get more Google reviews, or build stronger customer relationships, we’ll help you market your business and win more jobs.
Do the work. Joist does the rest.
Join over 1.3M contractors. Start your free trial today.
Get Started
Instant signup. 14 day free trial. No credit card required.
Free Estimate Templates
Create accurate, professional estimates that win more work and keep every job detail clear from the start.
Free Invoice Templates
Bill clients quickly and clearly with ready-to-use invoice formats and get paid faster on every job.
Free Calculators
Build better estimates from the start. These free calculators help you quickly determine material costs so your quotes stay accurate and competitive.
Flooring Calculator
Quote with confidence by including waste and labor costs so you never underbid an install.
Painting Calculator
Eliminate waste by estimating paint totals with window, door, and room dimensions.
Roofing Calculator
Bid jobs faster by converting pitch and area into professional, accurate estimates.
Contractor FAQs
Yes. Invoicing apps help contractors quote jobs, manage projects, process payments, and invoice like a pro. Invoicing and estimating software works great for contractors across the trades—handymen, electricians, plumbers, masons, painters, landscapers, and more. If you’re looking for an app to help you run the business side of contracting, Joist was built for you.
Joist offers free, ready-to-customize templates for both estimates and invoices—download, fill in your details, and send directly to clients. They cover labor, materials, project scope, and payment terms. When you’re ready to go fully digital, Joist lets you build and send professional estimates and invoices right from your phone, complete with your logo and brand colors.
Use a mobile invoicing app like Joist. You can manage your entire business from the jobsite or on the go—creating estimates, sending invoices, and collecting payments right from your phone or tablet. Joist is built for pros who spend more time on-site than in an office, so you can close out a job and get paid without ever stepping foot in a back office.
Yes. Joist offers free trade calculators for flooring, painting, and roofing to help you estimate material costs quickly and accurately. They help you factor in waste, labor, and dimensions so your quotes stay competitive and your margins stay protected. For more detailed pricing, Joist’s estimating app lets you add line items, markups, and taxes all in one place.
Looking professional comes down to being clear, organized, and consistent. Sending polished estimates, responding quickly, and outlining project details up front all help build trust. With Joist, you can create clean, branded estimates and invoices, collect digital signatures, take payments on-site, and manage every job from one app—so your business always puts its best foot forward.
The key is keeping everything in one place. Joist helps you move a job from estimate to invoice to payment without switching apps or losing track of where things stand. You can see every job’s status at a glance, follow up on unpaid invoices automatically, and store client info so repeat work is even easier. Less admin, more time focused on the actual job.
Get started with Joist.
From estimate to final payment, Joist gives contractors a simple way to save time, keep everything organized, and get paid faster, all from the jobsite or on the go. Start your free trial today.
Get Started
Instant signup. 14 day free trial. No credit card required.