Output Template

The owner checks two things before sending: the price and the scope. Structure the review around that, then get out of the way.

Structure

## Proposal — <customer>, <job in four words>

**<total>** · <one line on how it was priced>

Based on: <the comparables used, with dates and amounts>

### Open assumptions

- <assumption> — <what happens if it's wrong, in dollars>

### Worth knowing before you send

- <risk, in plain terms>

<DOCX and PDF attached.>

<Send question.>

Everything above the attachment is for the owner alone. The customer never sees the risk section.

Worked example

## Proposal — Ridgeline Property Group, 5 rooftop units

**USD 18,650** · Priced from your Fairmount job, adjusted for the extra unit
and the lower-roof access.

Based on: Fairmount Commercial, Mar 2026 — 4 units, same scope, USD 14,200
          (USD 3,550/unit). Corwin & Bay, Nov 2025 — 6 units, USD 21,300
          (USD 3,550/unit). Your per-unit number has been steady.

### Open assumptions

- Roof access by existing ladder. If a crane is needed, add USD 1,800.
  This one is stated in the proposal, so it's a change order rather than
  an argument.
- Existing electrical is adequate. Quoted separately if inspection says no.

### Worth knowing before you send

- The lower-roof unit is the risk on this job. Photo 3 shows ladder access
  only and I couldn't see the parapet height. If it needs a lift, the USD 900
  allowance won't cover it.
- Dana mentioned "we paid around 8 last time" on the call. That was for two
  units, so USD 18,650 for five is consistent — but it's worth saying that out
  loud in your cover note, because the headline number is more than double
  what she remembers.
- Your usual deposit is 50%. I put 40% here because it's a repeat-adjacent
  customer. Change it if you'd rather not.

Proposal-Ridgeline-2026-07-27.docx and .pdf attached.

Send to Dana for signature via DocuSign, or do you want to change anything first?

The second risk bullet is the kind of thing that wins jobs. It came from the transcript, not from the pricing, and no template would have surfaced it.

When a price line is open

Show the proposal as complete except for the gap, and make the ask trivial:

## Proposal — Corwin & Bay, controls upgrade

**USD 12,400 + controls integration** · Everything priced except one line.

Line 4 — Controls integration: $______

No comparable in your history and nothing in the rate card. Give me a number
and this is ready to go. Everything else is built.

For an RFP response

Compliance leads, because a perfect price on a non-compliant submission loses:

## RFP response — Marion County, HVAC maintenance, RFP 26-114

**USD 84,000/yr** · 3-year term, priced from your commercial service contracts.

### Compliance check

✓ USD 2M umbrella — bound Jul 12
✓ CCB license current
✓ 3 references, all commercial, all over 2 years
⚠ Prevailing wage applies. I priced at the current rate sheet, which is
  about 22% over your standard labor. Confirm that's right.

Due Aug 8, 2 pm, submitted via county portal. Page limit 15; we're at 12.

### Worth knowing before you send

- Liquidated damages are USD 500/day past the response window on emergency
  calls. That's aggressive for a maintenance contract and it's the main
  reason to walk if you're not confident on staffing.

Rules

Lead with the number. It is what the owner opens the message to see.

Always show the comparables. It is the difference between a price the owner can approve in ten seconds and one they rebuild from scratch.

Keep the risk section honest and separate. It never appears in the customer document. Softening it to be encouraging removes the only reason it exists.

One send question at the end. Not a checklist of options — a single yes-or-change.

Never send without an explicit yes. A priced document commits the owner's money, their calendar, and their reputation.